Michelle Darmody: Family-friendly granola makes for quick and easy breakfasts
Crunchy, sweet granola: a kid-friendly classic
Making granola can be a great family activity. There is some weighing and measuring at the beginning, but this is not difficult, and the wonderful sweet and nutty smells in your kitchen as it bakes will help to keep little ones interested in the end result.
A sprinkling of cinnamon can add some spice and a nice flavour. If you would like to use it, stir it in when the honey and peanut butter are warming.
Any preferred nuts or dried fruits can be added to the granola, even some chocolate chips if it is being made as a treat. It is a popular after school snack in our family, just nibbled out of a small bowl, without any milk or yogurt.
If your family like lumps and clusters in the granola, you can pat it down in the tin before baking. Also do not stir it too soon after removing the tray from the oven. Stir it once halfway through baking, then leave it to settle.
The granola will store well in an airtight container for at least a month or so, that is if you aren't tempted to eat it all before then.
Not everyone can eat nuts, so try coconut flakes, mixed seeds, orange zest, stirred into the oil and honey or chocolate or cocoa chips. Servings Preparation Time Cooking Time Total Time Course Ingredients 100mls light olive oil or sunflower oil 60g honey 60g peanut butter (either crunchy or smooth – it's up to you) 400g porridge oats a large handful of your favourite nuts – optional a large handful of your favourite dried fruit Method Ask an adult to heat your oven to 150°C. Cut out a piece of baking parchment to cover a baking tray or a swiss roll tin. Put the oil, honey and peanut butter into a saucepan. Get an adult to help you warm it up on the hob. You just need to melt the peanut butter and honey, not heat it too much, or let it bubble. Put the oats into a large bowl and gently stir in the honey mixture. Use a wooden spoon and make sure all of the oats are mixed in and are coated with the honey mixture. Spread the oats onto the tin you have prepared with the parchment and press it down with the back of a wooden spoon. Ask a grown-up to put it into the oven. It will have to stay in the oven for an hour and a grown-up can stir it halfway through. Take it out of the oven and leave it on the tray. When it has cooled down stir in the nuts and dried fruit and whatever other flavours you would like to add.Family Granola
Once you have your granola made you can make delicious breakfasts. It is really nice with a drop of milk, but for an extra special morning you can make a breakfast bowl. Preparation Time Total Time Course Ingredients choose three of your favourite types of fruit – I love berries like raspberries or strawberries for breakfast, banana is also really nice a few big spoons of granola a few big spoons of yoghurt – I use a creamy natural yoghurt but can use your favourite Method Wash whatever fruit you decide to use and pat then dry. Ask a grown-up to help you slice the fruit. Be particularly careful if you are using a harder fruit like an apple. Set your washed and sliced fruit aside. Spoon your granola into a nice bowl. Spoon your yoghurt beside your granola. Make a pattern on top with your fruit. Either enjoy yourself or make a bowl for someone in your family to enjoy.Granola Breakfast Bowl
You will need three tablespoons of sunflower oil and 150g of cornflour sieved. Rub the oil into the cornflour the same way you would if you were making scones or pastry.
If I am making ‘snow’ I add a teaspoon of blue food colouring and if I am making ‘sand” I add in a teaspoon of yellow.
Rub the oil and colour into the cornflour until it looks like very small breadcrumbs.
This is fun and safe for toddlers to play with. It is great for sensory play and can be stored in an airtight container for a week or so.
If you are making a sandpit you will need to multiply up the recipe a few times, but this amount is good for driving cars through or making a snowy farm.
It is best to lay out a large sheet of paper or mat before play and the sand or snow can be brushed up afterwards.
