Have you ever met anyone and they said "No, I don't like no parfait!"?

For my first star ingredient I choose to go for a lovely bag of dried currants. I have to admit that from the time I threw them into my shopping basket; I was under the notion that they derived from those red little berries that are packed with tarty goodness. But after tearing into the bag with great anticipation I found a little disappointment for the taste was more similar to a tart raisin. However upon the second trial, with no expectations holded against them I actually really enjoyed them for what they were. Just as they came.

Next, what direction to take these little gems?
My mind (of course) goes towards creamy scones that I can later dip into my morning cup of tea... or no, rather make that a batch of muffins... or what if I soaked them in brandy and threw them into an apple crisp?
All of which I still commend my stomach for dreaming of, but as I have previously stated, it is my goal to break the monotonous. And monotonous it is for the pastry consumption in my life at this time.

After contemplating for a few days and driving my co-worker crazy spinning ideas off of him, I found it best to ask myself (food wise) what have I really been missing out on in Lagos?
Now, I have and always will be a cereal girl. If you were to ever pose one of those if you were stranded on a desert island kinda questions to me I would respond loud and proud: "Just make sure that cool rich soy milk, cereal and handfuls of juicy berries are plentiful, and I will be there happily in the sand awaiting my rescue."

My quest for cereal in Lagos has been a rocky one at that. My good friend Forest Gump may even relate it to a box of chocolates. In a sense that you just never know what you're gonna get. One time it may completely satisfy all cereal cravings. The next time it may be stale, or another crawling with the unmentionables. Or just when you've found the perfect match for your taste buds it is no where to be found on any shelf, any where, for the next four months.

Solution: create my own granola making use of these lovely currants.
I know that I will feel a blanket of ease and comfort knowing what is going in, and what will be coming out of my cereal. Pure ingredients. Good food.

Currant and Apple Crunchy Granola
Oatmeal (old fashion, not quick cooking) 285 gr
Dried currants 75 gr
Dried apple slices 40 gr
Flax seed powder 30gr
Honey 70 gr
Vegetable oil 45 gr
Water 10gr
Cinnamon 2 gr
Pinch of salt

For the Flax Seed Powder:
I have found flax seeds to be a consistent product at one of the local stores, and I've been delighted to throw them into multiple items here and there. It would be easier to list what health benefits flax seeds do not carry. Flax seeds have numerous nutrition pay offs, winning for some the grand title of the most powerful food source. Packed to the brim with fiber, B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. Flax seeds are a great tool for lowering blood sugar, boosting energy levels and weight loss.
However merely consuming them in their whole state will do not much. Your body cannot break down the seeds whole and will simply pass them by. When you bring them home using either a spice grinder, blender or a good old fashion mortar and pestle grind them down to expose their inward glory. Keep them stored in an air tight container in your freeze so they will not become rancid.

For the Apple Slices:
I've always been a big fan of dried apples and found the flavor to pair nicely with the currants here. I prepared them simply by thinly slicing a whole apple (red or green) sprinkling them with a little lime juice ( as a rule I only use the local limes for the lemons have such a bitter taste. The local limes have a sweeter more balanced flavor.) I add the lime juice to help retain the color of the apples during the drying process.
I did this right before bed and threw them into the oven on the pilot setting over night. I then rested peacefully knowing that in the morning I would wake to delectable dried apple slices. If you have an electric oven you can achieve the same thing by placing your oven at its lowest possible setting.

Combine the water, honey, vegetable oil, cinnamon and salt into a bowl and whisk together. Toss the oats and flax seed powder together and combine with the liquid mixture. Lightly spray or line a flat baking tray and turn out the oat mixture onto the tray. Press firmly onto the tray keeping it on one even layer. This will help to create large crispy pieces.
Place in a moderate oven at 140 C. Looking for an even tan color and ensuring the toasting of the oats.
Bake it between 50-60 minutes, keeping a close eye on it.
Let it cool at room temperature and be careful not to break apart the large clusters. After cooling combine the currants and apple slices.

Fresh fruit, granola and yogurt parfait
I then later picked up a nice Greek yogurt, fresh fruits ( that day the figs, pomegranates and blueberries looked best to me) and layered them nicely into a wide short glass. Alternate the layers ending with a touch of granola and sprinkle of berries on top. What a perfect beginning, middle or end to any day.