crunchy bowl of healthy goodness
I happened to be at my friend Jenna's house while she was making homemade granola for Christmas gifts. It never occurred to me to make my own granola, especially living in the land that invented birchermüesli and sells a dizzying variety of granolas. But wow, it was delicious; I couldn't stop eating it. She's more of an intuitive cook and doesn't strictly follow a recipe. But I jotted her notes down anyway and tried it at home. After three tries, I finally got it right.
my favorite way to eat it - with plain yogurt
Two reasons to make it yourself. One - you know exactly what is in it. I was surprised that every granola/müesli I looked at in the store (even bio/organic brands) had lots of preservatives and other numbered ingredients. Two - you can adjust the ingredients to match your preferences. I love nuts and am always disappointed how few show up in the store-bought variety. So I use lots in my homemade mix. If you like it sweeter, add more sugar. If you hate coconut, don't use it. If you like dried fruit, mix it in immediately after baking. You are the boss.
Homemade Granola
Preheat oven to 325F(160C).
In a large bowl, combine:
4 cups oatmeal (whole rolled oats, not instant)
3 cups chopped nuts (I prefer a mix of cashews and pecans)
1 cup seeds (I use a salad seed mix that has sunflower, pumpkin, flax, etc)
1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/4 raw sugar
In a small bowl, combine:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup honey
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
Add liquid mixture to dry and stir until everything is moistened. Press flat into a baking sheet (about 1/2 inch deep). Bake 20 mins, then stir granola well and then flatten back down. Back another 10-15 mins. Watch (and smell) carefully so it doesn't burn. Cool and store in fridge for weeks.
In Switzerland, it's not particularly cheaper to make your own, since we don't have Trader Joe's and Costco as inexpensive sources of nuts and other pricey ingredients. But it's not too bad; I estimated about 8-10sfr for about 1.1 kilo of granola. A 500g bag of basic granola at Migros costs 4.40sfr.
raw mixture
flattened into baking sheet
one batch fills this 2.2 liter container
raw mixture
flattened into baking sheet
one batch fills this 2.2 liter container
6 comments:
My kids loved Jenna's mix, too. (I didn't try it, too much sugar.)
The store-bought müesli is even cheaper, although granted it is not exactly the same as granola.
The Coop Prix Garantie Birchermüesli is only 2.50 for 1kg and has no preservatives or E numbers. Also no sugar of any kind (except for the cornflakes in it, but you can pick those out).
The Migros M-Budget Müesli is similar: no sugar and cheap as dirt (but better-tasting).
well, it's the seeds and nuts that make mine expensive. But that's the part I like, so I'll take it.
I have made this before too and it was delicious. I used a Nigella Lawson recipe.
I like too that you can make it a bit sweeter and add nuts or whatever you want. YUMMM
Tanya, Thanks for sharing your recipe. I found your blog through Jenna's. Anyway, it was a hit; however, I did add 2 tablespoons of coco powder because my husband loved chocolate.
i just discovered your blog, and so glad i did! i'm from new york and living in zurich now too. LOVE it here!! and boy do i have a lot of tasting to catch up on, your site is chock-full! :)
just yesterday i was craving granola, so i threw together a small batch - it's so easy and fast. just grab whatever nuts, seeds and oats you have on hand, i mixed my random bags from migros with some vermont maple syrup and a touch of sea salt, and voila! that's it. i posted another granola recipe with dried fruit on my blog too, check it out:
http://mykugelhopf.ch/2008/12/a-perfect-holiday-gift-but-one-that-quickly-disappears/
hope you enjoy !
Thanks,I'm stealing this!
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