It’s half term. In fact, it’s half time of half term. Meaning either you’re staring into a large glass of wine and wondering how little babies turned into such mischievous creatures… or you’re wondering whether a move to another country where the kids start school later and allow more bonding time might be just the ticket.

Whether you’re basking in half term glory or cowering under the dining room table covered in poster paint you might be in need of a little activity to keep everyone busy. You don’t need biscuit recipes from me. You don’t need cupcake recipes from me. You can find them in this blog for sure, but really, at the moment, what you need is granola. Put the little darlings to work making something that’ll sustain you through the next two weeks of early starts and that might also bring a little smile to your face. And just for the record, I have no proof this stuff is good for you. It looks like it is though, right?

NB: Photography by Minal at Minal Photography.

One year ago: Love cupcakes and White chocolate, lemon and macadamia cake and Roasted celeriac, carrot and parsnip soupand My lightest Yorkshire puddings

Two years ago: Bake me not chocolate cake and Jelly and ice-cream meringue roulade and Good flapjack and Banana, butterscotch and fig traybake

Three years ago: Treasure hunt ice-cream and Rhubarb and ginger chutney and Carrot cake

Almond & fig granola

Makes a large kilner jar that holds 3 litres of liquid

Ingredients:

• 80g brown sugar
• 100g honey
• 65g butter
• 200g porridge oats
• 30g sesame seeds
• 40g linseed
• 60g flaxseed
• 150g whole almonds
• 70g jumbo raisins
• 160g chopped dried figs

Preheat the oven to 160C/gas mark 3 and spread 2 baking sheets with non stick baking paper. Melt the brown sugar, honey and butter in a saucepan until just molten. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 5 minutes. Here’s where the angels come in; ask the kids to weigh the oats, seeds and almonds and then mix in a large bowl. Add the melted butter and sugars being careful not to splash anything hot on little people. Ask the helpers to mix well and then spread carefully over the baking sheets in one thin layer.

Bake for 15 minutes then turn the granola mixture over using a slice/spoon and bake again for another 20 minutes, checking for any burning periodically. You are looking for a golden brown colour to develop. Take the trays from the oven and press the granola down with a potato masher then return to the oven for 5 – 10 minutes until a lovely brown slab of granola has developed.

Remove and leave to cool. When cold ask clean little hands to break the granola up into bite size pieces and mix with the dried fruit. Pour into jars and enjoy with yoghurt/milk/fresh fruit or whatever you fancy.

Please note that if you can’t find any of the seeds simply substitute with another seed or more oats. Also as one reader has pointed out linseed and flaxseed are the same thing – the linseed I buy comes in seed form and the flaxseed is powdered and adds bulk. But on the seed front add whatever you fancy.