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I used to think I had an unhealthy love of toasted granola snacks, until I met my bottomless pit of a toddler… Bo calls granola ‘crunchies’ and she’d happy have a bag of it strapped to her all day long for her grazing pleasure. Once upon a time I used to carry a jar of baby trail mix around with me where ever we went, and then we eventually graduated to granola. I make a lot of different kinds, my favourite being “pantry granola” which pretty much includes the end of the jar of every nut/seed/grain that we have in the pantry… but let’s be honest, it’s impossible to write up a recipe for that one.
This one is *almost* as good… some would say it’s improved with some dark chunks of chocolate in it (me)… but I include those to my own late night granola-y snack so that Bo doesn’t catch on that it’s far superior. It’s easy to make and so much cheaper than the boxed versions you will find in the alarmingly long cereal aisle (when did anyone need SO MANY cereal choices, and why on earth are they so expensive?) – and it’s much better for you too!
Date + Nut Winter Granola
INGREDIENTS
2 cups of mixed nuts
2 cups of oats
6 fresh medjool dates
½ cup coconut oil
2 Tbsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp maple syrup
METHOD
Preheat oven to 170C
Roughly chop the nuts and the dates halve the mixture.
Put half of the mixture in a food processor along with one cup of oats and pulse a few times giving the mixture a good shake in between. Blend until the mixture becomes a coarse meal.
Add both mixtures together in a large bowl along with the coconut oil, cinnamon and maple syrup and scrunch together with your hands.
Carefully pour the mixture onto two lined baking trays, ensuring that the mixture is spread thinly and evenly.
Bake for up to 20 minutes, moving the mixture around with a wooden spoon periodically to ensure the nuts don’t burn.
Take the mixture out of the oven and slide off the baking trays onto a wooden board or large plate and allow to cool completely.
Keep the granola in an airtight glass jar for up to three weeks (if it lasts that long).
* We eat this yummy granola on top of porridge, with yoghurt, or I keep a jar of it in my handbag as a perfect snack in the car or on the run for hungry toddlers (or mamas).
Life With The Crew - The dates are an interesting twist to regular granola. I like shredded coconut and flax seed in mine.