Healthy Homemade Granola - A Happy Accident

My flapjacks are famous amongst my family and friends Serena's Flapjacks; however as I always mention the wet ingredients binding all the healthy oats and seeds together is extremely fattening, butter, peanut butter, golden syrup, and brown sugar. Yesterday I tried to create a low fat version of these flapjacks using natural Canadian Maple Syrup and coconut oil. Unfortunately there wasn't enough of a binding factor to these two ingredients when mixed with the dry ingredients, leaving the end product too crumbly. A disaster when trying to cut into bars. But never one to waste food I bashed the whole tray up and put my newly baked granola into an air tight jar for future breakfasts.

I had my first helping of this granola this morning with some thick 0% Greek yogurt and my homemade blueberry balsamic compote. I must say it was the best breakfast I had all week, I didn't snack once until lunch time, and I am actually quite delighted that the flapjacks didn't end up working out. Back to the drawing table for those, however this low fat healthy homemade granola is definitely here to stay.

Ingredients

• 300g of oats
• 100g of desiccated coconut
• 100g of sunflower seeds
• 100g of pumpkin seeds
• 20g of chia seeds
• 150g of sultanas
• 50g of plain flour
• 100g of sesame seeds

Binding Ingredients

• 1 cup of maple syrup
• 1 cup of coconut oil

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees.
2. Combine all the ingredients (except for the wet ingredients) in a large mixing bowl and mix well.
3. Heat the maple syrup and the oil until combined.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly ensuring everything is coated well with the syrup and oil mixture.
5. Lay the granola mix on a baking sheet lined with baking paper, in a thin layer (use 2 trays if required)
6. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, stirring frequently until the granola is nicely toasted. 
7. Place the toasted granola in an airtight container. This will keep well for 2 weeks.

My serving suggestion is 0% greek yogurt and homemade blueberry balsamic syrup. Delicious!!!

The recipe for the granola I make in my Bed and Breakfast is Sika Lodge's Granola