Golden Granola

This is the granola that has cured my breakfast aversion. Not that I ever had anything against the 11 o'clock weekend brunch kind of affair. It was more specifically a cereal aversion, the midweek 'must eat something before running out the door' kind of breakfast that was not my cup of tea. In that case, a cup of tea was more my cup of tea. As a child I would sneakily rinse a clean bowl and spoon to fool (not very successfully) my parents into thinking I'd broken my fast. For someone so into food it seems strange that I was so willing to forgo any chance to dine. Various health kicks as an adult failed to convince me of the merits of muesli, some of the blame at least must go to sultanas, which I find, I cannot quite say why, utterly revolting. Truth be told, I cannot think of anything worse than munching on a mouthful of dry, raw oats; I am not a cow and do not like the feeling of chewing my cud.

So I began making this muesli not for myself but for my boyfriend. The muesli I was buying for him was, apparently, delicious, and at about $8.00 a breakfast it would want to be! I thought I could do much better at a fraction of the cost. Once I had made it, filling the house with a delectable biscuity fug,  I found myself munching on handfuls of the stuff at random moments throughout the day. Giving in to the inevitable, I soon made it a integral part of my morning routine.

The quick oats may seem a strange addition. I discovered by accident, one day when I ran out of the regular, that the quick oats clump up with all the seeds and honey, forming crunchy little biscuity nuggets that improve the granola tenfold. You can really put any grains, seeds or nuts you like, granola is after all a very personal thing, we are all much too fragile and childlike in the morning to be challenged. I like to sometimes swap the macadamias for hazelnuts and when we go camping I add dried cranberries and peaches.

Granola

400g rolled oats

400g quick porridge oats

200g macadamia nuts

300g raw almonds

50g linseed

80g coconut flakes

60g pepitas

60g sunflower seeds

60g sesame seeds

60g poppy seeds

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup apple juice

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup honey

zest of one orange

Preheat oven to 180°C. Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. 

Place juice, oil, honey and zest in a saucepan and heat gently until honey is melted. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well.

Spread evenly over 2 deep roasting trays and bake for 30-45mins or until evenly golden brown and crunchy. Stir  and rotate trays every 5 mins or so to prevent edges burning and to brown evenly. 

Cool and store in airtight jars for up to 2 weeks. Serve with natural yoghurt, milk and fresh fruit.