Wake up and smell...the Granola!
Granola is a favorite breakfast-on-the-go choice in my family (and we are not even breakfast people to begin with!). It comes in delicious flavors and is crunchy unlike oatmeal. Add some fruits and there will be no hunger pangs till lunchtime. I was on the lookout for a good granola recipe since most store mixes contain a high level of sugar or artificial flavors.
Erin's entry for ARF Tuesday came at just the right time. Isn't food blogging the best? No more surfing the net blindly looking for a recipe, then hoping it will turn out half as decent as it seemed :-)
Three and a half cups of oats gave me one medium size container of granola. Bake up a big batch in advance and relish the 'fruits' of your labor through the following weeks!
Nonstick vegetable oil spray/ oil
3 1/2 cups rolled oats
a handful of almonds, slivered
a handful of dried cranberries & blueberries (or apricots, dates, prunes, raisins etc.)
4-5 tablespoons golden brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup honey (flavored honey like wildflower, orange blossom works well)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 300°F (with the rack in the centre). Mix the oats with the nuts, sugar, salt and cinnamon. Combine oil and honey in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
Pour this mixture over oats and stir well. Ensure oats are evenly coated. Spread granola on a greased baking sheet. Bake until golden brown (about 25-28 minutes), stirring ocassionally. Cool completely. Mix in the dried berries and store in an airtight container.
To serve I make a granola parfait. Spoon 2 tablespoons of low-fat yogurt/ milk/ soy milk into a bowl. Top with 2 tablespoons of granola. Toss in fresh fruits of your choice and serve. Takes all of five minutes from start to finish!
* Rolled oats and dried berries are available in Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and other specialty shops
Continuing on the subject of trying out my fellow bloggers' recipes, here are some more.
Cilantro Rice (Sailu's Food)
An aromatic and easy to make pilaf. A dish which retains the original color and flavor of it's ingredients is a keeper in my book.
Lemon Rasam (Spice is right)
A citrus-y, tangy, nutritious rasam that goes well with steamed rice or as soup.
Mediterranean Omelet (Once upon a feast)
Now brunch is something I love. And this mediterranean omelet is perfect for a lazy Sunday morning.
Tags: breakfast cinnamon vanilla granola
Erin's entry for ARF Tuesday came at just the right time. Isn't food blogging the best? No more surfing the net blindly looking for a recipe, then hoping it will turn out half as decent as it seemed :-)
Three and a half cups of oats gave me one medium size container of granola. Bake up a big batch in advance and relish the 'fruits' of your labor through the following weeks!
Nonstick vegetable oil spray/ oil
3 1/2 cups rolled oats
a handful of almonds, slivered
a handful of dried cranberries & blueberries (or apricots, dates, prunes, raisins etc.)
4-5 tablespoons golden brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup honey (flavored honey like wildflower, orange blossom works well)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 300°F (with the rack in the centre). Mix the oats with the nuts, sugar, salt and cinnamon. Combine oil and honey in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
Pour this mixture over oats and stir well. Ensure oats are evenly coated. Spread granola on a greased baking sheet. Bake until golden brown (about 25-28 minutes), stirring ocassionally. Cool completely. Mix in the dried berries and store in an airtight container.
To serve I make a granola parfait. Spoon 2 tablespoons of low-fat yogurt/ milk/ soy milk into a bowl. Top with 2 tablespoons of granola. Toss in fresh fruits of your choice and serve. Takes all of five minutes from start to finish!
* Rolled oats and dried berries are available in Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and other specialty shops
Continuing on the subject of trying out my fellow bloggers' recipes, here are some more.
Cilantro Rice (Sailu's Food)
An aromatic and easy to make pilaf. A dish which retains the original color and flavor of it's ingredients is a keeper in my book.
Lemon Rasam (Spice is right)
A citrus-y, tangy, nutritious rasam that goes well with steamed rice or as soup.
Mediterranean Omelet (Once upon a feast)
Now brunch is something I love. And this mediterranean omelet is perfect for a lazy Sunday morning.
Tags: breakfast cinnamon vanilla granola
Posted By Ashwini | Permalink |
15 Comments:
Finally a make at home recipe for granola....Thanks a tonne....
I like the idea of parfait glass..well u dont feel like having breakfast...It's like eating a dessert..coool...
Glad you liked and used the recipe! The thing that's great about granola is it's infinitely modifiable--I, too, sometimes omit sugar and even the vegetable oil and just use a bunch more honey. Will try Martha's version soon, as we just ran out of the last batch.
lurvly....
BDSN - I know you had problems with some cereal too :-) The granola is tasty and you get the fruits in as well.
Erin - This was an excellent recipe. You tempted me to make my own granola at home! Martha used apple cider and how can apple-cinnamon-vanilla not be delicious? Let me know if you try her version.
Tony - you are sweet :-)
Hi Ashwini,
I have included your blog in my faves section.
-Sonali
I am glad you liked the coriander rice and are endorsing the same..:).
Thanks,Ashwini.
Ashwini,
Glad you like my fav lemon rasam!
This granola recipe looks really simple... yet so delicious. I love eating granola and yogurt!
Interesting. Most peole add milk to cereal. Dont know if you tried this, but I like to eat my cereal with buttermilk or yogurt.
Sonali - thanks!
Sailu - I liked the rice so am happy to endorse it :-)
GM - I stopped short of slurping the rasam! Try the granola, I know your frustration with readymade cereal
Chandra - I love cereal with yogurt too, havent tried buttermilk though.
hey
I love parfait.iam gonna try this one
Ashwini, The granola looks so yummy! Didnt realise it was easy to make.
I did! Wake up and smell the granola, that is! 'Cept that so far I am very happy with Sam's Club's granola. It is not very sweet and has raisins in it. It doesn't help that my stomach doesn't take kindly to large quantities of milk - even though I have grown to actually like milk now! Oh! The irony of it! Breakfast these days is usually granola in soy milk or in yogurt with a dash of raspberry preserve. Yum!
I, too, was like you. Didn't think much of breakfast and preferred to skip it. Esp all these sweet cereals and breakfast products. I miss the steaming upma, or simple chutney on toast or a quick idli for breakfast. But I am back to eating breakfast - granola is really good. I haven't yet tried out homemade granola. I also miss TJ's so much!
Meenal & Kay - its super easy and delicious. Let me know if you try it.
Manisha - Aah a kindred soul. I wonder how our mothers had the time to make all those delish treats. You dont have TJs? My sympathies :-)
Thank so much for sharing this wonderful recipe.Belive me I have been doing this recipe for 15 th time.It has been so popular among friends and relatives.
My husband just loves it.
Pearls - thanks for stopping by! I am glad you liked the granola recipe. I make it often too... mostly because I like that I can reduce the sugar as much as I want.
Post a Comment
<< Main Page