Healthy New Year

Happy New Year to you all...

On this first day of the first month of 2012 (raining as if it were monsoon), I am thinking about the chat my hubby and I had last night: new years' resolutions and all.

Alex is cutting out sugary things for the month of January and then no alcohol for the month of February (that I would like to see :-), and I would like to eat a little healthier after the Xmas binge of meats, sweets, cakes, crisps, pate', bacon, cheese and more...

So, I came across the wonderful blog that is My New Roots.

The best healthy, wholesome, yummy eating blog I have ever read. 

Wonderful recipes.

Gorgeous images.

One feels healthy just reading it!

So I have attempted to make my own homemade

Granola

It's turned out deliciously, fantastically yummy and healthy, 

plus I know exactly what's in it - and it's so scrummy.

This is how I made it, but actually, you can "build" your Granola any way you like, adding or taking away ingredients as you please.

First, preheat the oven to 175 degrees C.

Then... get the following ingredients:

7 Cups of Rolled Oats

1 Cup of Almonds (crushed)

1 Cup of Walnuts (crushed)

1 Cup of Sunflower Seeds

1 Cup of Sesame Seeds and Linseeds (mixed together)

1 Cup of Pumpkin Seeds

1 Cup of Pecan Nuts (crushed) 

1 Cup of Coconut

1 Tablespoon of Sea Salt

1 Tablespoon of Cinnamon powder

 

 

Mix all the above ingredients into a large bowl.

 

Then... get:

1 Cup of Sunflower Oil

1/2 Cup of Maple Syrup or Honey or Agave (you can add more if you want your Granola to be sweeter)

Heat up the Sunflower oil in a small pan with the Maple Syrup (Honey or Agave).

Once this has heated, pour the liquid into the bowl of ingredients.

Stir them together, until all the ingredients are coated in sunflower oil and maple syrup.

Put the mixed ingredients onto a baking trey lined with baking paper and stick it in the oven for aout 10 minutes (until the top layer turns golden brown).

Then move the granola around the trey a bit, so that the ingredients at the bottom of the trey are at the top and bake for another 5 minutes.

Repeat this process until all the granola is nicely roasted, golden brown and smells yummy.

 

(After roasting)

You can add

1 Cup of Raisins or Sultanas

1 Cup of Chopped Dates, Dried Apples, Dried Apricots, Banana Chips 

or any other dried fruit you like.

That's it!

I made kilos of the stuff, stored in a large jar, ready for morning breakfast or afternoon snacks.

Enjoy a healthy step in the right direction.