Great Granola — making your own puts you in control
I love breakfast.
One of the perks of working from home is that I have not only a first breakfast, but a second breakfast as well.
The first breakfast occurs in early-ish morning, after a cat has woken me from my slumber with the usual paws to the face. I nosh on something light, like plain yogurt, fruit and granola, served with a steaming mug of green tea.
The second breakfast is a couple of hours later, midmorning usually. This time it’s eggs in some form or another, toast, coffee, or if I’m feeling quite spoiled, a piece of cake or pie from last night’s dessert. Not going to lie, I really like my second breakfast, especially when cake is involved.
Lately, I’ve taken to making my own granola. It’s a fun project to embark on, plus I get to control what goes in it. My first breakfast has never been better. When you make your own, you can control the sugar, and what type of sugar you’re using. For this recipe, I used a mixture of honey and maple syrup. A little fat is required, and I used coconut oil as it has a fairly neutral taste.
Now the fun part: creating your own granola mix.
It’s important to use the large flake oats, or rolled oats. Don’t bother using the quick stuff. I used walnuts and almonds, but you can use whatever nuts you like. Seeds also factor high for me, as they are so healthy and tasty.
Fun fact: Saskatchewan and Manitoba are the country’s
biggest producers of hemp hearts, which are legal and won’t make you, um, high. Instead, they will give you excellent amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, minerals and protein. Saskatchewan also produces a large amount of flaxseed, which is high in fibre, antioxidants, and our friend Omega-3s.
Many granolas contain shredded coconut, which I’ve left out of this recipe, as I’m not a fan. If you’re on team coconut, feel free to add 1 cup instead of the nuts. I also don’t like adding dried fruit to granola, but if you do, be sure to add it after the granola has baked, otherwise it will get too dry.
The salt brings all of the flavours together, but you can leave it out if you like. A teaspoon of ground cinnamon
would be a nice addition instead.
The most important thing about making your own granola is to not burn it. You’ve spent a good chunk of change on purchasing the nuts, seeds, etc., and the last thing you want to do is have it go black. The last 10 minutes of baking time is when I watch it like a hawk, stirring every few minutes, bringing the outside edges in. Golden brown is what you’re going for.
This is the point of winter when I get tired of eating apples, oranges and bananas. Good thing we have locally grown sour cherries at the Farmers’ Market. I often pick up a 1 litre container (frozen) for just $6 and simmer them down into a compote. They taste wonderful when layered in a parfait with granola and plain yogurt. Easy to prepare, and the parfaits look fancy, especially in glassware you have hiding in your china cabinet. It’s a breakfast of champions, to see us through to spring.
Sour Cherry, Yogurt and Granola Parfait
Granola:
2 cups large flake oats
1 cup walnuts (or pecans)
3⁄4 cup sliced almonds (or shelled pistachios)
1⁄2 cup pumpkin seeds
1⁄4 cup hemp hearts
2 Tbsp flaxseeds
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 tsp salt
1⁄4 cup coconut oil
1⁄4 cup maple syrup
1⁄4 cup honey
Sour Cherry Compote:
4 cups pitted sour cherries, fresh or frozen
1 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar pinch of salt plain yogurt, to serve
To make the granola:
Preheat the oven to 325F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, nuts, seeds and salt.
In a small saucepan over mediumlow heat, stir together the coconut oil, maple syrup and honey until melted. Pour the honey mixture over the dry ingredients and stir well so everything is coated. Divide onto the baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir well and rotate the pans from top to bottom. Bake for another 10 minutes, stirring well every few minutes. The granola is done when it is golden brown and fragrant. Watch out for burning. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container for up to four weeks. Makes about five cups.
To make the Sour Cherry Compote:
Combine the sour cherries, sugar, balsamic vinegar and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until reduced and slightly thickened, about 30-35 minutes. It will firm up as it cools. The compote can be refrigerated for up to two weeks. To assemble the Parfaits: Place about 1⁄4 cup of granola in the bottom of glass cups/jars. Top with a few spoonfuls of plain yogurt. Top with a couple of spoonfuls of the chilled sour cherry compote. Serve immediately.