Healthy fats are easily damaged at high cooking temperatures. That’s why it’s always better to bake nuts and seeds at a lower temperature for longer instead of blasting them at high heat for a shorter period. Soaking nuts activates the plant enzymes making them easier for the body to digest them and extract the nutrients. Like grains, raw nuts (and especially raw seeds), contain moderate levels of phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors. Soaking the nuts and adding a little salt to the water helps break down these problematic substances that bind to minerals and can cause problems in the gut.
I really like the nuts in Lidl because they taste so fresh and they come in a resealable pack. Nuts so be crunchy and not withered and chewy and you can keep them fresh by storing them in the fridge once opened. Polyunsaturated fats are not heat stable so even the temperature in your kitchen can cause them to spoil and go rancid!
Start by soaking your nuts over night in some water and a good pinch of salt. For some reason my cashews turned pink when I soaked them!
Once your nuts are rinse and dry them and place them into a blender and blitz for no longer than 10 seconds. If you don’t have a blender then you can place the nuts in a plastic bag and bash them with a rolling pin.
Add the blended nuts to the bowl with your granola ingredients and mis well…
Ingredients:
- 200g of Walnuts
- 200g of Cashew nuts
- 200g of Brazil nuts
- 100g of Pumpkin seeds
(All available in these pack sizes in Lidl!)
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp of vanilla paste
- 1 tsp of cinnamon
- 3 heaped tablespoons of coconut oil
- 2 tbsp of honey
Directions:
- Drain and rinse the soaked nuts and dry them off using a tea towel or some kitchen paper.
- Preheat the over to 90°C
- Place the walnuts, brazil nuts, cashews and pumpkin seeds into a blender and blitz for no longer than 10 seconds. If you don’t have a blender then you can place the nuts in a plastic bag and bash them with a rolling pin.
- Add the nut mix to a large bowl and drizzle your honey, vanilla and melted coconut oil over. Mix well, coating all of the nuts evenly.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon and salt into the mix, ensuring you stir thoroughly to coat all of the nuts.
- Line your baking tray with some parchment paper and cover the tray evenly with the granola mix. Bake for 4-5 hours in the preheated oven. You’ll need to stir the granola a couple of times during this time.
- The granola is ready once all nuts have a light and crispy texture. If you take them out too soon some of the bigger nuts may still be a bit chewy so return the tray to the oven for another 30 minutes. Don’t worry the nuts won’t burn this is a slow dehydration process!
- Once the granola has finished baking, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool completely before storing it in an airtight container.
- Serve with some fresh fruit and greek yoghurt. You can also serve with tinned or carton coconut milk for a dairy free alternative 🙂
