Ghillie's grains granola

Mixed grains and porridge oats are used here as the base – however, you can use just oats. Also, feel free to increase the nuts or change the fruit as per your tastes. Use the granola as a sprinkling for fruit compotes or eat with yogurt or milk. If you're keeping the granola for a couple of weeks, it's best to use properly dried fruits rather than the ready-to-eat dried fruits.

Variations:

Apricot and pecan – add 100g chopped ready-to-eat dried apricots and 75g pecan nuts in place of the almonds and fruit.

Raisin and hazelnut – use 50g raisins and 75g hazelnuts in place of the dried fruit and nuts.

Maple and nut – swap the honey for maple syrup and replace the fruit with 75g halved pecans.

Recipe adapted from Amazing Grains by Ghillie James (Kyle Books, £25)

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp clear honey, preferably manuka
• 3 tbsp apple or orange juice
• 200g mixed-grain porridge, or rolled oats (we used Dorset cereals Oat & Barley)
• 50g flaked almonds
• 1 heaped tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 1 heaped tbsp flaxseed/linseed
• 50g dried apple
• 50g dried cranberries
• milk or yogurt and fresh fruit, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C, fan 140°C, gas 3.
2. In a bowl in the microwave or in a pan on the stove, gently heat the oil with the honey and fruit juice until warm.
3. Add the remaining ingredients, except the dried fruit, and stir together until thoroughly combined. Scatter on to a large shallow baking tray in a thin layer.
4. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until golden, turning the granola over a couple of times during the baking so it toasts evenly (the outer edges tend to brown faster).
5. Remove from the oven when the granola is golden brown and crisp. Stir in the dried fruit, then cool on the tray before transferring to an airtight container. Store in a cool, dry place.
6. Serve with fresh fruit, yogurt or milk and an extra drizzle of honey if you like.

Tip

Can be made and stored in an airtight container, in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks