Fruity Granola Breakfast Cranachan & Sunshine Breakfast Smoothie
From Ainsley’s Fantastic Flavours, ITV
Start the day in a good mood with my fruity breakfast version of Cranachan. Traditionally it’s a Scottish dessert of whipped cream, raspberries, oats and whiskey but I’ve swapped the cream for yoghurt, added some aromatic blueberries and made a nutty and fruity granola with the oats to make a healthy breakfast. You can make the granola ahead of time (the recipe makes more than you’ll need) and store in an airtight container ready for the week ahead. Vegan swaps – thick coconut yoghurt for the yoghurt and maple syrup for the honey.
This smoothie is full of tropical fruity flavour for a refreshing and vibrant start to the day. I love to add a hint of ginger and turmeric to my smoothies for a little kick and a healthy boost to the digestive system. You can use coconut water instead of milk if you prefer a lighter smoothie.
Method
For the Cranachan
Preheat the oven to 150C/130Cfan/Gas 2. Line 1 large or 2 smaller trays with parchment paper.
In a saucepan over a medium heat stir together the coconut oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla and salt until melted and combined. In a large bowl mix together the oats, nuts, fruit, seeds and coconut. Tip in the melted syrup and mix well until all the oats are coated. Tip onto the lined tray and bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the edges have turned golden and the oats have formed clusters. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.
Meanwhile put half of the raspberries in a sieve over a bowl and crush with the back of a spoon to create a puree. Sweeten, if needed, with a little icing sugar. Set aside.
Put the yoghurt in a bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons of the honey (and a splash of whiskey, if using). Mix until smooth and well combined.
To serve, arrange alternate layers of yoghurt, granola, berries and puree in 4 serving glasses or dishes. Finish with a layer of yoghurt and top with a drizzle of honey, a sprinkle of granola and a couple of berries.
For the Smoothie
Add the mango, banana and pineapple to a blender and pour over the coconut milk and 2 tbsp juice from the pineapple tin. Add the chopped mint, ginger and turmeric and a squeeze of lime. Blend until smooth and taste for sweetness, adding a little honey or maple syrup if required. If the liquid is too thick add a dash more milk or some water and pulse again.
Pour into glasses over a touch of ice.
Ingredients
- For the Fruity Granola Breakfast Cranachan
- 4 tbsp coconut oil
- 6 tbsp maple syrup or honey
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of sea salt
- 200g rolled oats
- 80g nuts, (pecans, slivered almonds, pistachios, peanuts) chopped
- 60g dried fruit (sultanas, cranberries, dried cherries, dates), chopped if required
- 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
- 25g coconut flakes
- 300g fresh raspberries
- ½ - 1 tsp icing sugar
- 100g fresh blueberries or blackberries
- 350g thick Greek yogurt or Skyr
- 3-4 tbsp runny honey
- whiskey, to taste (optional)
- For the Smoothie
- 1 large mango, peeled and diced
- 1 frozen or fresh banana, peeled and chopped
- 1 x 230g tin of pineapple chunks in juice (or use fresh and 2-3 tbsp juice)
- 300ml of light coconut milk (or other plant-based milk)
- 4-6 mint leaves, roughly chopped
- 3cm fresh root ginger, peeled, finely grated
- 2cm fresh turmeric root, finely grated or ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ lime, for squeezing
- 1-2 tbsp honey or maple syrup, if needed