POMEGRANATE AND PISTACHIO GRANOLA

I think what I love about this recipe the most is how beautiful it looks and tastes.  I am a bit of a sucker for anything that features blush pink rose petals and vibrant green pistachios!  I can't help at looking at these ingredients and thinking to myself how amazing nature is to produce such beautiful stuff.   I guess the silver lining for me is we can cook with them!  What a terrific way to start you day, with a bowl home made granola, topped with natural yogurt and fresh cold milk.  And what a great gift idea.  A jar of this granola tied up with a little string bow would pop a smile on anyone's face!  Keep this idea up your sleeve for Christmas time.

INGREDIENTS

250 g rolled oats

60 g sunflower seeds

60 g sesame seeds

150 g whole blanched almonds, roughly chopped

60 g muscovado sugar

½ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

100 g unsweetened apple puree

50 g honey

40 ml pomegranate molasses

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

100 g roughly chopped pistachios

50 g dried cranberries

80 g currents

1 ½ tbsp. dried rose petals (optional)

2 tsp rosewater optional

METHOD

Preheat oven to 150 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, sunflower and sesame seeds, almonds, sugar, salt and spices.

In a small jug whisk the apple puree with the honey, pomegranate molasses and the oil. Tip it into the dry ingredients and mix together well with your hands.
Tip the granola mixture into a large roasting tin and spread out into an even layer. Bake until its colored a deep golden brown, which will take between 45-60 minutes.  You will need to stir your granola every 20 minutes or so, to ensure it colors evenly.  Pay special attention to the edges.  Add the pistachios towards the end so they toast for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool briefly, then mix in the cranberries, currents, and rosewater and rose petals.  Store in an air tight container.