Vegan Piña Colada Granola

It was Saturday, I had been out in town all day, wandering through shops with one of my best friends Anna. Lots of caffeine had been consumed, and I found myself back in the flat with way too many things I didn't mean to buy - and now I felt like I had to make it up to myself by getting creative.
In the morning, I had noticed I was about to run out of the quinoa granola I made a while ago, and so my decision fell on this nifty little recipe for Piña Colada Granola the wonderful Christal at Nutritionist in the Kitch had made!

I made a few alterations to the recipe, adding a sneaky tablespoon of Jamaican rum, and blitzing the pineapple instead of using apple sauce. And the result? Amazing! Again, I got to experience the lovely baked granola scents spreading all over the flat, it smelt like Summer!

Vegan Piña Colada Granola
(Makes about 5 servings)

2 cups rolled oats (or swap a cup for puffed rice)
2 tbsp flaxseeds
Stevia (I used about 6 drops of stevia vanilla crême, optional though)
3 pineapple rings
3 tbsp agave syrup (or honey, but that'll mean it's not vegan!)
1 tbsp melted coconut oil
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
1 1/2 handful roughly chopped nuts
1/3-1/4 cup dessicated coconut
1 tbsp Jamaican/white rum (optional)
A handful of dried pineapple (optional)

- Pre-heat the oven at about 160-180°C.

- In a small baking bowl, have all the ingredients apart from the oats, coconut, chopped nuts and dried pineapple (if using). Use a stick blender or a food processor to make the purêe.

- Once done, fold in the remaining ingredients, spread it evenly over a baking tray and bake for about 40-50 minutes, turning every 15 minutes or so to make sure it gets nice and crunchy. You can break it up a little as you go along too, but make sure to keep some nice big clusters in there!

- Once the granola is dried up properly, leave to cool completely before storing in an airtight jar!

Enjoy with some milk, or as topping with some yogurt and syrup, and perhaps some freshly cut pineapple for an extra bit of that piña colada goodness!

In the process of crumbling, and in the glass to the left you have my breakfast, and a little teaser for what's to come!

Also, last week, on Monday, I finally had a great night's sleep. Trouble was - my mobile decided to die (you know how they seem to be built only to last for barely 24 hours? Yeh...Not cool!) and I slept in. Thankfully I managed to get to the office in time, but I was looking mighty scruffy, we all have those days I suppose!

Anywhoo, so I gave it some thought, and looked over at my neglected (but ever so loyal!) alarm clock. It is almost 20 years old, as I got it for when I started school at the age of almost five years old. My mother, father and I had to stop by a petrol station after having visited some friends of them, and as soon as I laid my eyes on that cute lion face starting at me, I knew it would be perfect for helping me getting up for school!
So yesterday, I went to the shop, got some new batteries, gave Simba there a little clean, and set him back to work! Knowing that I can turn off my mobile overnight makes me feel a little more relaxed, and I'll be sure to actually get up on time! I might curse the little fellow as it beeps in the morning...I'll try not to though! There's nothing wrong with being a little childish, and it is things like these that gets your mind reminiscing, right? When my mum saw a photo of it online, she couldn't believe I had still kept it!

Do you still use an alarm clock?

I hope you've had a wonderful weekend! Mine has been filled with sociable times, curry, wine, chit chat, live music and dancing. I went to this swing bar here in Glasgow, and it felt as if I'd just entered the early 1900's or the attic in the Aristocats when the musicians starts playing, and Duchess and Thomas O'Malley starts jiggin' about - I will definitely be going back!


Original source:
http://www.nutritionistinthekitch.com/2013/04/18/pina-colada-granola-vegan-can-be-gf/

- Jules