10 January 2024 , 13:57
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If you're looking for a healthier alternative to high-sugar cereals for your breakfast, try out this homemade granola recipe.
Cereal is one of the nation's favourite breakfast foods thanks to how quick and easy it is to pour some into a bowl and tuck in. But the fact is many of our most loved brands are packed full of sugar and are no good for those of us looking to lose weight as we head into 2024. Granola is a great alternative to processed cereals as it combines oats with mixed seeds, nuts, and fruit to make a filling breakfast that keeps you going all morning.
Granola is lower in sugar than processed cereals (Getty)And if you're looking for the perfect granola recipe, Michellin-starred chef Tom Kerridge has got you covered. His homemade granola recipe makes 16 servings that can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container so that it's ready to serve in the morning.
On his website, he said: "Packed with nutritious nuts and dried fruit, this homemade granola is a great way to start the day, and it's a healthier alternative to the highly processed, high-sugar cereals you can buy. It is really sustaining too, so you only need a small amount, with a generous dollop of yoghurt and some fresh fruit, for a perfectly balanced breakfast."
Tom Kerridge's homemade granola recipe
Ingredients
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- 300g rolled oats
- 100g mixed seeds (pumpkin, sunflower & sesame)
- 50g hazelnuts, roughly chopped
- 50g pecans, roughly chopped
- 50g pistachios, roughly chopped
- 50g flaked almonds
- 50g coconut flakes
- 150g mixed dried fruit (cranberries, apricots, dried apple, sultanas)
- 4 tbsp coconut oil
- 125ml maple syrup
- 50ml honey
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
Method
Making Tom's homemade granola does take a little bit of time, but it gives you just over two weeks' worth of breakfasts - or a week if two of you are tucking into a bowl in the morning - so it's worth the effort. First, you want to preheat your oven to 150C and line two baking trays.
Next, mix together the oats, seeds, nuts, and flaked almonds into a large bowl. In a pan, heat the coconut oil, maple syrup, honey, vanilla, spices, and salt, and mix together until the coconut oil has fully melted. Then, pour the liquid into the oat mixture and stir well to coat.
Spread this mixture in a thin layer over the two lined trays, and then pop them both in the oven for around 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the coconut flakes and dried fruit, before returning to the oven for another 8-10 minutes, or until the coconut has browned.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool, before storing the mixture in an airtight container ready for the morning. The granola can then be served with fresh fruit and yoghurt.