Posted on: Wednesday, March 30, 2005
RECIPE DOCTOR
This granola has some fat, dried fruit, flavor
By Elaine Magee
Q. I am looking for a granola recipe I can make at home. The granolas in the stores just aren't fun to eat anymore. I would love to see you create a recipe I can make for a change of pace.
A. This granola may be more satisfying than your typical breakfast cereal because it's got some fat (mostly from the nuts) and dried fruit in it, and it gets a fiber boost from the oats and added ground flaxseed. After I made a batch of this granola, I found myself spooning some of it over my almost-daily yogurt and enjoying a bowl of it as a quick afternoon snack. I've kept the fat as low as possible by using less oil, and I added apple juice, honey and molasses to make up the difference (and didn't add any sugar because my sweeteners were in liquid form). The nuts and sunflower seeds are going to add much of the fat grams, but keep in mind these are "smart fats."
I added flavor with vanilla extract, spices and your choice of nuts and dried fruit. My favorite blend is Vanilla Cherry Almond Granola, but you could sub in whatever nut or dried fruit your heart desires and make it Blueberry Pecan, for example.
Enjoy this granola as a cold cereal with low-fat milk or as a topping for fruit salad, yogurt, or fruit parfaits.
Makes about 9 cups.
VANILLA CHERRY ALMOND GRANOLA
Heat oven to 300 degrees.
Add the first 7 ingredients to a medium-size roasting pan or an 8-by-13-inch baking pan, and mix ingredients together.
In a medium bowl, stir together the vanilla, molasses, honey, canola oil and apple juice. Drizzle over the dry mixture and stir to coat evenly.
Bake about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. When completely cooled, stir in the dried cherries. Store in a Zip-loc plastic bag or sealed container.
Per serving (1/2 cup): 250 calories, 9 g protein, 32 g carbohydrate, 11 g fat (1.2 g saturated fat, 6 g monounsaturated fat, 6.3 g polyunsaturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 6 g fiber, 4 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 39 percent.
Omega-3 fatty acids: about 3 g. Omega-6 fatty acids: about 3 g. Weight Watchers points: 5.
Elaine Magee is author of "The Recipe Doctor Cookbook," "The Flax Cookbook" and "Fry Light, Fry Right." Reach her at www.recipedoctor.com. Personal responses can't be provided. This column is distributed by Knight Ridder News Service.
