Grain free festive granola

Makes large jar (3 cups)

A festive granola with all the spices and flavours of Christmas. 

This granola is high in protein and lower in sugar, compared to most supermarket brands - using Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) and raw honey to make a crunchy granola.

The nuts and seeds are high in fibre and polyphenols, making it an exceptional food for the gut microbiome. 

Ingredients:

• Wet ingredients

• ¼ cup EVOO

• ¼ cup raw honey

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• Dry ingredients

• 40g hazelnuts

• 40g almonds

• 40g pecans

• 40g walnuts

• 20g ground flaxseeds

• 20g ground sunflower seeds

• 20g hemp seeds

• 20g chia seeds

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• 2 tsp mixed spice

• Pinch of sea salt

• Add after baking

• 40g dried cranberries

• Zest of one orange.  

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 160 dc.  

2. Add the nuts and seeds to a blender and roughly pulse, keeping some chunky nut pieces for texture.  

3. Add the nuts/seed mixture to a bowl and stir in the sea salt, cinnamon and mixed spices.  

4. Mix in the vanilla essence, EVOO and raw honey.  Fully combine.

5. Line a baking tray with parchment and using your hands press down the granola mix, pressing it down tightly and evenly.  

6. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.  Remove and using spoons turn the mixture over/toss.  As before, press it down with spoons and transfer back to the oven for another 10 minutes.  

7. Just keep an eye on the granola that it does not burn.  

8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.  

9. Once cooled, mix in the cranberries and orange zest before transferring to an airtight container.