Cherry and Flaxseed Granola
"During menopause, one symptom many people experience is difficultly with insomnia. Did you know that having a small snack before bed can be helpful in supporting sleep? One of my favourite recipes that's perfect for this is granola made with dried cherries and ground flaxseeds. Cherries are the highest food source of melatonin, which is our main sleep hormone, and ground flaxseeds support hormonal health. This granola is full of nuts and seeds, it is blood-sugar balanced and full of magnesium, which can also support sleep. I recommend you eat it mindfully, maybe with a herbal tea to help create a calm moment before you sleep.
This is such a simple recipe - take the dry ingredients and mix them with the wet ingredients, pop in the oven and get ready to enjoy. I love mine with some yoghurt and some fresh cherries sprinkled on top!"
- Farzanah Nasser, Nutrition and Functional Medicine IFMCP.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
2 cups jumbo oats
1 cup mixed seeds
2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
1 cup flaked almond
1.5 cups mixed nuts
1tsp heaped tsp cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1/cup almond butter
1/2 olive oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1. Chop the mixed nuts and add them to a bowl with all the other dry ingredients (jumbo oats, mixed seeds, ground flaxseeds, cinnamon and salt). Mix well.
2. In a small pan add the almond butter, maple syrup and olive oil. Heat slightly until melted and combined.
3. Once melted, add this to the dry ingredients and give it another good mix.
4. Pour the mixture onto a baking tray or dish that you have lined with parchment paper. Make sure it’s spread out thinly and evenly. You may need 2 trays for this. Pop them into a preheated oven for 20 minutes. Half way through the cooking time, slide your trays out of the oven and give them a shake or a stir, moving the granola around the tray.
5. Let the granola cool completely, before adding the dried cherries and mixing.
6. Once completely cool, you can store your granola in an airtight jar or container.