Date and Nut Granola

At a recent Health for Life Club meeting in Llandudno, I asked everyone to eat something they wouldn't normally eat or make something they wouldn’t normally make so we could share our experiences at the next meeting.  The idea was to break out of our normal eating habits and be more creative and adventurous!  

As we were discussing the hidden ingredients in processed foods that day, I decided to make something I'd normally buy as a ready made product. The obvious choice was granola, something I love to eat for breakfast as a cereal or with fruit and natural soya yogurt. I'd made some granola years ago which was okay but I knew I had to come up with something so appetising, I wouldn't be tempted to go back to buying it again!

Granola is traditionally made with oats, nuts and dried fruit and often contains high levels of sugar and honey too.  I found adding extra fruit, such as mashed banana, cooked apple or softened dates, to the oat mixture before baking to a crisp in the oven gave the best results.  Four varieties emerged which I took along to our meeting - Tropical Banana, Apple and Mango, Cranberry and Apricot and Date and Nut. 

Here's the recipe for my Date and Nut Granola which got the vote from our discerning Health for Life Club tasters!   I hope you like it too.   It's great just as it is or with sliced banana, pear or apple, blueberries, raisins or apricots.  Add your favourite soya milk or yogurt or use it as a crunchy topping as I've done below.  The choice is endless so why not be adventurous, create your own variation and make it healthy and delicious!  

Ingredients 

100g dates

100ml cold water

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp date syrup/maple/agave

200g  jumbo whole rolled oats

100g nuts (e.g. cashews, pecans, almonds, brazil nuts)

40g pumpkin or sunflower seeds    

Method

Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan/Gas Mark 3.

First, chop or cut up the dates with scissors and place in a small saucepan.  Add the water and bring to the boil.  As the mixture bubbles away for a minute or so,  press the dates with the back of a tablespoon until you have a soft puree. (Alternatively, this can be done in the microwave)

Mix together the oil and syrup in a medium sized bowl.

 Stir in the date puree and all the other ingredients. 

Spread out the mixture on a large baking tray.

Bake for 20 minutes, stirring the mixture half way through.      After 20 minutes, stir again and lower the oven temperature to 150C/130C fan/Gas Mark 2.

Bake for another 20 minutes, again stirring halfway. By this time, the mixture should be crisp and golden but, if not, give it another 5 - 10 minutes.   

Leave to cool on the tray, then store in an airtight container.  I like to keep mine in a tall glass jar ready for breakfast and as a crunchy topping with fruit and natural yogurt.

Place any fresh or cooked fruit, such as pears, apples, apricots, plums or blueberries,  in the bottom of a glass dish.  

Spoon over a couple of tablespoons of natural soya yogurt and top with granola.

Making your own granola is easy and tastes so much better than bought.  Why not have a go and let me know how you get on!

 

Spiced Apple and Date Cake



People are often surprised when I say I make cakes.  Just because I don't eat eggs or dairy products doesn't mean I can't make delicious cakes, muffins and cookies!  

This is a lovely moist cake, full of natural ingredients and ideal if you have lots of windfall apples to use up.  I prefer not to eat too much sugar so this is a fabulous recipe as it contains no eggs or sugar, though you'd never know. The spicy apple and date flavour is delicious enough on it's own! 

Ingredients
170g (6oz) peeled and chopped eating apples
115g (4oz) chopped dates
3 tbsp water
1 tbsp pear and apple spread
55g (2oz) dairy free margarine (e.g. Pure, Sainsbury's Freefrom)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
170g (6oz) self-raising flour
1 tsp cinnamon
Grated nutmeg

You can buy pear and apple spread at Health Food shops (like Holland and Barrett)  It adds natural flavour and sweetness and contains only apples and pears.

You'll need a 20cm (8") sandwich tin, preferably with a loose bottom, about 4cm (1½") deep.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas Mark 4.

Put the chopped apple and dates into a saucepan with the water.

Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook gently until the apple is tender.

Add the pear and apple spread and mix well.

Cool slightly, then whizz the mixture with a hand-blender, or mash well.

Add the margarine and stir until melted. 

Then add the bicarbonate of soda and mix well.  You will see the apple and date mixture froth up a little.

Add in the sifted flour, the cinnamon and a good grating of nutmeg and mix well.

Transfer to a well-greased sandwich tin and level the top of the mixture. 

I sometimes sprinkle a little demerera sugar over the top (about half a tablespoon) but it's entirely up to you.

Bake in the oven for 40 minutes until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a cooling rack. 

Suggestions ..

This is lovely to take out as a snack on a winter walk. 

For a quick dessert, peel and slice some extra apples into a bowl and microwave or cook until soft.   Serve a couple of spoonfuls with a slice of cake. 

 
Bon Appetit!