PINEAPPLE, ALMOND & COCONUT GRANOLA

Once you’ve made granola a few times, you can start to get creative. Change the amount of honey, and use different dried fruits and spices to make your ultimate breakfast. But remember – granola is not just for the morning. You can sprinkle it over poached fruit and serve with cream for dessert, or simply grab a handful whenever you walk past the jar. This is a much lighter summer version, with dried pineapple and coconut.

MAKES: 1 x 1 litre (32 oz) jar

INGREDIENTS

1 free-range egg white

1 tablespoon cold water

1 tablespoon light-tasting vegetable oil

90 g (3¼ oz/¼ cup) honey

1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract

1 teaspoon sea salt

20 g (¾ oz/¼ cup) shredded coconut

80 g (2¾ oz/½ cup) almonds, roughly chopped

40 g (1½ oz/¼ cup) pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

40 g (1½ oz/¼ cup) sunflower seeds

4 slices dried pineapple, diced

60 g (2¼ oz/1 cup) puffed quinoa, or your favourite puffed grain

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 160°C (315°F) and line a large baking tray with baking paper. It’s best to use a tray that has sides, so the granola doesn’t spill out everywhere.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg white with the water until slightly foamy. Add the oil, honey and vanilla extract and give it a good stir.

Add the rest of the ingredients, except the dried pineapple and quinoa. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon, making sure all the ingredients are well coated.

Evenly spread the mixture over the lined baking tray, making sure the layer is no more than 1 cm (½ inch) thick, otherwise the granola won’t crisp up nicely. Toast in the oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring every 10 minutes.

Allow to cool to room temperature, then break into small pieces, into a large clean bowl. Mix the dried pineapple and puffed quinoa through.

Transfer to a large jar or airtight container and store in the pantry. The granola will keep for up to 1 month.