Apricot and Hazelnut Granola

Apricot and Hazelnut Granola Recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons light olive oil

175g agave syrup

1 vanilla bean

300g rolled oats*

100g roughly chopped hazelnuts (blanched or with skin on)

120g chopped dried apricots

1. Preheat the oven to 170ºC (150ºC Fan). Line two baking trays with greaseproof baking paper.

Cut the vanilla bean** in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds and mix them well with the olive oil and agave syrup in a large baking bowl. Pour in the rolled oats and chopped hazelnuts and stir with a wooden spoon until they are lightly coated.

2. Divide the granola onto the two lined trays. Spread evenly with the back of the spoon. Place one tray on the middle shelf of the oven and bake*** for 30 minutes until golden (my oven is too small to accommodate 2 baking trays on a shelf and it would not work if I placed a tray on the lower shelf underneath the other so I cook my granola in two batches instead). Half way through baking, stir in the chopped dried apricots.

3. Leave to cool down completely in the tray before breaking in pieces***. Store the granola in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Serve the granola at breakfast with creamy Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey.

Notes:

* make sure the oats are certified gluten free if you are allergic.

**A great way not to waste a cut and scraped vanilla bean is to put it in with your caster sugar. It will add a wonderful flavour to it!

***If you prefer your granola with less clumps, stir it every now and then while it bakes. But leave it as is if you prefer chunkier pieces of granola.

Bon appétit!