Breakfast is the only meal I have never dared to skip in my entire life. Good girl? Well, I've always been! But seriously, following the healthy path isn't really much of a struggle if you can stick to just one simple rule: plan your morning feast in advance, and make sure it consists of ingredients that will have you wiggling with excitement the night before! My personal favourites? Just about anything, as long as I get an illusion of having a fancy dessert and this super-crunchy Granola never fails to look and taste like one...
Home-made Granola Recipe:
3 cups oats
1/2 cup white wheat flour
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup or more coarsely chopped almonds
1 cup brown sugar
100g butter
1/3 cup water
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 180°C. In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, coconut and almonds. Set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, butter, and water and heat until the butter has melted and the mixture is bubbly. Using a wooden spoon, stir the mixture together until smooth, and then stir in the salt, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour mixture over the oats mixture and stir well to coat. Let stand for about 10 minutes.
Spread mixture on a large baking sheet, separating it into irregular clumps with your fingers,and leaving enough space between them for the hot air to circulate. Slide it into the middle of the oven and bake until the top is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir to break up the mixture into medium sized clumps. Return to the oven and bake again for 15 minutes before stirring again. Bake for another 15 minutes or until the granola is golden brown and completely dry — this might take up to 1 hour. Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.
