As you may know, granola is not exactly popular for breakfast here in Italy. The classical Italian breakfast consists of cappuccino e cornetto, usually consumed in a cafè and, quite often, in a hurry. Needless to say, cappuccino and cornetto are delicious, but not very healthy, especially if they become a daily habit. Personally, I prefer to eat breakfast at home, taking my time, and I am always looking for healthy ideas. It’s not that I don’t like toast with jam, but, after a while, I get bored and need somethig to vary this important meal. A few days ago, while surfing the Internet, I came across this post and decided it was time to try and make my own homemade granola with what I had available in my pantry.
Ingredients:
125 g (4 1/2 oz) oat flakes
60 g (2 1/2 oz) buckwheat flakes
50 g (2 oz) shelled almonds
25 g (1 oz) sunflower seeds
25 g (1 oz) shelled walnuts
25 g (1 oz) raisins
3 dried apricots
50 g (2 oz) honey
10 g (1/2 oz) brown cane sugar
50 g (2 oz) water
10 g (1/2 oz) rice bran oil
Directions:
- Combine oat and buckwheat flakes, coarsely chopped walnuts and almonds, sunflower seeds, raisins and chunked dried apricots in a mixing bowl.
- Melt honey and brown cane sugar with water and oil over low heat for a few minutes to form a syrup.
- Pour the syrup in the bowl with cereals and mix well.
- Spread the mixture on a sheetpan lined with parchment paper.
- Bake in preheated oven at 160°C / 320° F for 40 minutes, mixing your granola every ten minutes or so.
- Let cool properly before storing in a glass airtight jar.
I love it with yogurt or milk, dairy and vegetable, but I find it even better on its own, picked from the jar and eaten by the handful. I must warn you, though, it may be dangerous, because stopping to plunge your fingers into the jar and taking them to your mouth requires a very strong will. Granola is a very healthy and filling sanck but it is not exactly low calories, so you need to limit the quantity.
I read many other recipes for homemade granola on the internet, combining different ingredients, cereals, dried fruits, sweeteners, oils and flavours, everyone can assemble it according to their taste. In the future, I will surely try other combinations, with grated coconut, for example, that many suggest to add and that I unfortunately had not on hand this time. A great excuse to make another granola soon.
As usual, I would be really glad to read your comments, your opinions, your questions, your suggestions and anything you’d like to share. Please pardon my English and see you soon for another recipe.
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