Back before I gave up gluten, dairy and grains I used to think, somewhat naively, that having a bowl of granola with skimmed milk was a good start to the day. By 11am I would be craving a diet coke and by 3pm I would be reaching for a chocolate bar. Needless to say I was not a good role model for myself and I was, looking back, very sick. I was forever bloated, tired and volatile, I always felt generally unwell and my blood sugars were forever high and then low and then high…and then low again. It was a mental roller coaster as much as it was a physical one. I was waking up at 3am with crazy low blood glucose levels, covered in sweat, with my heart racing and vision blurred, having to bring them back up to normal and then embarking on a full day’s work…….I was exhausted. However, since August 2013 my general health has been (touch wood) very good. I am by no means perfect and although I practice what I preach I do fall off the wagon every now and then, I am only human…. and sometimes I just can’t say no to certain naughty treats.
I do love cereal and always have. So  here’s my recipe for spiced apple granola clusters, free from any nasty grains, gluten or dairy. You can either break them in to clusters or have them as simple granola. They are so easy to make (cooking time under 10 minutes) and with a dash of ice-cold almond milk this will turn even the most hardened granola nut!
What you need:
To fill a 0.5l Kilner jarÂ
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 10 mins
*130g / 4.6oz Mixed Seeds (golden and brown linseed, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds)
*40g / 1.4oz Dried Apple
*100g / 3.5oz Mixed Nuts (hazelnuts, cashew nuts, almonds, walnuts)
*2 tsp Coconut Oil
*1.5tsp Cinnamon
*1 tbsp Date Syrup (can also use maple syrup or raw honey)
*1 tbsp Ground Flaxseed
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 160°C / 320°F
- On to a lined baking sheet place 3/4 of the mixed seeds, ground flax see and cinnamon, mix well
- In to a blender place the rest of the mixed seeds, mixed nuts and dried apple. Blitz until all crumbled
- Placed onto the same baking sheet and mix with the seeds / cinnamon/ flax seeds
- In a pan over high heat melt coconut oil
- Add date syrup (or other natural sweet syrup) and mix in to coconut oil (don’t worry if they separate)
- Transfer on to baking sheet and coat granola. Spread out and press down – as this will turn the granola into clusters later on
- Place in to oven for 6-10 minutes (Keep an eye on it!!) as soon as it starts to smell strong and has turned a deep golden brown remove from oven and leave to cool on side for about 20 minutes
- Once it has cooled break it up and place in to an airtight container for up to 3 weeks (mine lasts about 1 day once my husband sees it)
- Serve with cold nut milk, raspberries, blueberries, raw chocolate chunks, coconut etc)
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