I created this granola wanting something wholesome, nourishing and genuinely good to pack in my son’s lunchbox - something that felt like a treat but with real substance inside. Balancing modern heathy eating with traditional Chinese principles is something I enjoy doing, and it’s made more meaningful now that I’ve got two little ones to educate about our culture.

Jujube (red) dates and goji berries are a staple in a lot of my cooking - naturally sweet, nourishing and full of texture - they’re the perfect edition to this crunchy yet chewy granola. Definitely a snack a feel good about making often; being comforting, balance and made with intention.

Ingredients:

120g wheat free rolled oats (regular oats are just fine)
30g sunflower and pumpkin seed mix
5g black sesame seeds
15g coconut oil, melted
90g honey
8 jujube (red) dates, pitted
50g dried apple, roughly chopped
handful of goji berries

Method:

Preheat oven to 160 degrees C, before lining a 23x23 cm (9 inch) square baking tray with parchment paper. Soak the jujube dates in hot water. In a bowl, combine the wheat free oats, sunflower and pumpkin seed mix, sesame seeds and apple pieces. In a microwavable jug, mix together the coconut oil and honey before warming until it becomes an easy pouring consistency. Blend the drained jujube dates into a smooth paste, before stirring into the coconut oil and honey.

Carefully pour the mixture in the jug into the dry ingredients, mixing until everything is evenly coated. Transfer granola mixture into the baking tray and press firmly into an even layer on the base.

Bake for 35 minutes or until golden and the sides are crispy. Reduce the oven temperature to 140 degrees C to further dry the granola. Remove from the oven, and quickly stir in the goji berries before pressing mixture firmly back into a flat layer. Allow granola to cool completely in the tray before cutting or breaking up into smaller pieces.

Jujube (red) date Glow Granola can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four weeks.