Granola is a simple and nutritious breakfast food that is convenient at home or on the road. Over the years I've experimented with several granola recipes, searching for just the right amount of crunch and sweet. The original recipes always called for baking ingredients in the oven on large cookie sheets. Sometimes this method worked, but other times the end product was too toasty or crunchy. Several years ago I discovered a recipe that has 'stuck' as my favorite! The method used is stovetop toasting in a skillet and the ingredients are the perfect combination of crunchy, tender, and sweet.
For crunch, chopped nuts and toasted grains form the base of this recipe. Using a combination of grains gives variety in flavor and texture and allows for nutritional variation. Raw, rolled flakes of oats, quinoa, brown rice, wheat, barley, or rye can be used alone or in combination. Gluten free options are easy; just choose the gluten free grains. Nuts, chopped or simply broken add omega 3 essential oils for a healthy heart.
Seeds create variety in texture and make a more tender granola than one that uses mostly nuts instead of seeds. Seeds add fiber and nutrition to the recipe. Flax seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds, used in combination or alone, make a great addition to granola.
For sweeteness, dried fruits and maple syrup are good natural sweeteners. For variation, honey, brown rice syrup, or the sweet herb stevia can be used. Or try using a 100% fruit juice concentrate (Dole) as sweetener. In addition to a sweet flavor, fruit concentrates add the benefit of a fresh, delicate flavor.
Granola bowl is Homer Laughlin Eggshell Nautilus with Platnum edging.
3 cups rolled flakes
(quinoa, oats, barley, wheat, brown rice, or a combination)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts
(walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, or a combination)
1/2 cup seeds
(sesame, flax, poppy, pumpkin, sunflower, or a combination)
1/2 cup dried shredded coconut, preferably unsweetened
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup dried fruit of your choice
(raisins, currants, cranberries, apple, mango, apricot, pear, pineapple, or a combination)
Use a non-stick skillet, at least 10 inches round, with high sides. (If you don't have a skillet this big, use a smaller one and prepare the granola in two batches.)
Into the cold skillet place the flakes, nuts, seeds, coconut, and cinnamon, and mix well. Blend the oil, syrup, and vanilla together in a cup. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients in the skillet, stirring well to blend.
Turn the heat under the skillet to medium high. Toast the mixture, stirring constantly, until the flakes and nuts are crispy and browned, the seeds start to pop, and the maple syrup smells like burnt sugar -- but be careful not to let the mixture burn! Toasting should take no more than five to seven minutes.
Turn off the heat and stir in the dried fruits. Let the granola rest in the skillet to cool, stirring it occasionally to break up any clumps. When it cools to room temperature, transfer the granola to a glass or plastic storage container with a tight-fitting lid.
Granola can be refrigerated for about a month, or frozen or about two months. Serve with milk (soy, rice, or almond) or the juice of your choice.
About 8 servings.
Slivered almonds
Dried Bananas
Rolled Oat, Wheat, and Barley Flakes
Broken Walnut Pieces
Dried Mango
Rolled Oats
