HOMEMADE WALNUT & CRANBERRY GRANOLA

You will need:

• 1 3/4 cup walnuts (you can definitely use any other nuts of your choice, such as hazelnuts or pecans)
• 3/4 cup slivered almonds
• 3/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 cup instant oats
• 3/4 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup dried cranberries (you can also use a mix of any dried fruit)
• 3 tbspns honey
• 1 tbspn maple syrup
• 2 tbspns coconut oil
• 1/4 tspn salt
• 1 tspn cinnamon

First of all, melt 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a hot pot. In a large bowl, combine nuts, pumpkin seeds, oats, dried cranberries (if you want, you can add them to already baked granola instead), cinnamon and salt. Add in honey (if it’s hardened, you should melt it in a pot), a teaspoon of maple syrup and coconut oil. Mix everything until well combined. Spread the granola on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Preheat the oven up to 150°C (300°F). Bake for about 20 minutes or until the granola is lightly browned (do not burn it!). And that’s it! Enjoy!

This granola is perfect for breakfast or as a snack- just add some to vanilla yoghurt or warm milk. So delicious and wintery!

KALE SALAD WITH APPLES AND MAPLE HAZELNUTS

Serves 4:

• 5 cups of de-stemmed and chopped kale
• 1 cup spinach
• 2 small apples (I’d recommend choosing sour apples)
• 3/4 cup hazelnuts
• 1 lemon
• 1 small orange
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tbspns olive oil
• 2 tbspns maple syrup
• 2 tbspns apple cider/ red wine vinegar
• 1 tspn cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• some pepper
• some salt

First of all, you have to prepare your kale. In a large bowl, combine de-stemmed kale, juice of one lemon, a teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of olive oil. Start to tear the kale apart using massaging movements. Continue doing this for about 3 minutes or until the leaves are softened and darker in color. Then, chop the spinach and add it into the bowl. Mix everything well and set aside.

You can now prepare roasted maple hazelnuts. Preheat the oven up to 200ºC (392ºF). In small bowl, combine a tablespoon of maple syrup, some pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Rinse the nuts so there wouldn’t be any bitter peels. Stir the hazelnuts into the spicy mixture and mix until all the nuts are well coated. Lay them evenly on a lined baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes (be careful- you don’t want them to burn!).

And now it’s time for the last part- the dressing. Basically what you have to do is combine juice of one orange, one tablespoon maple syrup, vinegar, minced garlic clove, one tablespoon olive oil, some pepper and salt.

In a larger bowl, mix the salad with the dressing, add in hazelnuts chopped into halves or quarters. Add in grated apples and mix everything well. Enjoy!