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Granola – what is it, useful properties and how to cook at home according to recipes with photos

Granola is a popular breakfast or snack food consisting of raw oats, honey, nuts, and other ingredients such as; coconut, seeds, and dried fruits. It's nutritious, gluten-free, and relatively low in calories. Home-cooked granola is easy to make and can be made using various recipes. Photos guide the cooking process step by step, so everyone can make it. This article covers all the useful properties and nutritional value of granola, and teaches how to make it at home, following simple yet delicious recipes.

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The main charge of vivacity for the whole day is breakfast, which should be healthy, satisfying and tasty. Granola is endowed with the necessary qualities – this is a traditional American dish (it is also called in the USA snack, trail mix, dry breakfast), consisting of a variety of nutritional components. The sweets contain oatmeal, dried fruits, honey, nuts, a little vegetable oil. The ingredients are mixed and baked in the oven. To get a tasty, beautiful dish you need to know the features of its preparation.

What is granola made from?

The classic recipe for a dish from America looks like a mixture of cereal, natural fruit juice (apple, grape, orange, etc.), a small amount of sunflower oil, honey. Often add different dried fruits, nuts. Granola is made both in friable consistency, and in the form of bars. Products are pressed and then baked in a special form. The result is a crispy, mouth-watering snack. Such a delicacy is very popular in the USA, Japan, Canada, Europe..

Dish history

If you believe the story, then granola was invented by a priest from America Sylvester Graham (Sylvester Graham). He gained fame in the early 19th century after he began to promote healthy, dietary nutrition. The priest urged people to abandon the use of white flour, and instead recommended using a whole-grain product (Graham flour) that does not harm the body.

The food product “granule” was launched into production by Dr. James Jackson, this happened in the second half of the 19th century. The delicacy was made from Graham flour. The mixed dough was divided into portions, thinly rolled, baked using the oven. Then, the resulting plates were broken into pieces, which were mixed and re-baked. In 1898, Charles Post began producing granola “Grape Seed” according to Jackson’s recipe. The product has not received much popularity. In the 1960s, breakfast cereal reappeared, made from a new set of ingredients.

After a decade, Pet Milk and Lassen Foods delivered their granola production line almost the same time. After some time, Country Morning (Kellogg) and Nature Valley (General Mills) began to be sold. The patent for the first useful cereal bar in the United States received Edward Thayer. Peanut Butter Crunch, Granola Grabber.

Homemade Cereal Bars

Benefit and harm

A delicious, nutritious product will be the perfect breakfast for the whole family, but before you eat granola, you should study its positive and negative qualities. The benefit of the dish lies in its composition:

  • The main ingredient is oatmeal. They contain slow carbohydrates, B vitamins, calcium, zinc. Oatmeal is very nutritious, improves the condition of the skin, stimulates the intestines, improves proper digestion.
  • Natural product – honey. It has carbohydrates, folic acid, and also vitamins E, B, K, C.
  • Nuts are a storehouse of vegetable unsaturated fats. They have a good effect on the functioning of the brain, nervous and cardiovascular systems..
  • Another product that makes up granola is dried fruit. Thanks to them, the body receives fiber, concentrated vitamins (C, B), trace elements (calcium, potassium, magnesium), sugar.

Negative qualities:

  • Sweet foods should not be consumed in the presence of intolerance to dried fruits, nuts (to avoid an allergic reaction).
  • Oatmeal with additives should not be included in the menu of people with chronic pancreatitis, stomach ulcers.
  • Granola with nuts banned for people with gallbladder diseases (e.g. cholecystitis).
  • If a person follows a diet, then his menu should not have an American snack, since the delicacy is very high-calorie (about 450-470 kcal per 100 grams of product).

As it is

Appetizing, nourishing granola goes well to taste with milk, natural yogurt, kefir and other sour milk. A healthy breakfast is usually served with fresh fruits and berries (for example, strawberries, raspberries, bananas, apples, citrus fruits, etc.). A dry product can be used as topping (additive, confectionery decoration of a dish) for desserts, ice cream.

How to cook granola at home

To make an American dish at home, you need to know the technology of the culinary process. For a delicious, crunchy breakfast or snack you need oatmeal (or popped rice), seeds, any nuts (walnuts, cashews, peanuts, hazelnuts), honey, dried fruits, vegetable oil. The ingredients are mixed, baked in the oven. The average cooking time is 30-50 minutes at a temperature of 170-180 ° C.

Granola on a sheet of paper

Granola Recipes

There is a large assortment of cooking methods with American roots. You can bake the classic version of the snack or diet, use honey or exclude this product, replacing maple syrup. Someone like granola with yogurt or milk, some prefer to add their favorite spices (cinnamon, vanilla, zest of lemon or orange, ginger). Learn the most popular healthy breakfast recipes.

Classic granola

  • Time: half an hour.
  • Servings Per Container: 8-10 Persons.
  • Calories: 400 kcal per 100 grams.
  • Destination: Breakfast.
  • Cuisine: American.
  • Difficulty: simple.

The classic granola recipe at home allows you to make a nutritious, healthy breakfast or snack for the whole family. The dish consists of a small number of available products, quickly and easily cooked. To enhance the taste, it is recommended to use vanilla and cinnamon. Sunflower oil can be replaced with coconut or sesame.

Ingredients:

  • honey – 40 grams;
  • oat flakes (rolled oats) – 4 cups;
  • nuts – 150 g;
  • coconut flakes – 50 g;
  • dried berries (cherries, raisins, cranberries) – 200 g;
  • vegetable oil – 2 tbsp. spoons;
  • vanilla – 10 g;
  • maple syrup – 2 tbsp. l .;
  • cinnamon – 1 tsp.

Classic mix with honey in a plate

Cooking method:

  1. Take a deep container. Mix nuts, flakes and coconut in it..
  2. Pour oil, honey, maple syrup into separate dishes, add vanilla, cinnamon. Stir the ingredients thoroughly and heat until the mixture becomes more liquid..
  3. Pour loose products and nuts with the resulting hot mass.
  4. Cover the baking sheet with parchment, put the sweet mass on top.
  5. Bake at 175 degrees for 20 minutes (mix several times).
  6. Add dried berries to the finished dish..

The recipe for Julia Vysotsky

  • Time: about an hour.
  • Servings Per Container: 2-4 Persons.
  • Calories: 423 kcal.
  • Destination: Breakfast.
  • Cuisine: American.
  • Difficulty: simple.

The next way to prepare a hearty breakfast is a recipe with a photo from Julia Vysotskaya. The actress, TV presenter, mother and culinary specialist believe that granola is an ideal option for the first meal: it consists of healthy products, nutritious, aromatic. The main feature of this recipe is the successful combination of spices with honey and almonds. Homemade granola served with ice cream, yogurt or pudding..

Ingredients:

  • sesame seeds – 80 g;
  • oat flakes – 300 g;
  • brown sugar – 50 g;
  • almonds – 200 g;
  • liquid honey – 6 tbsp. l .;
  • sunflower seeds – ? st .;
  • coconut oil – 20 ml;
  • raisins – 250 g;
  • salt – 1 tsp.

Recipe from Julia Vysotskaya

Cooking method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees.
  2. Put together the seeds, flakes and almonds. Pour with honey, oil, mix.
  3. Cover the mold with baking paper, put out the resulting viscous mixture. Evenly distribute.
  4. Cook for 40 minutes. In the process of baking, mix the products three times, salt.
  5. Sprinkle raisins five minutes before cooking..

Dietary

  • Time: 1 hour 20 minutes.
  • Servings Per Container: 4-5 Persons.
  • Calories: 178 kcal per 100 kcal.
  • Purpose: breakfast, snack.
  • Cuisine: American.
  • Difficulty: simple.

For people who adhere to a diet, this easy recipe with a photo is suitable. An American treat includes oatmeal, dried and fresh fruits, and a small amount of nuts (peanuts). Granola is dietary due to the fact that the composition does not contain oil, honey, seeds or other high-calorie foods. Snack is very good for health and looks appetizing..

Ingredients:

  • flattened oatmeal – 200 g;
  • apple – 150 g;
  • prunes, dried apricots – 50 g each;
  • Mandarin, banana – 1 pc.;
  • raisins, dates – 20 g each;
  • nuts – 25 grams.

Diet granola

Cooking method:

  1. Peel the apple, grind it.
  2. Remove the peel from the banana, mash the fruit with a fork.
  3. Tangerine chopped with a blender.
  4. Finely chop nuts, dried fruits with a sharp knife.
  5. Mix ingredients with oatmeal.
  6. Lay out the baking dish with parchment, distribute the mass for future granola on top.
  7. Bake a healthy diet treat for 30-45 minutes at 170 ° C.

With yogurt

  • Time: hour.
  • Servings Per Container: 6 Persons.
  • Calories: 310 kcal.
  • Destination: Breakfast.
  • Cuisine: American.
  • Difficulty: simple.

Light, fragrant morning meal – granola with yogurt. In addition to the classic oatmeal flakes, muesli is supplemented by wheat bran, almond petals, sunflower seeds, liquid honey, sugar. It is better to use granola with non-fat yogurt without additives (you can make sour milk at home). The American breakfast is optionally served with fresh berries, fruits or grated chocolate..

Ingredients:

  • almond petals – 50 g;
  • oat flakes – 300 g;
  • vegetable oil – 4 tbsp. l .;
  • raisins – 200 g;
  • liquid honey – 30 g;
  • sesame seeds – 2 tbsp. l .;
  • brown sugar – 75 g;
  • vanilla extract – 1 tsp;
  • wheat bran – 100 g;
  • sunflower seeds – 2 tbsp. spoons.

Yogurt and Raspberry Recipe

Serving (per 1 serving):

  • natural yogurt – 130 g;
  • finished granola – 40 g;
  • fresh raspberries – 50 g.

Cooking method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 ° C.
  2. Mix almonds, flakes, seeds, bran, sesame in one bowl.
  3. Pour oil into a pan, add sugar and honey. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly..
  4. Remove from the stove, introduce vanilla. Mix bulk ingredients with liquid.
  5. Cook on a baking sheet with baking paper.
  6. Keep in the oven for about half an hour, until golden brown.
  7. Put the finished granola on a plate, sprinkle with raisins.
  8. Serve with yogurt and berries.

No honey

  • Time: about an hour.
  • Servings Per Container: 2-4 Persons.
  • Calories: 390 kcal per 100 grams.
  • Purpose: snack, breakfast.
  • Cuisine: American.
  • Difficulty: simple.

Most ways to make granola involves using liquid honey. Only not everyone can enjoy such a delicacy – some people have intolerance to a bee product (allergy). For a bunch of products, you can apply other ingredients – syrup, jam, jam. Snack will be no less tasty and healthy than with honey.

Ingredients:

  • nuts – 200 g;
  • brown sugar -? st .;
  • sunflower oil – ? st .;
  • oat flakes – 500 g;
  • sugar syrup – 60 ml;
  • salt – a small pinch.

A mixture of cereals for baking

Cooking method:

  1. Cover the form with parchment. Preheat oven to 170 degrees.
  2. Mix sugar, butter, syrup in one bowl, add salt. Put on fire until sugar is completely dissolved.
  3. Grind the flakes in a food processor or blender until flour.
  4. Mix all the products, put the resulting “dough” on parchment (as in the photo).
  5. Bake granola 30 minutes.
  6. Divide the finished American dish into portions and, after cooling, store in the refrigerator.
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Comments: 1
  1. Clara Morgan

    Can someone please explain to me what granola is and what are its useful properties? I would also like to know if there are any recipes available with photos that provide step-by-step instructions on how to cook granola at home.

    Reply
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