The Best Homemade Granola Ever

The Best Homemade Granola Ever

It’s probably just as easy to purchase store-bought granola, particularly if you’ve found one you love, but like with any baked good, it’s reassuring to know exactly what is going into your recipe.  You can avoid added preservatives, flavorings, colorings, over-use of sugar or salt and use just the right kind of grain, sweetener, nuts/seeds you want.  Plus it’s much cheaper to make at home.  But the best reason to make your own granola is because you won’t find a better tasting granola like this one in the store!  HANDS DOWN!

You can find lots of granola recipes online and I’ve tried many, but I seem to come back to this baked beauty because of the type of grains used, the crunchy texture, the fabulous flavors and the ease of preparation.  Like most granola recipes I use oats.  Oats are well known for their blood cholesterol lowering properties.  They are a soluble fiber like most fruits and beans which means they actually grab bad fats as they move through the gastrointestinal tract, preventing those nasty fats from being absorbed and ultimately eliminating them.  Tough stuff, these soluble fibers.  Keep them in your diet every day for good bowel habits!

The crunchy texture in this granola is achieved by adding a little egg white and when you avoid stirring during baking you end up with big crispy chunks you can break apart if you wish, almost like peanut brittle.  I used  a cup each of unsweetened coconut flakes and raw pumpkin seeds in this version, but the possibilities are endless.  This recipe makes a lot but it can easily be frozen and stored for over 6 months in freezer zip-locked bags.  Use as a topping for My G0-To Breakfast Dish featured on yesterday’s post entry, in yogurt fruit parfaits or in trail mixes when you need an extra energy boost.  Warning:  Granola is not low-calorie so use sparingly.  A 50 calorie portion is about 1/4 cup.