Cik Lean's Granola

Ingredients

500g rolled oats

1 cup nuts (eg. almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans)

1/2 cup seeds (eg. pumpkin, sunflower seeds)

1/4 cup flaxseed

1/2 cup oil (eg. melted butter, olive oil, coconut oil)

1/2 cup honey or maple syrup

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 cup dried fruits (eg. cranberries, blueberries, raisins, goji berries, dates)

other ingredients: 

1/2 cup coconut flakes

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 cup chocolate chips

brown sugar, vanilla pod/essence etc.

Directions

• preheat oven to 175°C and line a baking tray with parchment paper
• mix all the dry ingredients except for dried fruits
• pour in honey and olive oil/melted butter and mix well
• spread the mixture on the baking tray
• bake for 30min, stirring every 8-10mins until golden brown and crispy
• leave in oven for 10min with heat off and door slightly open
• remove from oven add in the dried fruits and stir well
• let cool and store in airtight container

Foodnote: Felt the need to up my fiber intake and eat oats more regularly but don't really like overnight oats. So I decided to make my own granola since the store bought ones are always too sweet with preservatives. Making my own, I can adjust to any ingredients to my liking. I use coconut oil and added coconut flakes. Delicious and smells good while baking. I can topped it to greek yoghurt or milk. Yummilicious!!

15 Feb 2024: Bake 2nd batch. This time it includes pecans + coconut flakes, sunflower + pumpkin + flax seeds and cranberries. I use olive oil with balance butter and also used up my honey. I baked longer and reduce the temperature since it is still not crispy. Then I leave it in the oven to cool and dry up the ingredients before adding in the dried cranberries. This time it is crispier and nice. Will make this regularly.

Banana Cake

Ingredients
3 medium ripe bananas (mashed) (approx 200g)
3 eggs
100g brown/white sugar (I use brown)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp bicarbonate soda

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt
150g top flour (or cake flour)
100g sunflower or vegetable oil

Directions

• pre-heat oven to 180°C
• prepare cake pan lined with parchment paper
• in a mixer, whisk eggs and brown sugar on high speed till pale ribbon stage
• add in mashed bananas, salt and vanilla and whisk in slow speed till well combined followed by the oil
• finally add in sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda mixture and whisk again
• pour batter into cake pan and tap to clear large air bubbles
• bake for about 40-45min at 180°C or till skewer or satay stick comes clean
• alternatively can bake at 160°C for 35min and 180°C for 10min till skewer comes out clean

Foodnote: This is my second attempt at making banana cake. The first time was not very successful as the cake was dry. This recipe is better and moist... comparable to Hiap Joo banana cake hehe. I think it would also be nice to add baked walnuts or pecans.

Very easy to make so definitely will be making this regularly whenever I have leftover over riped bananas.

16 Feb 2024: Bake this again since I have 4 over riped bananas. I also have leftovers pecans that I baked and chopped to add. This time I use my rectangle baking pan. Bake it a little bit longer by 10min at lower temperature. Tasted good with nuts and this recipe is super easy and never disappoint me.