Healthy? Granola!
- 2 cup rolled oats (cheap and cheerful is fine for this recipe)
- 3/4 cup butter or buttery spread that is suitable for baking
- 1/2 cup brown sugar or more if you like a sweeter mix
- 1/2 cup clear honey
- 1 nectarine
- 2 cup mixed dried fruit - I used extra large sultanas, raisins and cranberries - i have previously used apricots, dates and various nuts and seeds it's all about your tastebuds
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees gas mark 4
- Using a medium sized pan - Melt butter, sugar and honey on a medium heat until bubbling but not browning
- Whilst waiting for the butter mix, chop the nectarine into small cubes
- Add oats to the pan and stir until covered
- Lightly stir in the nectarine pieces (you don't want them to get crushed)
- Pour all of it onto a baking sheet covered with greaseproof paper
- Spread out but don't crush it down too far as you want some larger lumps.
- Put in the oven on a middle shelf and bake for 20 minutes
- Remove from oven and allow to cool on the tray.
- Remove any bits that may have over-browned so far as to be one step away from blackened - these add a bitter edge, although the chickens love them!
- Transfer the baked oats and nectarine to a large bowl and add your dried fruit, nuts and seeds - you can also add some sugar at this stage if you've only used nuts or you like sweet things
- Your granola is now finished.
- Keep in an airtight container.
- You can make smaller quantities if you wish but I wouldn't advise making more as granola will only keep fresh a few days (especially if you're using fresh fruit)
- Have it as cereal with milk.
- Sprinkled on top of porridge or mixed with yoghurt and banana for a lovely healthy lunch.
- Lastly, leave out the fresh fruit add another 1/4 cup butter, add plump dried fruits when the mix is still warm from the oven and press the mixture into a pie tin or a glass serving dish.
- Mix together an 8 oz pack of cream cheese, 1/4 cup of sugar, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
- Spread on top of the pressed granola and put back into the oven for 12 minutes, remove, leave to cool then refrigerate for at least 2 hours - cut into squares or serve straight from dish - this is my higgledy piggledy cheesecake
rolled oats, butter, brown sugar, clear honey, nectarine, mixed dried
Taken from cookpad.com/us/recipes/359948-healthy-granola (may not work)