Granola is a healthy food, very popular and undeniably delicious. There are numerous benefits from frequent consumption of granola, among which we can list the possibility of lowering cholesterol, regulate digestion and increase energy.
Although beneficial to health, granola has plenty of fat and sugars from fruits and nuts, which makes it highly caloric.
To give you an idea about 1 cup of granola contains about 600 calories. Therefore, the ideal is to limit yourself to ¼ cup portions and consume it with less fat skim milk and yogurt.
Here's the walkthrough and tailor the granola combinations to your liking. You can also assemble combinations with the help of a nutritionist to ensure healthy and nutrient-rich portions.
How to make granola at home
Making granola at home is great for controlling how much sugar and fat it has. Besides being a way to make sure it is free of sweeteners and preservatives. The recipe below is a good granola for everyday, healthy and very tasty.
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- 3 cups of coarse flaked oats;
- 1 cup (tea) of chopped unshelled hazelnut;
- ½ cup unsweetened dry coconut;
- 3 spoons of brown sugar;
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon;
- ¼ tsp ginger powder;
- ¼ teaspoon of salt;
- ? cup of honey;
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil;
- 1 cup of dried fruit.
Preheat oven to 300C. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Mix the first 7 ingredients in a bowl. Place the honey and oil in a pan and bake over medium-low heat until smooth. Throw the honey mixture over the bowl and mix. Spread the pan and bake for 40 minutes stirring every 10 minutes. Remove, stir and let cool. Add the dried fruits and set aside in a closed jar.
You can use this recipe as a base to create your own granola. Instead of hazelnuts use walnuts, almonds or cashews. Include pumpkin, sunflower or sesame seed. In dried fruits put goji berry or raisin.
Other factors are worth considering when preparing your granola:
1. If you prefer larger pieces of granola, add more honey, as sugar causes the ingredients to stick together. Another tip for larger pieces is not to move the granola as soon as it comes out of the oven.
2. When making substitutions be sure to keep the ratio dry to liquid. Also be sure to consider that some ingredients are sweeter than others, agave, for example, is sweeter than other types of sugar and so you may have to replace it in a smaller amount.
Also read: 10 Healthy Foods That Make You Satisfied
3. Spices like cinnamon and cardamom look great on granola. But be careful that they don't get too intense. With cinnamon 1 tsp per form is more than enough. For stronger spices, start with ¼ tsp and add more if desired.
Combinations for use with your granola
With the granola ready the combinations to use it are unlimited. In addition to the classic mix with milk or yogurt, you can use granola in jams and even some savory preparations (always being mindful of the ingredients you used in your granola before combining it).
You can use the granola in cookies, muffins or pancakes to give these sweets a crunchy texture. You can also sprinkle granola over salads that carry sweeter vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes. Pulse the buttered granola into the processor and you get a mixture that can be used to make a fruit crumble. The options are endless. Just put creativity to work.
Different Homemade Granola Recipes
We have made a selection of homemade granola recipes for you to get inspired and create your own version according to your taste. Don't forget the above tips for substitutions and always try the mixture before baking, adapting to your taste.
- Fast granola
- Granola with Coconut Milk
- Granola with molasses and coconut oil
- Gluten Free Granola
- Multigrain Granola with Cocoa
- Salted Granola
- Chocolate Granola Bar
Making granola at home is also healthier and cheaper. It is very versatile and there is no rule to prepare it, which allows infinite variations. Always remember to keep it in a sealed jar so that it stays crispy and delicious longer.
Read also: 48 healthy snack recipes for you to make at home
Recipe: No-Bake Granola Bars (April 2024)
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