Cinnamon, Walnut, Apple & Raisin Granola - Gluten Free!

Breakfast. It's just the best meal of the day. I have never ever held any truck with those who just gulped down a cup of coffee and got on with the day. That would put me literally in the worst mood ever. Breakfast is also the one meal you can eat which no one bats an eyelid at if it is entirely sweet - honey, cinnamon, fruit etc are all some of my favourite flavours and ones which I can really indulge in at breakfast.

I used to eat a lot of raw food, I wasn't 100% raw but definitely followed a high raw diet. I enjoyed it too, I felt pretty good but I've let it slip big time lately. This is mostly because I've moved in with The Boy now and he's not interested in eating raw and it is way too difficult to cook separate meals for two but also for one or two health reasons. Nonetheless, a few 'raw' favourites are still making regular appearances in my diet including this raw granola which I put in my dehydrator to 'cook'. If you didn't want a raw version, you could easily do this on a baking tray in the oven. Here's the recipe:

Walnut & Apple Granola

1/2 cup soaked sunflower seeds (soak for 2 hours if poss)

5 medjool dates

juice of 1/2 a lemon

big squeeze of honey

vanilla essence

cinnamon

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

2 cups walnuts

1 cup almonds

1 cup Lexia raisins or sultanas

Put the apples, dates, lemon juice, honey, vanilla essence, soaked sunflower seeds and cinnamon into a food processor and blend until it forms a kind of smooth paste. If you haven't soaked the sunflower seeds, the mixture might benefit from a splash of water to help it reach a paste consistency. Transfer to a bowl.

Next pulse the walnuts, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds in the food processor until they are broken down but still chunky, not too fine. Mix the chopped nuts into the paste and spread either onto dehydrator sheets or onto a foil lined baking sheet. I'd bake for 20 mins or until crunchy and golden.

I keep this in an airtight container and simply pour a little rice milk over it for an extremely tasty breakfast.