"Granola isn’t just for hippies!"
. . . is a sign I saw on a booth at the farmers market. Of course they were selling granola. The sign made me think for a while if the statement was true. The only people I know who eat granola tend to be on the crunchier, hippier side of the spectrum. Perhaps they’re trying to broaden their fan base.
What about you? Do you eat granola? Do you consider yourself a hippie?
I don’t consider myself a stereotypical Birkenstock-wearing, tree-hugging, Establishment-cursing hippie, but when it comes to matters of food purity and holistic health practices, I may be considered a bit crunchy in some circles. I haven’t always been like this, nor did I ever think that I would make my own granola, much less eat it on a regular basis. Funny where life takes us.
I’ve really come to love granola. I love eating a substantial breakfast, and cold cereal, although convenient, has never quite cut it for me. Granola, to me, combines the best of both worlds — a hearty, healthy, yet quick & convenient breakfast.
I never made granola in the past because the recipes I came across had enormous amounts of oil and sugar. Then I saw this recipe, or rather, a basic skeleton of a recipe that could be added to or left as is (it’s quite good as is). The result is a crunchy, chewy, slightly sweet compliment to fruit, yogurt, or a mere splash of milk. This recipe is very flexible, and I included some suggestions for additions and an awesome variation we’ve tried and liked. I make a double batch of granola almost every week — it has replaced our boxed breakfast cereal entirely.
Most recently, I’ve used granola (with some mini chocolate chips mixed in) as a way to subside the hankering I’ve had for a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie. It mostly works. At least it helps to postpone the moment when I pull out my mixer.
Everyday Granola
Ingredients:
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (I like sliced almonds)
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
3 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar (optional)
2 T milled flaxseed (optional)
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon (generous) salt
1/3 cup honey, real maple syrup, or agave nectar
3 tablespoons coconut oil (or vegetable, if you must)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup dried fruit (we love dried cranberries)Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Mix the first 8 ingredients in large bowl. Stir preferred sweetener and oil in saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth. (Do not boil.) Stir in vanilla.
Pour sweet mixture over oat mixture; toss to coat evenly. Spread on prepared sheet.
Bake until golden, stirring every 10 minutes, about 35-40 minutes until golden brown. Place sheet on rack. Stir granola; cool. Mix in fruit. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight.
Suggestions for add-ins or replacements:
citrus zests
other extracts & spices
crystallized ginger (add halfway through baking - loved this!)
mini chocolate chips (add after mixture has baked and cooled)
Coconut Carrot Cake Granola (adapted from Healthy Food for Living)- add 1/4 cup applesauce, 1/2 cup finely grated carrots (Microplane works well), 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and replace the vanilla with coconut extract. This variation ROCKED. It turned out softer and chewier than normal, maybe due to the applesauce.adapted from Bon Appetit June 2010
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Kathryn — July 10, 2010 @ 4:21 am
I love granola! One of my favorite breakfasts is blueberries mixed into plain yogurt (with a teaspoon or so of sugar) and some homemade granola sprinkled on top. Josie likes it, too.
Your recipe looks very similar to the one I use (got it from Good Eats). I want to try yours because of the ginger and cinnamon. Sounds good!
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Natalie @ Perrys' Plate — July 10, 2010 @ 4:24 am
Kathryn – That's exactly what I had this morning! The girls love it, too, and now that Ivy finally has enough teeth to chomp through the crunchy stuff everyone's happy. :)
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Natasha Wade — July 10, 2010 @ 5:19 am
You even put coconut oil in it (medium chain fatty acids – very nice!). We did raw granola for a while. It was delicious, but after we ate the last ten pound batch Natasha made we had to retire the recipe. Granola is great. We're always looking for delicious, healthy alternatives to add to our breakfast cuisine.
Spencer
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Geekwif — July 10, 2010 @ 2:54 pm
This looks pretty similar to the recipe I've been using, though I don't use cinnamon or ginger and, I must admit, mine uses more oil. I also bake mine a little longer because I like a crunchier texture in contrast to the chewiness of the dried fruit and the creaminess of the yogurt.
Oh, and granola is definitely not just for hippies. :)
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Oh Mandie! — July 10, 2010 @ 4:10 pm
Mmmmm I love granola with yogurt and strawberries, but I've never ventured into making it myself. I think now that I have a good recipe that I will :)
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Jamie — July 10, 2010 @ 8:15 pm
I love granola. Especially Home made granola! I am for sure going to try the one with the carrots in it. Sounds great! I also LOVE your canister in that picture. Would you mind sharing where you got it?
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Julie — July 10, 2010 @ 10:24 pm
I consider myself a yuppie hippie. A nice contraction, eh? Hehe. Like you say, I believe in whole, homemade, healthy ingredients and cooking practices. I try to stay away from processed foods. But any real hippie would call me a yuppie fake. And any yuppie would call me a hippie. It's a line I like to dance between. :)
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Natalie — July 10, 2010 @ 11:22 pm
I love granola–I can't be trusted around it :) Love the idea of a carrot cake granola–must try that!
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Natalie @ Perrys' Plate — July 11, 2010 @ 12:03 am
Jamie – That canister came from IKEA. I love it, too – simple, clean-looking, and serves its purpose. Oh yeah, and cheap. :)
Julie – Yuppie Hippie. PERFECT. Sounds like we're both dancing between those lines. Isn't it funny how you can be thrown to either side depending on who you're with?
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grace — July 11, 2010 @ 10:27 am
i don't consider myself 'crunchy' (just maybe a bit 'toothy'), but granola is something i've decided needs to be made at home. store-bought just can't compare, plus there are lots of quirky things i like to add. great post. :)
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Sarah — July 19, 2010 @ 2:09 am
I don't know what it is, but making granola scares me. Your recipe looks so easy, so why am I so timid to make it! I'm sure it will be much better than what I can get at the store. Have you seen those Nature Valley Nut Clusters? My family loves them. Is there a way to make this granola stick together into balls? I know my family would go nuts over it and I would feel so much better feeding them granola from scratch. :)
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Natalie @ Perrys' Plate — July 19, 2010 @ 3:58 am
Sarah, do it! It's so easy once you get a good recipe. I think this is a good one. To make them stick together? Hmm… I would try adding applesauce (like a cup maybe) and then making the clusters as soon as its cool enough to handle. If you wait until it's totally cooled off, it might be too late. This is all a guess, though. Let me know if it works!
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Michele — March 15, 2012 @ 9:37 am
Haha! I can totally relate to everything you’ve said. I make a lot of things from scratch these days and I make my own granola as well and have really come to love it. My husband’s friends at work say I’m a little hippie-ish, in jest, but I feel our family is healthier for it, so I don’t mind at all! That Coconut Carrot Cake granola looks scrumptious! Can’t wait to try that variation.
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Jenny Friden — May 30, 2012 @ 8:54 pm
We love this! I’ve made it twice in four days and my 4-year old told me it’s all she ever wants to eat for breakfast again. I substituted sunflower seeds for the nuts and slightly reduced the salt content so my son with the peanut allergy can have it too.
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Lindsey — June 4, 2012 @ 1:16 pm
All I have to say is, “WHY did it take me so long to make this?!” Oh, boy. It’s delicious. I was curious to see how it tasted before I put it in the oven, so I thought I would just take a little bite. HA! I ended up eating at least a 1/4 cup…maybe more….probably more. Thanks, Natalie! You remain my favorite. :)
P.S. Thanks so much for the baby food advice! I really appreciate it, and I’m sorry it took me so long to comment, so I could tell you that.
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sammyjo — November 20, 2012 @ 4:42 pm
So delicious! My kids and I made this on Saturday; it’s now Tuesday, and the granola is gone already! We’re going to try the carrot cake variation next weekend. I followed the recipe exactly, adding the optional flaxseed and brown sugar. I had never cooked with coconut oil before (bought some just for this granola) and I think it added the most perfect delicate coconut flavor. But… how can coconut oil be healthy with all that saturated fat? If someone could clear up my confusion I’d be most grateful… because if the stuff isn’t bad I’ll be using it often! Thanks for a great recipe… Saturday just might become “granola day” in our house!
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