Granola
is the most healthiest and easy breakfast food that I am hitched onto. Pair it
with a silky smooth Greek Yogurt , throw some fruits of your choice like
banana, strawberries, blueberries to get the best flavor out of it. Before some
months When I used to see someone posting a Granola Recipe , I used to wonder
what are these. After a bit of searching, I came to know that Granola consists
of rolled oats, different nuts , honey or other sweeteners which are then baked until
it is crisp and golden brown. Any dry fruits can be added in the granola like pecans,pine
nuts, walnuts, raisins, dates etc. Granola can be used as a breakfast or as an
evening snacks or it could be eaten throughout the day, because of it’s
nutritious nature . Many people make it in the bar form so that it can
be easily packed and carried for outdoor activities. You can also add flax
seeds, sunflower seeds , melon seeds in the mix which improves our digestion.
Though
Granola is easily accessible through any Departmental Stores, I prefer to make my Granola at home which is not only cheaper than the store brought
ones, it is way healthier and tastier also. The most important component of the
Granola is the Oats or Oatmeal or Oat bran which is a significant source of
dietary fibre which contains a mixture of soluble and non soluble fibres. Beta –glucans
is a soluble fibre found in oats which has proven to lower the blood
cholesterol. Try to incorporate rolled oats rather than quick cooking oats
which will fail to hold up the entire binding process. You can add other dry
ingredients like pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, coconut flakes, flax seeds.
To get a nice
balance of flavor and texture, I follow the 6:1 ratio of 6 parts dry
ingredients to 1 part wet ingredient. Out of my 6 parts of dry ingredients, I
mix 3 parts of Oats, 1 Parts of nuts, 1 parts of seeds and I parts of fruits or
dryfruits. Coming back to wet ingredients, I prefer my Maple syrup and
Sunflower oil which is needed to coat the grains, nuts and seeds in sugar and
fat and most importantly helps them to bind together. But in this recipe I have
for the first time used extra virgin coconut oil and Maple Syrup.Coming back to Maple
Syrup, which is one of the more popular sweeteners
today as it claims to be more nutritious and healthier than sugar. The main thing that
sets maple syrup apart from refined sugar, is that though both are made of 2/3rd
sucrose, the glycemic index score of maple syrup is about 54 compared to 65 for
regular cane sugar.( Source: https://draxe.com/maple-syrup-nutrition).
Compared to refined cane sugar which has absolutely no nutrients, maple syrup
in that case contains some important antioxidants and minerals like Zinc and
Manganese.
Recently
I have been associated with Plattershare under their “Belly
Nirvana” Associate programme where I have received the Coombs Grade A Dark
Amber Maple Syrup from GoIndiaOrganic - India’s only platform that provides
premium, exclusive & extra-ordinary naturally organic food products.
Maple syrup is made from the sugary circulating fluid (sap) of maple trees and over 80% of
the world’s supply of Maple syrup is produced in Canada. You can find different
grades of Maple syrup available in the market, which is Grade-A and Grade-B.
Grade-A is further classified into Light Amber, Medium Amber and Dark Amber and
Grade B is the darkest of them all. Darker maple syrups are made
from sap which is extracted later in the harvesting seasons and it has a
stronger maple flavor for which it is mainly used in baking and other cooked
recipes , while the lighter maple syrup can be used directly on pancakes,
crepes etc.
Spices plays a major role in making Granola and I always
use Cinnamon, ground ginger, Nutmeg, a bit of cloves in my Granola to perk up
it’s taste. Besides the spices, I also use Dried Cherries, Raisins and sometimes
apricot in my Granola but I add them after baking to avoid the drying of the
fruits. The best thing about Granola is that you can customize it from making
it more/less sweet, more/less spicy, more/less fruity and do not limit your imagination
, go ahead and make your own Granola and for a reference you can always refer
my recipe below.
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 cup pistachios
- ½ cup shredded coconuts
- ½ cup raisin and cherries
- ¼ cup melon seeds
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup virgin coconut oil
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/4tsp ginger powder
- ¼ tsp nutmeg powder
- a pinch of clove powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 400 grams vanilla flavored Greek yogurt
Let's Learn How to Make this :
- Pre heat oven to 200 degree C.
- Combine the oats, walnuts, pistachios, melon seeds, carrots, grated coconut, maple syrup, coconut oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and salt in a large mixing bowl. Toss well till they are perfectly combined.
- Transfer these mixture to a baking tray lined with parchment paper and spread evenly. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes and when it is halfway through, do not forget to stir it before the final round of baking.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool and comes to room temperature. Then add raisins and dried cherries and toss to combine.
- Divide the toasted granola among serving bowls, glasses or even jar like the way I did.Pour the Greek yogurt over it and place some more granola on top along with some fresh cherries. Serve immediately.
- Enjoy this homemade granola immediately, or store in a sealed container and store in a cool place for up to 2 weeks.
This granola parfait is going to be a part of our 46th #Bloghop theme of #dryfruits.
12 comments
Beautiful shots as always and a very healthy parfait recipe idea Alka! The bonus here is the granola recipe from the scratch.
ReplyDeleteGlad you like the granola idea
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures. Loved it. Healthy and yummy share Alka 😊
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThank You so much Sujata
DeleteAlka I remember when airlines served better food, I had my first ever granola and yogurt cup on Kenya Airways for breakfast. Now we just get nuts! Your recipe brought back memories and you have given me an idea to use up the endless amount of oats in my son's pantry:) Lovely breakfast option.
ReplyDeleteThank You Mayuri, It has now been my regular breakfast
Deleteloved the addition of carrots in granola...beautiful clicks
ReplyDeleteThank you Nisa
DeleteGranola is a hit in my house and what better way to make at home rather than the store bought ones...lovely clicks.😊
ReplyDeleteThank you Saswati
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shots!! I have been planning to make Granola for a long time. Your recipe has tempted me to make them soon. Thanks for the recipe.
ReplyDelete