Coco-nutty Granola

This granola, or 'coconut crack' as it is known in my home, is a pantry staple for me nowadays. Delicious, crunchy, and so very addictive. Although it is called a granola in the 'I Quit Sugar' cookbook, there's really no reason why it can't be eaten at any other time of the day. I like it with yoghurt as a morning snack, or even just a little with some herbal tea is a nice afternoon pick-me-up. 

I am a relative newcomer to this business of granola making. One thing I have noticed about people that make their own is that everyone swears by their own recipe, and they are reluctant to deviate from it. I'm pretty happy with my variation of this recipe and rarely stray from it now either! It is packed with good stuff and is slightly sweetened with rice malt syrup rather than loads of dried fruit and honey. You can pick up rice malt syrup up in the health food section of Coles and it is quite a handy ingredient to have in the cupboard!

Coco-nutty Granola

Adapted recipe from 'I Quit Sugar' by Sarah Wilson

Ingredients

2 cups coconut flakes

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup almonds

1/2 cup cashews

1/2 cup pepitas

2 tablespoons chia seeds

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

80g coconut oil/butter, melted

3 tablespoons rice malt syrup

Method

1. Preheat oven to 150 degrees celcius and line a large baking tray with baking paper.

2. Combine all the ingredients, then spread evenly on the tray.

3. Bake for around 40 minutes or until golden, turning halfway through the cooking time. The darker the granola, the crunchier it will be.

4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container to keep the granola crispy.

Before...

And after...

Notes

The original recipe says to bake for 15-20 minutes at 120 degrees celcius but I found this did nothing to the mixture at all, hence the higher temperature and longer cooking time. Keep an eye on yours though, as every oven is a little different.

Also, I make mine using activated nuts. They add wonderful toastiness and crunch - the main reason why I use activated nuts rather than the health benefits if I am to be perfectly honest! To 'activate' nuts, soak overnight in water with a little sea salt. Drain, then spread out on a baking tray and dry in the oven for 12-24 hours at the lowest temperature possible. Keen to read more about why activated nuts are said so good for you? You might like to read this article.

Do you make your own granola? If so, what recipe do you swear by??

xx