🥘 1 pan and 2 mixing bowls 🍽 Serves 12 🛒 4 ⏱ 30 mins £8 (V) (LF) (LS)
Nothing quite beats the taste of homemade granola and once you get used to making your own, shop bought will never taste as good again. Use nuts of your choice, we use Sainsbury’s So Organic mixed nuts. Not the cheapest option, but they give great results.
Ingredients:
350g oats
300g mixed nuts
120g light butter
100g honey
Step by step:
1 Set your oven to 160C (140C fan), gas 3.
2 Stir and mix together the oats and nuts in a large bowl.
3 Melt the butter and honey, and stir well to combine. We do this in the microwave for convenience, otherwise use a saucepan over a medium low heat.
4 Tip the butter and honey mixture into the bowl of oats and nuts. Stir well so the granola mix is well coated with the butter and honey.
5 Spread the granola mix on a baking tray and place on a low shelf in the pre-heated oven. Keep checking the mixture every 10 minutes and keep turning the mixture so it cooks evenly.
Whole wheat pasta is better for our health because the whole grain is milled and therefore it contains more nutrients than white pasta equivalents. The outer membrane contains a lot of fibre, vitamins and minerals including vitamins E and B plus magnesium and iron.
The higher vitamin content in whole wheat pasta increases phytochemicals that help protect against some cancers.
Consuming whole grains is beneficial in many ways including:
Heart health…
Recent studies have shown that people who eat the right amount of whole grains every day reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 30%.
Reduce your risk stroke and obesity by aiding weight control, digestive health and reducing calories intake and cholesterol levels.
Diabetes…
Whole grains help maintain insulin levels which in turn helps improve our body’s glucose control. Adequate intake of whole grains lowers the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by around 30%.
Whole wheat pasta is not the cheapest option, but it is useful if you are making health conscious decisions about food. Whole wheat pasta has a lower glycemic index than refined pasta which means means it is helpful in controlling blood sugar levels.
You can cook most pasta recipes successfully using whole grain pasta. Whole wheat pasta tends to be brown in colour and has a nuttier taste. If you are using flavoursome pasta sauces the taste difference will be negligible.
Generally, whole wheat pasta takes a little longer to cook and overcooking will result in a mushy texture.
Photo courtesy Craig Melville – Acekreations
Best Buys
We have tried several brands and the overall winner in taste test and value for money is Barilla.
Barilla have recently done away with the plastic window on their packaging which together with a great flavour and mid price makes them our first choice. Fusilli £1.50 / 500g
Mr. Organic with paper bag packaging and nice flavour but nearly twice the price of Barilla was second choice. Fusilli £2.70 / 500g
Sainsbury’s was the cheapest (currently price matched to Aldi) and a good flavour. However, the plastic packet which tears very easily on opening made that third place. Fusilli 75p / 500g
HEAL 