My retreat-favourite granola

This is a version of my retreat granola; so good I always get asked if I sell it. This version leans into winter with heart-warming cacao and cranberries, but you can choose your own adventure and run with your favourite seasonal flavours through the year.

Cacao & Cranberry Granola

Makes 1kg

Ingredients

1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp cacao powder
1 tsp sea salt, for sprinkling
125ml olive oil
80ml liquid sweetener (e.g. runny honey or maple syrup)
450g large rolled oats
325g pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds & hemp seeds – mixed with your favourite seed as the majority
75g coconut flakes
150g dried cranberries

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 140c or 120c fan.

2. In a pan on a low heat whisk the ground cinnamon, cacao, salt, olive oil and your liquid sweetener together till there are no lumps and the mixture is the consistency of single cream. It shouldn’t bubble – keep the heat low.

3. Now add the oats and seeds, mixing well into the cinnamon mix.

4. Line two baking trays, spread the granola out into a thin layer (around 1cm) and toast in the oven for around 45 minutes, checking every 15 minutes, and tossing so that it cooked evenly.

5. When the granola is browned, remove from the oven and add the cranberries through the warm mix. This will ensure they soften but don’t burn.

6. Leave to cool until the granola has hardened. Once cool, break up and store in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks.