Recipe: Healthy Breakfast Granola

This granola recipe from the ICE career-training Culinary Arts program is a perfect example. The recipe contains no specific times for cooking. Rather it gives visual and taste cues to tell when the granola is ready. It also includes several notes for ideas on how to play with the recipe such as baking a second time or adding seeds.

Try it out for a healthy breakfast that you can really make your own.

Makes 1 quart

Ingredients

• 10 ounces rolled oats
• 3 ounces wheat germ
• 1-ounce nuts (any type except peanuts)
• 1-ounce unsweetened shredded coconut
• 3 fluid ounces honey
• 2 fluid ounces oil
• 2 ounces brown sugar
• 3 ounces dried fruit such as apricots, cherries or figs
• 1-ounce raisins

Instructions  

1. Mix oats, wheat germ, nuts, and coconut together on a sheet pan. Toast in a 325ºF oven until coconut is browned, stirring often to toast evenly. Put in a large bowl and reserve.
2. Bring oil, honey and brown sugar to a full rolling boil. Stir until all sugar is dissolved. Pour the hot syrup mixture over oat mix and stir until well coated.
3. Add the dried fruits and mix well. Pack into sheet pans and cool thoroughly. Break up cooled granola and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

You may also bake the granola on sheet pans again after it has been combined with the hot syrup to make it extra crispy and give it a caramel flavor. Serve granola with milk, over yogurt or ice cream, or with fresh berries. Possible additional ingredients include sesame, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds.