MAPLE CINNAMON OAT CRUNCH

It's been a busy old week here at Nourished by Nature! It's Scotland Food and Drink Fortnight and also Organic September so I've been promoting both of them big-time!

I'm taking part in a My Healthy Breakfast Challenge for schools in conjunction with Food for Thought  and Hamlyn's Oats and my brief was to come up with a few ideas for kids breakfasts with no nuts or expensive ingredients!

So I came up with this rather delicious crunchy oaty granola which is flavoured with maple syrup and cinnamon and packed with lots of healthy seeds which kids should definitely be eating more of! I used my organic maple syrup from Lidl which was a total bargain at £2.99!

Pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds are now widely available everywhere from Home Bargains to Lidl, Aldi and all the major supermarkets and are very reasonably priced.

I used a mild flavoured organic Sunflower Oil but you could easily substitute olive oil or good old Scottish Rapeseed Oil.

Oats are a great energy food, packed with complex carbohydrates, soluble fibre, protein and B vitamins supporting digestive and heart health and providing a filling and nutritious base for breakfast for kids and adults alike!!

Sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds add lots of minerals including calcium & magnesium for building strong bones and teeth and good fats as well as fibre and protein.


Dried fruit gives a wee burst of natural sweetness and cinnamon helps the body to deal with the sugar, which along with all the fibre, good fats and protein in this recipe will help to stabilise blood sugar levels for sustained energy and good mood!

Coconut is also high in soluble fibre and is naturally sweet which beats refined sugar any day of the week!

Served with yoghurt and fresh fruit or simply eaten as a snack, this oaty seedy crunch is sure to be a hit with kids!

I've been enjoying it on my smoothie bowls, porridge and just as a wee snack! It's a bit more crumbly than normal granola which I usually make with jumbo oats and buckwheat but it still tastes delicious!

I also added a handful of goji berries and some toasted coconut flakes to mine to add some colour and a bit of extra crunch. The brief was nut free but I love nuts so would add a good handful of almonds, chopped brazil nuts or walnuts to mine! 

Here is the recipe...
 
MAPLE CINNAMON OAT CRUNCH
Ingredients
2 cups Hamlyns rolled oats
1 cup desiccated coconut
½ cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup sunflower seeds
½ cup sesame seeds
2 tablespoons milled flaxseeds (optional )
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Large pinch sea salt
¼ cup organic sunflower oil (4 tablespoons)
¼ cup maple syrup (4 tablespoons)
1 cup of mixed dried fruit, raisins, apricots or dates
 
Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F
2. Add all the dry ingredients, except the dried fruit, to a large bowl and mix together.
3.  Mix the maple syrup, sunflower oil and vanilla extract in a small jug and pour it over the dry mixture. Give it a good stir to evenly coat the dry ingredients.
4. Pour the mixture onto a large baking tray and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until nicely browned.
5. Check it a few times and stir the mixture to make sure it browns evenly and doesn’t burn.
6. Remove the tray from the oven when nicely browned and allow it to cool.
7. Stir in the dried fruit. If using apricots or dates then cut them into small pieces first.
8. Serve with yoghurt and fresh fruit or eat as a snack.
9. Store in an airtight container.

          .....your health in your hands...