Fresh Strawberry Panna Cottas with Chocolate Granola

Here is a little something to make for breakfast (or dessert) this Friday. The combination of fresh strawberries and thick coconut milk in these panna cottas creates the most flavoursome and delicately creamy treats you can imagine! The gelatin powder used to make them set is fantastic for gut health. Just like bone broth, gelatin is full of collagen (great for skin and preventing wrinkles), which has been shown to improve gut health by repairing the intestinal wall, and sealing the gut lining. This is essential for healing leaky gut syndrome and the autoimmune conditions that stem from leaky gut. Chocolate and strawberries, creaminess and crunch, what more can you ask for? Make these for your lover/friend/mother this weekend and start your day with a little bit of love!

Makes 4-6 

Note: I suggest preparing this the day/night before as the panna cottas need at least 4 hours to set

Panna Cottas:

1 tsp. coconut oil, for greasing

250g strawberries, washed, hulled and halved

375mL (1 ½ cups) coconut milk (full cream, canned)

1 ½ tbsps. raw honey

2 tsps. gelatin powder (try to use grass-fed, if available)

Chocolate Granola:

(You can use whatever nuts and seeds you like and you can replace the oats with buckwheat, quinoa flakes, puffed rice or more nuts/seeds/coconut if you prefer or cannot find GF oats. Just ensure you've got 3 1/2 cups of dry ingredients).

1 cup rolled oats (I used gluten free, organic)

½ cup walnuts

½ cup almonds

¼ cup pepitas

¼ cup flaxseeds

1/8 cup sesame seeds

1/8 cup chia seeds

½ cup coconut (shredded or dessicated)

¼ cup cacao nibs 

3 tbsps. melted coconut oil

3 tbsps. raw honey or maple syrup

1/3 cup raw cacao powder

1 tsp. vanilla

Pinch sea salt

½ cup coconut yoghurt, fresh figs, berries and pink flowers, to serve

For the panna cottas:

1. Lightly grease 6 holes of a muffin tin with coconut oil (could also use 4 ½ cup moulds). Place the muffin tin/moulds in the refrigerator until needed.

2. Place the strawberries into a blender and process until completely pureed. Then pour the puree into a small saucepan through a cheesecloth or fine sieve (a clean, unused chux cloth also works). Squeeze the puree through until only the seeds remain in the cloth/sieve. Check that you have 1 ½ cups of puree (if you have more, take the extra out and use in a smoothie).

3. Place 125mL (1/2 cup) of the coconut milk into a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top in a thin layer and set aside for 10 minutes to dissolve.

4. Add 250mL (1 cup) of the coconut milk to the saucepan with the puree. Gently heat the strawberry and coconut mixture over low heat until warm. Remove from the heat and whisk in the honey and dissolved gelatin. Set aside to cool.

5. Pour the cooled mixture into the greased muffin holes/moulds and refrigerate for 4 hours or until set.

For the granola:

1. Preheat the oven to 150/160 degrees celcius (depending on your oven – mine runs hot) and line an oven tray with baking paper.

2. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to combine.

3. Place the coconut oil and honey/maple in a small saucepan over low heat until melted. Then add the cacao powder and sea salt and whisk to combine.

4. Pour the mixture over the oats, nuts and seeds and stir until well coated.

5. Spread the granola out on the lined tray in one layer.

6. Place into the oven for 15 minutes before flipping it with a spatula. Return to the oven for a further 5 minutes. You will have to monitor the granola as the oils and honey can cause it to burn very quickly. Remove it from the oven and allow to cool.

7. Carefully remove the panna cottas from the moulds/tins by gently pulling them away from the sides, or running a butter knife around the edge, and then flipping the tin upside down.

8. Serve them surrounded by the granola, with dollops of coconut yoghurt, fresh figs, berries and pink flowers. Enjoy!