Photography by Elisa Watson. Pictured: Fresh Organic Goods Almond Milk.

How good is granola? Whether it's with yoghurt and fruit for a delicious breakfast, or just a handful shoved in your mouth for an afternoon snack, granola is one of those foods I always recommend you have made on hand. This is a very simple gluten free granola which is refined sugar free, lactose free and also superbly delicious. I'm sure some of you will have picked up my ever growing love of both ginger and dates, so this muesli includes them both to add that extra little something special! I like to make up some granola or muesli on the weekend and store it in an air tight container or jar ready for me throughout the week so there are no excuses for leaving the house without breakfast (even if it's eaten on the run!).

So, start your week off on a good note and whip up a batch of this beautiful granola! You will be able to find all the ingredients you need at your local health food store, and if you're in Melbourne you can head to The Staple Store in Ripponlea as these women specialise in muesli  and will help you get together all the ingredients you need! 

Don't make excuses for skipping breakfast. Make sure you spend that moment mentally preparing for your day and taking a moment for yourself to enjoy beautiful food. Even if it means waking up that extra 15 minutes earlier, wake up, go outside, breath, have a cup of tea and sit down and nourish your body with something nutritious. You will have longer lasting energy throughout the day, and won't be reaching for the biscuits when you get to work! 

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Ingredients
1 1/2 cups puffed brown rice
1 cup puffed quinoa
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup brown rice flakes
1/2 cup linseeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
3/4 cup rice malt syrup
1/3 cup tahini
1/2 cup maple syrup or raw honey
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp vanilla paste or 1 vanilla bean (scraped)
6 medjool dates (chopped)
1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Method
Preheat oven to 180ºC/350ºF.

Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix until combined and well coated.

Spread onto a lined oven tray and place into the oven for 15-20 minutes or until granola is golden. You may have to use two oven trays or bake the granola in two batches. Check the granola half way through and mix with a fork to ensure extra crunch and that everything gets toasted.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on the tray. Once completely cooled, break granola up into pieces and place into an air tight container or jar. The granola will keep for 2 weeks.

Serve with yoghurt, fruit and/or your favourite nut mylk and enjoy!

Photography by Elisa Watson, styling by Kate Bradley for Nourish Magazine July/August 2014.

From now on, every 2 months I will be featuring another country/cuisine on Kenkō and sharing my favourite recipes with the signature healthy twist! My first feature will be Korean food. This delicious cuisine is packed with goodness and is so simple to recreate at home. I really do adore this cuisine and I hope you enjoy this first Korean feature instalment, the Hotteok! 

The Hotteok is a pancake, and I love pancakes (I truly do), however these are not your regular stack of pancakes. Hotteok is a Korean Pancake which has the syrup on the inside, so you can just grab one and eat it straight away. They are really delicious when eaten warm and are the perfect shake up to the weekend breakfast!

*These could easily be made gluten free by substituting the bakers/spelt flour with a gluten free baking flour. 

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Serves 4

Ingredients

For the pancakes
1 cup warm water
8g yeast sachet
1 tbsp rice bran oil
2 tbsp white coconut sugar
1/4 tsp pink himalayan salt
2 cups good quality bakers flour or white spelt flour (I use spelt flour)*

For the filling
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp crushed toasted almonds

1 tbsp rice bran oil for frying

Method
In a bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, oil, coconut sugar and salt. Let sit for 5 minutes before adding in the flour. Combine all ingredients until a dough is formed. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.

Remove dough from the bowl, and gently knead on a lightly dusted surface.

Break dough into balls 8-10 smooth balls and then gently flatten each ball.

In a small box, combine the coconut sugar, cinnamon and crushed toasted almonds.

Grabbing one dough ball at a time, gently flatten in your palm, add one teaspoon of the coconut/cinnamon mixture and fold the dough ball in toward the centre to cover the filling. Once sealed, repeat with remaining dough balls.

Flatten out dough balls again into pancake shapes and cook in a non stick fry pan with the rice bran oil. Cook each side for 30 seconds to one minute or until nice and golden on each side.

Serve immediately.

Is it just me or is time flying by super quickly at the moment? Tuesday is here again, and another Tasty Tuesday post is up on The Design Files. This week it's my take on Shakshuka - Easy Baked Eggs. I hope you guys enjoy this brunch favourite as much as me, and decide to give it a go! 

 
I have grown up in a house where it’s basically impossible to not have a huge love of food. My mother’s side is Croatian, and nobody loves and appreciates food the way mediterraneans do. My father’s side were farmers, and my Nanna is an (unofficial) C.W.A. genius who could beat anyone in a cook off.

In particular, my Mum has big a been part of my obsession for great food.  Mum has supported every cooking movement I have made – cleaned kitchens up after me, bought me expensive produce I can’t afford myself (!!), chopped things for me, and even transformed our family backyard into an edible garden, growing everything from orchard fruit to peanuts to a mini corn plantation!  With a Mum like this, there is really is no excuse for me not to cook healthy food, and ensure my family are well fed at home – especially with so much home grown food ready for all my cooking adventures.

Today’s dish is inspired by my Mum and all her beautiful Croatian tomato based dishes I have grown up loving. This meal is ‘clean’. There is nothing processed or nothing to be scared of in here. It’s just super flavoursome.

Shakshuka is perfect for breakfast/lunch/brunch. This recipe serves two people comfortably, but if you’re really hungry just slip in an extra egg each. There is something so warming and satisfying about baked eggs. It’s best eaten piping hot, with the egg yolks running into the rich tomato goodness.  So easy to share and enjoy.
 

For the full post and recipe check The Design Files post here!

Recipe/Food Prep: Kate Bradley/Kenkō Kitchen
Styling: Lucy Feagins/The Design Files
Photography: Eve Wilson

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