My granola
I’ve always had mixed feelings about granola. I love it to death, but there are some definite nutrition issues to consider, whether you’re making it or buying it.
A friend of mine recently made the famed Madison Square Park granola. It tasted great – but of course it did, with nearly a cup of sweetener in a granola with just 2¾ cups of oats! Similarly, Melissa Clark’s recipe includes 1¼ cups of sweetener. Granolas like this are delicious, but hardly the ultimate healthy breakfast.
Many granolas are also loaded with seeds, which have a very high level of Omega-6 fatty acids, which promote inflammation. (I try to limit excess Omega-6 consumption, and boost Omega-3 fatty acids to compensate.) And when it comes to commercially-made granola, many contain “vegetable oil”, which probably means highly-processed soybean oil, not the heart-healthiest choice.
Another common granola ingredient is coconut, which I avoid because of the high saturated fat content. Yes, I know a lot of people believe coconut is heart-healthy, but I’m not convinced – and as someone with serious heart problems, I have to be extra cautious.
So what’s a health-conscious granola lover to do?
The first thing I did when concocting my granola was to cut down the added sugar from the typical recipe. Of course, I didn’t cut out the sugar altogether, as that would make for a granola no one wants to eat. I used a little each of maple syrup, applesauce and coconut palm sugar, which is said to have a lower glycemic index level (not sure how much stock to put in the health claims, but I love the taste.) Don’t worry, you won’t miss the heavy sweetness, especially if you spice up the granola up with a hefty dose of cinnamon, along with cardamom and fresh orange zest.
I included nuts, but ditched the usual pumpkin and sunflower seeds, which are higher in Omega-6. I didn’t include any coconut. And I used extra-virgin olive oil, which is an unprocessed oil that’s high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.
Is my granola health food? That’s debatable, as it does contain added sugar. But for me, this is a granola with the right balance of health and deliciousness. Now I just need to stop myself from eating it in huge quantities!
Heart-Healthy Granola
5 cups rolled oats, preferably thick-cut (if you’re gluten-sensitive, be sure to use oats marked gluten-free)
1 cup whole raw almonds
1/3 cup roughly chopped pecans or walnuts
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut palm sugar (or increase maple syrup to ½ cup)
Zest of one organic orange
2 teaspoons vanilla paste, or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup dried fruit of choice (raisins, cranberries, etc.)
Heat the oven to 275 degrees.
Combine the oats, nuts, cinnamon, salt and cardamom in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk the applesauce, olive oil, sweeteners, ginger or orange zest and vanilla.
Combine the two mixtures, then spread on a large rimmed baking sheet.
Bake for about 45 minutes, stirring once or twice. Add the dried fruit. Cool, then place in an airtight container for storage.
Thanks for the recipe! I love granola but tend to avoid purchasing any due to additives and high sugar content, but this variation seems like an excellent solution to avoiding those things!
This looks delicious! It has less sugar than the one we make and love. I will have to try it. My husband’s recipe is very good, though. He changes out the nuts sometimes, but I don’t believe we have tried walnuts. I love it with a banana and soy milk. http://recipeideashop.ning.com/forum/topics/homemade-granola
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I like it. next time I will omit the coconut sugar; a bit too sweet for me. I enjoy it sprinkled on top of other less sweet cereals such as Nature’s Path Mesa Sunrise. I’ll be giving some as a gift and will make it again.
Hi Suzanne. Yeah, when I’ve been making it lately i have cut down the coconut palm sugar, or just used maple syrup.
alittle off topic but im thinking of creating my own blog kind of like this one could you hit me up with en email with some advice thanks.