Cacao And Coconut Christmas Morning Granola

Get your fat pants ready, it’s Christmas! 

The days are long, long gone where sleep felt like an impossible task on Christmas Eve. When I would wake every hour on the hour to reach my toes nervously towards the end of the bed, feeling for a stocking filled up with treats and gold chocolate coins. When my Brother and I would sneak down the stairs to catch a glimpse of presents under the tree, and impatiently tear open our chocolate selection boxes. Jumping onto our parents bed at ridiculous o'clock to beg to go downstairs and open all the presents. And although Christmas Mornings now start with a cheeky run with my Dad rather than wading though the sea of wrapping paper, one thing about Christmas never truly changes. Chocolate for breakfast, and the excitement of the feasting ahead. 

This Cacao and Coconut Granola, served with coconut yogurt, fresh berries and a drizzle of chocolate sauce, is such a delicious breakfast to start a day of indulgence. Full of whole ingredients with amazing properties for our bodies, homemade and sweetened naturally with a mixture of ground cinnamon and local runny honey, this stuff is so much better for us than the shop brought stuff. Not that you needed a reason on Christmas Morning to be quite so decadent…

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients

2 TBSP Coconut Oil

185g Mixed Nuts

35g Pumpkin Seeds

70g Raisins

35g Unsweetened Desiccated Coconut

1 TSP Cacao Powder

1 TSP Ground Cinnamon

2 TBSP Runny Honey

Method

1. Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the nuts, raisins and seeds to the pan first and stir frequently for 10 minutes. Then add the desiccated coconut, cacao powder, cinnamon and honey and reduce heat to low, stirring consistently for a further 5 minutes. Transfer the granola from the pan into a large bowl to cool completely. 
2. Serve with your chosen plant-based milk, or yogurt and fresh berries if you like.

Put on some cheesy Christmas music, sip slowly on a freshly brewed coffee and enjoy your Christmas Morning…

K

(This recipe was adapted from the Julie Montagu’s Chocolate and Coconut Granola recipe in the Sainsbury’s December 2016 issue).

Heartwarming Gingernut Crunch Granola

There’s no greater link to my heart than good food (and shoes), and the smell of this freshly baked granola brought back the sweetest memories of my childhood. Warming spices of ginger and cinnamon were a reminder of the long days playing Cowboys & Indians with my Brother at my Grandparents house. Every holiday at theirs included late nights of playing card games, bedtime stories of great adventures in mysterious places, and a cheeky trip to Toys-R-Us, always. In-between this all, there was always a packet of McVities Ginger Nut biscuits in the cupboard waiting to be demolished - particularly enjoyed dipped into warm milk and then sucking all the soggy biscuit off. 

So when they tell you food can’t bring you happiness, they’re lying. For me, this Ginger Nut Crunch Granola brings a heartwarming bowl of happiness to 7:00am in the morning.

This deliciously festive breakfast of completely oil-free and refined sugar-free, crunchy clusters of oats, nuts and dried fruits pack a punch of healthy fats and protein. Serve with sliced banana over yogurt, and a strong cup of coffee, always.

Ingredients

Serves about 10 (40g servings)

35g Chopped Pecans

20g Chopped Walnuts

25g Chopped Almonds

30g Whole Almonds

20g Dried Cranberries

25g Raisins

30g Chopped Dates

20g Goji Berries

15g Pumpkin Seeds

20g Sunflower Seeds

140g Oats

65g Pure Maple Syrup

1 Whole Banana Mashed

2 Tsp Ground Ginger

1 Tsp Cinnamon

1/2 Tsp Nutmeg

1/2 Tsp All Spice

(Originally I only used 1/2 a mashed banana, but I recommend using 1 whole if you prefer a sweeter granola)

Method

Preheat your oven to Gas Mark 5/190 Degrees Celcius and line a tray with baking paper.

In a bowl combine all your dry ingredients. 

In a pan, warm your maple syrup, mashed banana and spices until all combined.

Pour your wet mixture over your dry ingredients and stir into a sticky dough.

Transfer into your baking tray and press firmly down with spoon to make sure everything is sticking together.

Bake for 30 + minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to prevent it from burning.

Tip: To prevent dried fruits from burning or going too chewy, stir in after granola has baked!

Kay's Kitchen Playlist

This Christmas Unwrapped playlist on Spotify by House & Garden