Tuesday, May 14, 2013

An Ode to Granola

Let me start this post by saying I love granola.  Call me hippie, call me crunchy, call me whatever - you will not deter me from continuing to love (and eat vast quantities of) granola.   My real love for this sweet stuff only began after I started making my own.  In my younger years, I stayed away from granola - it was the stereotypical "not healthy health food."  Like all stereotypes, this one has its roots in truth.  A lot of store-bought granola is extremely processed and packed with sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats.

Once I started making my own granola, my thoughts completely changed.  When I made my own, I could control the ingredients: making healthy swaps for less-than-stellar typical ingredients, adding in "superfoods" to up the nutritional value, and experimenting with new flavor variations.  Soon I was making mixes weekly and sharing my creations with friends and family. 

I generally do not follow a recipe; I just taste as I go, throwing in whatever is in my pantry and suites my tummy at the moment.  While this has resulted in many a delicious blend, it has started to become an issue.  When people ask me for my recipe or when I try to re-create a particularly tasty mix, I am lost. 

So today I stand here with a pledge:  from now on, I WILL (attempt) to write down what goes into my granola, both for myself and for you, dear reader.  Until then, a few recipes from others that I have made (and enjoyed) with only minor changes:

Toasted Coconut Tropical Granola
Banana Hemp Granola
Apple Cinnamon Raisin Buckwheat Granola

Happy crunching!

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