{Recipe} Coconut Gula Melaka Granola (Nakula Coconut Oil)

Ever since last year, I have been using coconut oil for most of my cooking because of all the amazing health benefits! :) 

Coconut oil is able to withstand high heat is therefore a better option for stir-fries, grills and roasts. The only gripe is having your food tasting faintly like coconut, which may not be widely acceptable.

 I love reading about the latest health food trends as I believe in nourishing your body right, with occasional indulgences of course ;) That being said, coconut oil is definitely one of the top superfoods you should incorporate in your diet.

If you don't already know, coconut oil is rich in Medium Chain Fatty Acids, which may help raise our good HDL cholesterol and boost your metabolism, hence aiding weight loss. Not only that, it is said to enhance energy levels, stabilizes blood sugar levels (good for the diabetics!), stimulate fat-burning, reduces oxidative stress level, boosts brain function and promotes bone health. 

When I read all these, I was sold. Not too sure how accurate these claims are, but no harm trying eh? :)

Furthermore, coconut oil is so versatile! Other than using it in your cooking and baking, you can actually store the oil in your refrigerator to harden it up and from there, it becomes your natural skin & hair moisturizer! Definitely better than the chemically processed products outside.  Or if you want, you can spread it on your toasts (replacement for butter) for a quick and nutritious breakfast :) There are certain celebrities who actually ingest a tablespoon of coconut oil first thing in the morning!

Coconut oil is extremely moisturizing to our skin and it accelerates healing due to its anti-microbial properties, hence some people use it for eczema, acne and psoriasis; or even as a protective barrier during a wound-healing process. 

Sometimes I would use a tablespoon of coconut oil on my hair and leave it on for about 20minutes before rinsing it off, and i assure you that it really helps soften the hair and reduces frizz!

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I have tried at least 4 different coconut oil brands in the market - all of them being organic, cold-pressed, and virgin coconut oil :)

However, Nakula Coconut Oil is hands down the brand with the strongest coconut taste and fragrance! You will definitely appreciate the intense coconut-y aroma when you lift open the lid :)

That is most probably the reason why this batch of Coconut Gula Melaka granola was SO. AMAZING.

I was given a sample of their granola and I love it!!! I gobbled up the rest of the cup and had to bake it for myself, so glad they provided me with the recipe :))))

 Baked a tray to test it out and it was gone in an hour's time because my family & I couldn't stop snacking on it :P The smell was irresistible!

 So guess who baked a few more batches on the same day hahahhaha :)

Coconut & Gula Melaka Granola

Ingredients:

250g rolled oats

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup Sing Long gula melaka syrup

1 tbsp brown sugar

3/4 cup raw almonds

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

(I added 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds too! Feel free to add other things like chia seeds, cranberries, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds or other nuts)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160 degree celsius.

2. Add all ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly

3. Spread mixture evenly (important!) onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. (I ran out of this so I used aluminum foil instead)

4. Bake for 30 minutes. Stir to mix and return to oven for another 15 minutes or till golden brown.

5. Remove from oven. Allow granola to cool completely in tray so that it becomes crispy! Store in an air-tight container.

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*I thought the granola was a tad too oily and sweet! Would most likely cut out 2 tbsp of oil and omit the brown sugar next time :)

Do give the recipe a try!! The granola was so crispy and every crunch was filled with coconut and gula melaka fragrance *_* 

Do try to use Nakula's coconut oil for the best flavors :) You won't regret it :)

Anyway the best part is? It is so affordable! 

Get Nakula's coconut oil for $15.95 (500ml) or $29.95 (1L) from Cold Storage :)

Next I will try cooking my rice with coconut oil because the thought of coconut rice with a curry dish sounds fantastic already! Another idea would be to add 2 tsp of coconut oil to my coffee/smoothies for an extra boost of nutrients *_*

x

For more information:

@nakulasg (Instagram)

 https://www.facebook.com/nakulacoconutoilsingapore