On days we are all at home together I like to cook something special for breakfast. Eggy(less) Bread and Tofu Scramble are particular family favourites. But with lockdown, we are all here 24/7, apart from when we leave home for exercise. My Autumn Foragers Granola uses produce gathered on our early morning walks. At the moment figs, walnuts and apples are still plentiful. Prior to lockdown, I’d anticipated having more figs and apples than I knew what to do with, so I’d already been dehydrating them for a while – I hate seeing food go to waste. And we’ve slowly collected a bucket full of walnuts waiting to be shelled.
Apart from using local free food, homemade granola has the advantage of being potentially much more healthy than its supermarket cousin. In particular you have control over the fat and sugar content, as well as, the other ingredients. Being allergic to sesame seeds, peanuts and almonds means I haven’t eaten store-bought granola in years. Use this recipe as a starting point to adapt to your personal needs and tastes. It doesn’t require that you forage, you could also just rummage around your pantry – try to use what’s on hand before you think about getting something from a shop. You can create a healthy breakfast option for you and your family.
Autumn Foragers Granola
Ingredients:
- 500g rolled oats
- 150g walnut pieces
- 25 sunflower seeds
- 50g pumpkin seeds
- 100g dehydrated apple pieces
- 100g dehydrated figs
- 50g dried blueberries, sultanas or raisins
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 125ml apple juice
- 60ml olive oil
- 60ml maple, agave syrup or use more apple juice
Method:
In a mixing bowl add oil and apple juice (and sweetener, if using it). Stir in sea
salt.
Add to the liquid mixture and combine until evenly coated.
Spread out in an even layer on a lined baking tray.
Bake for 15 minutes at 140ºC.
Remove from oven, spread walnuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds over the tray, turn the mixture so that any darker oats on the sides and the surface are mixed towards the centre, so it browns evenly.
Return to oven for 15 minutes at 140ºC
Stir the mixture again to make sure the granola bakes evenly. Again mixing the edges towards the centre.
Return to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes.
After the 15 minutes, remove from the oven and stir through apples and figs.
Leave to cool before storing in an airtight jar.
Chef’s Tip – think of this recipe as a base, if you like a sweeter mixture, add more maple syrup or agave at the beginning. For a crunchier mixture add more oil, before cooking. Just remember to either make a smaller batch when changing a recipe or just make one change at a time (and take notes).
