In her final column, our resident foodie reveals her favourite recipe for a speedy, healthy breakfast
The older I get, the less time I seem to have. I used to spend hours in the kitchen prepping all of my favourite foods for the week ahead, but now I really don’t know how I managed to have an abundance of pots of soups, spaghetti Bolognese sauce and even homemade ice cream ready to go in the freezer! I mean, I had young kids and a full-time job, for goodness’ sake!
It’s crazy how different things are now. My freezer has hardly ever got more than a bottle of gin and half a packet of freezer-burnt fish fingers in it at the moment. I rarely even get to eat a fully toasted slice of bread these days – I usually get so impatient, I end up popping it out before it’s actually ready. I even spooned an egg out of the saucepan mid-boil last week and fried it!
So, I’m always looking for ways to adapt the recipes I love and fit them in with my chaotic way of living. I love homemade granola, but I’m never organised enough to have some waiting for me in a jar. That’s why I’ve come up with a great way of making some in just five minutes – see my recipe below!
Homemade granola
1 tbsp coconut oil • 2 tbsp maple syrup • 90g oats • A handful of your favourite nuts – I use pecans and hazelnuts • 2 tbsp coconut • A good pinch of cinnamon • A pinch of salt • 1 tbsp raisins
1. Heat a frying pan with the coconut oil and maple syrup. When it starts to bubble a bit, add the rest of the ingredients, except the raisins, to the pan.
2. Keep stirring over a low heat until it turns a golden colour, then stir in the raisins.
3. Let it cool a little, then serve with a dollop of yoghurt and some berries, if you’ve got any hanging around!
My top tip: You could also fry some apples in butter and cinnamon and sprinkle this on top of the granola for a super-quick dessert.
Plant-based power
Oh my! I’ve only just discovered Hellmann’s Vegan Mayo (£1.50, sainsburys.co.uk) and I love it. It’s an excellent egg-free substitute to traditional mayonnaise.
Full of spirit
For some unknown reason, I’m doing another 100 days sober challenge, so I’m always on the lookout for tasty alternatives to alcohol. Lyre’s Italian Orange Non-Alcoholic Spirit (£28.99, amazon.co.uk) is exactly like Campari and you can use it in the same way! My mum makes her Negronis with it now.
