The Best Crunchy Granola EVER

WOW. This is simply my favourite creation so far, not only is it incredibly crunchy, sweet and worryingly moreish, it is completely natural.

Natural? It's gluten free, sugar free and packed full of nutrients.

As a coeliac that also says no to dairy, refined sugar, meat and anything else nasty in-between my options are pretty dang limited on the granola front. Confined to the house with a nasty chest infection I set about creating these epic crunchy clusters.

Mission accomplished.

Let me fill you in on a few fun facts that'll ease your conscience as you devour the entire jar of granola:

- Maple syrup is a source of zinc (to fight bacteria and viruses), iron (development of normal red blood cells) and manganese (aids bone formation, collagen production and protects against free radical damage).

- Coconut sugar is a source of B vitamins (helps covert our food to energy) and potassium (aids our muscle movement, proper nerve function and filters blood in our kidneys).

- Maca powder, this powerful Peruvian root is fantastic. I only add the powder to something I am cooking/baking thoroughly to avoid stomach pains - it is that powerful. This powerhouse helps balance hormones, clear skin, seriously increases your energy levels and alleviates menstrual problems.

Let's get down to it!

You will need:

- 3 & 1/2 cups oats

- 1 cup of pecans, then chop them roughly

- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

- 1/2 cup flaked almonds

- 1 tbsp cinnamon

- 2 tbsp flaxseed

- 1 tbsp maca powder for energy (here) or 3 tsp whole psyllium husks for fibre

- 3 tbsp coconut sugar (here)

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/4 cup maple syrup (here) (fill this to the very brim). I seriously encourage you to buy this brand and only this brand. See below!

- 1/4 cup coconut oil (fill this to the very brim)

1. Mix all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

2. Heat the coconut oil and maple syrup in a sauce pan over a low heat until melted.

3. Thoroughly mix the warm coconut oil/maple syrup liquid with the dry ingredients. Add a final generous drizzle of maple syrup to the mix.

4. Easy peasy! Divide the granola over two baking trays. Make sure it isn't squished together, you want the granola to be evenly spread across each tray so the lovely clusters form.

5. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 140 degrees celsius. If you love crunchy granola with the irresistible crunchy clusters, don't turn/mix/poke/prod the granola as it bakes. Simply set a timer, drink some tea and reappear in half an hour.

6. Finally - add whatever you like! Once the granola cools I enjoy adding a few handfuls of raisins. Feel free to add whatever you like: coconut flakes, goji berries, cacao nibs, chopped dates etc - just make sure any dried fruit you add isn't full of sugar.

Note: If you don't have coconut sugar, just use extra maple syrup. Also, you can play around with what nuts you add, don't feel you have to stick to the ones I chose. FYI: this recipe is super quick, perfect for girls on the go!

Now it's time to serve, indulge and wholeheartedly enjoy! I genuinely can't recommend this recipe enough, I'm actually so amazed at how delicious it is. Pair it with fresh fruit, coconut yoghurt, almond milk, use as a topping on your porridge/chia pudding or wolf it down as a crunchy solo snack. I also enjoy adding lashings of my quick chia mixed berry jam, if you'd like the recipe for it - just comment!

A few tips:

- Lots of oats are the key to crunchy granola. These beauties stick together when you add the liquid and crunch up beautifully in the oven. Basically, they're awesome and the more the merrier hence the large quantity used.

- Most granolas in the supermarkets are either sadly not crunchy, packed full of sugar or are ridiculously expensive. When you make your own you know exactly what you put in it!

- I really encourage you to buy the specific brand of maple syrup I use. For the last few years I've picked up a natural Canadian maple syrup available in supermarkets and health food shops, until I found this brand. Wow. This maple syrup is the best I've EVER tried. Not only does it taste ridiculously decadent, it's seriously flavoursome plus the bottle is handy and convenient.

Finally, as always, if any of you lovelies do try this recipe please let me know what you think of it as I really appreciate and value all feedback. It's so nice to connect with others :)

Ps. You can use the Instagram hashtag #TSTGeats so it's super easy to follow along!