Bonus content! Granola recipe

and a sneaky poll

I’m currently writing this from a nest on the sofa, with a sleepy Labrador snoring beside me. The golden hour sun is catching the flowering quince, which is destined to be moved as soon as it finishes blossoming. The bumblebees love it, and I love watching them busily coming and going, but unfortunately the quince fruits will be a nightmare to keep out of the aforementioned Labrador come autumn. I’m hoping if I move it after it’s finished flowering, but before the fruit sets, it might survive. I’m considering pruning off the flowering branches to minimise stress to the plant trying to produce fruit, whilst it recovers from the shock of being dug up and replanted. I’ve got the perfect place picked out for it, and the perfect shrub (Camellia, thanks for asking) to sub in.

Before I give you my tried-and-true granola recipe (an amalgam of several different Pinterest recipes I’ve adapted), I would love it if you could help me out for a minute. I’m very aware that around 50% of my readers came with me to Substack from my previous Mailchimp list, generated around the time I was promoting Craft & Thrift as a second hand fabric business. I’m therefore assuming half of my readers are here for the crafting content; specifically sewing but with a fair amount of knitters in there too.

Obviously in my new season of life, I’m leaning hard into my garden. I’m very aware this is affecting my content, and whilst I’m a firm believer in the concept of writing for your passions, rather than for the algorithm, I’m also aware that I don’t want to alienate half my readers by not catering to their interests. On the other hand, from what I know about the configuration of my audience, I suspect there’s a strong Venn diagram overlap between those here for sewing and those here for gardening, and everything in between.

So, I would love to know more about why you’re here! What content drew you to my little corner of the internet? If you could complete the poll below and/or drop me a comment, I would love to know more about my readers and how they found me!

Now, onto the granola!

As a thank you for anyone who completed the above poll or dropped me a comment, here is my tried-and-true granola recipe. I would consider this more of a set of guidelines, rather than a true recipe. Tweak it to your fancy and tastes, alter the quantities to suit your store cupboard, it’s a great way to use up the dregs of dried fruit left in the pantry after Christmas. I tend to buy whatever nuts are on offer e.g. hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts, pre-mixed blends etc. Same for the seeds and dried fruits, take advantage of those offers or the reduced to clear section! It makes great gifts and travels well through the post - though be aware that with sultanas or raisins in it, it will be toxic to dogs. Don’t want to accidentally poison your Aunt’s poodle with an unexpected gift on the doormat!

Craft & Thrift Granola

Ingredients:

• Coconut oil - 3 tbsp

• Maple syrup - 2 tbsp

• Bran flakes (lightly crushed) - 1 cup

• Oats - 1 cup

• Mixed nuts (lightly crushed) - 1 cup

• Mixed seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, pre-mixed blends etc) - 1/2 cup

• Dried fruit (cranberries, sultanas, dates, figs, apricots etc) - 1/2 cup

In a saucepan or the microwave, melt 3tbps coconut oil with 2 tbsp maple syrup. Set aside

In a separate bowl, mix together lightly crushed bran flakes, oats, seeds and mixed nuts. Drizzle over the oil/syrup and stir until the dry ingredients are all lightly coated. If you feel it’s still a bit dry, you can melt more coconut oil and maple syrup. The dries should be lightly coated but there shouldn’t be any liquid pooling in the bottom of the bowl.

Spread the mixture out on a baking sheet (use parchment paper if you’re worried it will stick) or in the drawer of an air fryer. Bake for 20 minutes at 180C, stirring halfway through to ensure an even toasting all over. The granola should still be soft when it comes out, but not burned. It can catch quickly, so keep an eye.

When it comes out and is still warm, stir through the dried fruit. Leave the mixture to cool, it will harden as it cools.

When it’s cooled, stir through any additional bits you need to make breakfast more appealing. In the past I’ve added chocolate chips or fudge pieces, when I want a truly decadent meal or I’m creating a gift. A thrifted, sterilised mason jar or pretty tin makes for a lovely and thoughtful gift, filled with handmade granola.

I serve mine with vegan yoghurt and oat milk, plus berries. It’s great for breakfast or as a snack. I hope you enjoy!