Homemade Cinnamon and Cacao Granola

Yesterday I made my own granola for the first time ever! Granola is one of my favourite things but often the ones in supermarkets are packed full of sugar so I thought I'd make my own and try and make it as healthy as possible.

It is really easy to make and as far as ingredients are concerned, there is so much choice as to what to put in it. In mine I used almonds and pecans which are my favourite nuts, dried cranberries and chia and flax seeds for an extra superfood kick.

This recipe makes about 10 servings of the yummiest granola I've ever tasted!

The Ingredients:

200g rolled oats

80g chia and flax seeds (I bought a mixed packet from Holland & Barrett)

125g pecans (roughly chopped)

100g almonds

 (use whatever nuts you prefer and however many you want but these proportions worked well for me)

Whatever dried fruit you like - about 125g

 (or none if you don't like it)

3 tablespoons melted coconut oil 

3 tablespoons of pure maple syrup or organic honey

3 tsp cinnamon

2 tablespoons raw cacao 

Pecans (you can get big bags from Holland & Barrett)

The Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 125°C / 255°F

2. Put all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and make sure they are mixed well so that no oats are left at the bottom

Pre-baked mixture

3. Line a tray with baking paper and place the mixture in the tray, spreading evenly

4. Bake for 30 minutes, at about 15, however, take it out and use a spoon to move it around, turning it over so that it doesn't just bake into a granola bar. 

5. Take it out the oven and leave it for a while so that it sets and becomes lovely and crunchy.

The Goodness:

Although this granola contains syrup (which can actually be replaced with coconut sugar if you want it to be even more healthy) it is far less sugary than most granolas you will find on the shop shelves, and also you've made it yourself, which always makes me enjoy it more!

Chia and flax seeds are packed full of protein - 1 ounce of chia seeds contains 4.4 grams of protein and the same amount of flax seeds contains 5.1 grams. This is almost as much as meat and more than eggs! They are both rich in the fatty acid Omega-3 ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) which gets converted to Omega-3 EPA and DHA which are really important for brain health, cardiovascular health and eyesight! They are also antioxidants and a great source of fibre - what more could you want??

Pecans and almonds also contain protein and fats that are great for your hair and skin. Almonds also contain calcium so they are great for vegans and people who avoid dairy. 

Cacao is also an amazing superfood and it makes the granola taste so delicious and chocolatey (chocolate is my BIGGEST weakness). Raw cacao is an antioxidant and is great for cardiovascular health, circulation and blood pressure. Additionally, it boosts physical and mental wellbeing as it contains many components, such as beta-carotene and theobromine, that work together in different ways to make you feel happy, by promoting serotonin production, stimulating the nervous system and relaxing smooth muscles. 

After I made my granola I added it to some organic greek yogurt and it was SO good!

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!