Healthy Beginnings by Nicola

Starting the day right just makes sense. They say that getting out of bed on the wrong side causes problems, so imagine what other factors in your morning routine can shape your day. What do you do first? What colour are your bed sheets? Who do you speak to (or not speak to)? Are there any furry creatures on the way to the bathroom to make you smile? Do you sit down with a cup of tea? Do you plan your day and set some goals? What do you eat?

For me, breakfast is an important part of the day. It sets you up for success and lets your body know what today means to you. Also, it’s just so bloomin’ delicious. My healthy breakfast foods of choice include porridge, smoothies and my homemade granola.

Now, some granola looks healthy, sounds nutritious, smells wholesome - but really it’s packed full of sugar and sometimes sneaky bits of chocolate. As much as we all like a piece of the smooth dark stuff, I believe healthy eating is all about balance… and lots of refined sugar first thing in the morning is sure to send the seesaw rocking in the wrong direction! My recipe uses simple ingredients that are all good for you in their own little way. Nuts, seeds, cinnamon and oats equal a low sugar breakfast option. There isn’t any sugar involved here, just a little honey to sweeten it.

So, as we’re focusing on beginnings, lets start things right every morning from now on! Mix up your own healthy homemade granola in 10 minutes, pop it in the oven to bake, and in less than an hour you’ll have a whole week of healthy beginnings sorted. It’s up to you to choose the type of nuts and seeds that go in and then it’s up to you to eat it as you like it!

INGREDIENTS

5 tbsp vegetable oil

5 tbsp clear honey

300g jumbo rolled porridge oats

100g chopped, broken or whole nuts

150g mixed seeds

1½ tbsp cinnamon

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 130°C

2. Cover a baking tray in baking paper


3. Thoroughly mix the oil and honey together in a mixing bowl

4. Stir in the oats to coat them completely

5. Add the cinnamon, nuts and seeds, stirring to incorporate

6. Pour onto the baking tray evenly and bake for 30-45 minutes stirring 3-4 times during cooking

7. Leave on a cooling rack for 5 minutes before transferring to a bowl to cool completely

8. Store in an airtight jar or container

Nicola is a writer living in Bristol. You can find her over on her blog www.threadpressed.com, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Find more posts by Nicola here...