Do you remember the first time?
First love is a slap in the face lesson in vulnerability. You give this heart of yours, this precious, much adored by it’s creators heart, to another. And boom! It’s smashed into tiny little fragments. Some people just don’t look after things very well. They’re careless.
And then years later this shattered, scarred heart produces another heart (or three) and there the cycle begins again. Surely if we knew how vulnerable the love for our babies would make us, few of us would dare to tread there.
It’s just too raw, even years later. It’s like a wound that never fully closes, just covered over with a plaster of respectability for fear of embarrassing others. It hurts.
I’ll stop being emotional now (and no, I’m not pregnant). Onto the recipe. This is another of my granola recipes. Gosh, if I carry on at this rate I’ll have enough for a book. Though I’m not sure anyone would buy ‘101 granola recipes’, what do you think? Oh hang on, someone beat me to it.
Lots of great recipes like this in my book, Recipes from a Normal Mum, out now… on Amazon, The Works, at Waterstones, WHSmith, The Book Depository and many smaller outlets.
This time last year: Carrot, courgette & cheese mini savoury pancakes, Broccoli, cauliflower and pasta cheese, Easy rough puff pastry sausage rolls and Cheesy breadsticks.
Two years ago: Simple chocolate ganache tart, Meringue roses and Flat vanilla cupcakes.
Three years ago: Razzamatazz ribs, Banana and custard cupcakes and After Eight cupcakes.
Four years ago: Banana and custard melts.
Almond, cinnamon & apricot granola
Makes a large kilner jar that holds 3 litres of liquid
Ingredients:
- 50g maple syrup
- 120g coconut oil
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 200g porridge oats
- 30g sesame seeds
- 150g whole almonds
- 70g jumbo raisins
- 160g chopped dried apricots
Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 3 and spread 2 baking sheets with non stick baking paper. Melt the syrup and coconut oil in a saucepan until just molten. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 5 minutes. Add the cinnamon, oats, seeds and almonds and stir well. Spread carefully over the baking sheets in one thin layer.
Bake for 15 minutes then turn the granola mixture over using a slice/spoon and bake again for another 20 minutes, checking for any burning periodically. You are looking for a golden brown colour to develop. Take the trays from the oven and press the granola down with a potato masher then return to the oven for 5 – 10 minutes until a lovely brown slab of granola has developed.
Remove and leave to cool. When cold break the granola up into bite size pieces and mix with the dried fruit. Pour into jars and enjoy with yoghurt/milk/fresh fruit or whatever you fancy. Or give it as a gift. These little bags from Iced Jems are perfect for the purpose.
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Holly Bell 