Healthy Granola Recipe

May 23, 2008 by healthyhabitscoach

(Hi! I have an updated granola recipe – click here if you would like the updated version.)

After eating cooked oatmeal for about a year, with the warmer weather I decided to switch to granola. I find the commercial granolas too sweet, although by looking at labels carefully I can find some good ones. But granola is so easy to make, I really preferred doing it myself. So I did an online search for some granola recipes, and came up with a good basic recipe from the Orangette Blogspot. The link is posted below.

Here is the granola recipe with my modifications. Mine has 1/3 the amount of sugar, and uses agave nectar. Agave has the same calories as sugar but it’s lower glycemic index means that it does not raise blood sugar as much. It has a honey-like texture but doesn’t get hardened like honey does. And it has a mild flavor.

Healthy Homemade Granola

Dry Ingredients:
5 cups rolled oats (you can also use a combination of rolled grains)
2-3 cups of raw almonds or pecan halves (or other nuts)
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds (or sunflower seeds)
¾ cup sesame seeds
½ cup wheat germ or ground flax seed.
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt
Options: ½ – 1 cup unsweetened coconut,
½ cup dried fruit (add after cooked) –date pieces, cranberries, cherries, apricots, mango

Wet Ingredients:
¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup agave nectar (or brown rice syrup, honey or maple syrup)
Note: see new posting questioning agave.
2 Tbsp canola oil

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix the wet ingredients together, and then stir into dry ingredients. Stir well to mix thoroughly.

Spread the mixture into two baking dishes. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until evenly golden brown. Stir every 10 minutes to ensure even browning. Stir again when removed from oven to keep it from cooling into a solid mass. The granola will crisp as it cools. If you use fruit, stir once it is cooled.

Store in the refrigerator in a large zip lock bag or other airtight container. Makes about 10 cups.

Here is the link for the blog with the recipe I worked from. It is a great recipe too and a good post: Orangette Blog

Posted in Cooking & Menu Tips | Tagged granola, healthy eating, homemade granola | 36 Comments

36 Responses

on June 12, 2008 at 8:22 am | Reply No Name Blogger » Blog Archive » Ultimate Granola Recipe (with Oats, Honey, Trail Mix, and other great ingredients)

[…] https://healthyhabitscoach.wordpress.com/2008/05/23/healthy-granola-recipe/ […]
on July 28, 2008 at 12:47 pm | Reply Questions about Agave « Kathy Nichols

[…] 28, 2008 by healthyhabitscoach I included Agave Nectar in my recipe for granola – and I’m wondering if I should change the recipe. The plus side of agave, a sweetener that has […]
on August 10, 2008 at 2:09 pm | Reply Healthy Granola » Blog Archive » Healthy Granola Recipe

[…] Recipe here: Healthy Granola Recipe […]
on October 20, 2008 at 10:44 am | Reply Brian

Hello,

I love this article (Healthy Granola Recipe) and am interested in reprinting it on my new website, GranolaGranola.com. Would you please grant me reprint rights for this recipe? Thank you for your consideration!

Regards,
Brian Rasmussen
on March 31, 2009 at 2:43 pm | Reply Dirk Smithson

Kathy,

Thanks to people like you, we can eat a whole lot better. My wife made the Healthy Homemade Granola and I was very impressed. We take advantage of every opportunity to eat foods without unpronousable ingredients.

The Smithsons
Salt Lake city, Utah
on March 31, 2009 at 4:48 pm | Reply healthyhabitscoach

Thanks Dirk – that is so great to hear. You made my day!
on May 9, 2009 at 5:35 pm | Reply Eat Like A Kid Again « Broccoli Cupcake

[…] Homemade Granola – This recipe is adapted from one found at https://healthyhabitscoach.wordpress.com/2008/05/23/healthy-granola-recipe/. […]
on May 27, 2009 at 2:53 pm | Reply cal orey

I am an author-intuitive. When I first read this I thought where is the oil–olive or canola. Found your new, improved granola recipe and bam–canola which I used in my omelete recipe at http://www.calorey.blogspot.com — just today. Coincidence? Ah, nah. It’s the oil that’s good for you. Will try your recipe asap.
on May 29, 2009 at 8:32 am | Reply healthyhabitscoach

Hi Cal – that is a good reminder, I forgot the recipe had canola oil. I’m actually rethinking canola. If you use an organic brand you can avoid a genetically modified product (which is common for canola). But from what I understand, canola requires higher temperatures and pressure to produce than olive oil does. Less processed canola are more like olive oil – don’t do well with high temperature cooking.

I see from your blog that you have written a book on olive oil. What do you think?
Kathy
on June 2, 2009 at 5:43 am | Reply JeromeMJ

Any time you put canola oil or any oil into granola or other dried fruits you have essentially made processed unhealthy foods. DO NOT USE OIL IN ANY NATURAL FOODS!!! Do not do what Whole Foods does. They are expensive and extremely unhealthy.
on June 27, 2009 at 3:49 pm | Reply Dan

When I made it, the granola didn’t clump together…it’s almost as if there weren’t enough wet ingredients.
on June 28, 2009 at 9:07 am | Reply healthyhabitscoach

I made the granola today with olive oil instead of canola oil. The flavor is still good – it works well as a substitute and I will change the recipe.

It doesn’t clump much – which I actually like better. If you want more clumping, you could either up the oil or the applesauce.

I’ll be updating the recipe this week and adding a nutrient analysis (finally!) I also want to try it sometime without any oil – but not because I think olive oil is unhealthy in it (as JeromeM thinks) – this is cooked at a low temperature so the oil isn’t oxizided.
on July 13, 2009 at 4:53 am | Reply Pam

I have made homemade granola for years. I never add fats to my recipe. I sweeten with orange juice, maple syrup, honey, sorghum. My recipe does not produce clumps of granola, which I like. Experiment with flavors. Yum-O!
on August 29, 2009 at 10:19 am | Reply Vyctoria

Hi, can I add some steele cut oats to this, or would they come out too hard?
on August 29, 2009 at 11:19 am | Reply healthyhabitscoach

They would be too hard. Steele cut oats are a wonderful whole grain, but they need to be cooked with water. They are even less processed than rolled oats.
Kathy
- on April 13, 2010 at 3:47 pm | Reply Caroll
  
  What is the best to use? I never knew so much about oats!
  Still confused….
  - on April 15, 2010 at 7:18 am healthyhabitscoach
    
    Hi Carol,
    I use regular oats for my granola. All winter I’ve eaten regular oatmeal, and as the weather gets warmer I’ll probably make myself a batch of granola soon. Oats are great – they are minimally processed and a good source of soluble fiber (which helps lower cholesterol and is a pro-biotic, meaning it helps support the bacteria in our gut). If you have celiac disease (gluten intolerance) get gluten free oats, otherwise the regular kind works fine. I get mine in bulk from a local market. Kathy
on September 21, 2009 at 8:47 am | Reply Raley

i am very interested in the nutritional analysis – is it available yet? i would love to start making my own granola but want to be able to compare the product to other options.
on September 22, 2009 at 6:35 am | Reply healthyhabitscoach

Hi Raley, I have the nutrition analysis on the updated version: https://healthyhabitscoach.wordpress.com/2008/09/08/healthy-homemade-granola-updated/
Kathy
on October 8, 2009 at 9:47 am | Reply vel

I enjoyed the information on granola (which I would like to add to my yogurt). Re the Agave, have you tried Stevia extract available at health stores?
Vel
on October 8, 2009 at 1:29 pm | Reply healthyhabitscoach

Hi Vel,
Alot of people like Stevia and have used it for a long time. I feel hesitant because I know there have been questions about it and I don’t feel like I’ve done enough research on it to feel informed. The concern had to do with extracting just parts of stevia, and also with the excessive way Americans use sweetners. The tea I buy (Green Chai by Yogi tea) has stevia leaves in it, and I’m comfortable with that (expecially for my one cup a day).

I’ve been using honey in my granola now, since it is more of a whole food.

Have you tried the Stevia? Do you like it?
Kathy
on February 24, 2010 at 7:23 am | Reply Bob Wills

Kathy- Janice and I did a web search for home made granola with agave and your site popped up! what a small world. We will try it.

Bob
- on February 24, 2010 at 9:10 am | Reply healthyhabitscoach
  
  Hi Bob, that is great to hear! Let me know how you like the granola.
  Kathy
on October 16, 2010 at 2:15 pm | Reply hillary

thank you for this awesome recipe. i added walnuts, cashews, cherries, and blueberries. Totally yummy!

I used gluten free oats as well so it is gluten free. YEAH!

I am going to post this to my fb page…
on March 10, 2011 at 4:00 am | Reply Ruth Cawley

I love the look of your recipe for granola. What do you mean by applesauce? Is this an ingredient you buy in the States? Or can I just cook and puree some apples? Eating or cooking apples? Maybe eating apples would be better as they don’t need any sugar inthe cooking? Many thanks
- on March 10, 2011 at 7:22 am | Reply healthyhabitscoach
  
  Hi Ruth. Yes, in the States we can buy applesauce in several different forms. I buy it unsweetened and in little cup individual portions, which works well for this recipe. It is a puree and not chunky. So yes, you could make your own. Cooking apples would probably cook down more gracefully and I don’t think their tartness would be a problem. If you can buy tins of pumpkin puree, that might be a reasonable alternative. I’ve not tried it that way, but it seems like it should work. Here we can also buy pureed winter squash as a frozen vegetable, so that would be pretty similar and a texture even more similar to the applesauce. Good luck and let me know how it turns out! Kathy
on May 12, 2011 at 7:28 pm | Reply joanne

okay, mine was a disaster – so I thought I’d share so that others won’t make the same dumb mistakes. First of all, my husband asked me if I wanted to double it, so he measured out 10 cups of oats. Then we proceeded to measure everything out for one portion – not double! We both totally forgot what the heck we were doing, sigh. So the moisture content and everything was way off, so it didn’t get very crispy.

secondly, I just used the almonds I had in the cupboard – rather than buying “raw” almonds… mine were roasted, so the double roasting gives them a way overdone, almost burnt taste, gasp. I do have faith in this recipe though, and can’t wait to try it again – when we can manage to eat up our mess.
- on May 13, 2011 at 12:16 pm | Reply healthyhabitscoach
  
  Awww. How disappointing! It is so easy to forget when doubling. On some of my favorite recipes I have the amounts needed to double it handwritten to the side. I hope you enjoy the next batch. Kathy
  - on August 1, 2011 at 1:54 pm Jo
    
    I’m onto our 4th batch of this – done properly now and we love it! This time I’ve made a blend of applesauce and berries and am excited to see how it turns out. Thanks again for a fab recipe!
on June 20, 2011 at 8:37 pm | Reply sarah

Thank you for this recipe-I can’t wait to try it. You mentioned finding some granola at the store that was somewhat nutritous. Can you please tell me what brands who consider to be healthy. I am not sure if I will have enough time every week to make the granola at home. Thank you so much, Sarah
- on June 22, 2011 at 5:57 am | Reply healthyhabitscoach
  
  I don’t buy granola very often, it generally has sugar and fats added. Sometimes I get it for a trip, and then I look for primarily whole food ingredients, with miminal added sugar. I am more likely to buy muesli – which is like a dry granola. I think it is just uncooked oatmeal. It doesn’t have fats added and you can buy it without sugar added. It will have some sugar and fats present from the fruits and nuts – but those are healthier forms of sugar and fat.
on November 16, 2011 at 4:14 am | Reply danielle

I love your website! I am currently working towards my bachelor’s in Dietetics and I am a fitness trainer/nutrition specialist. I have a blog where I post healthy recipes and stuff and I was looking for a similar granola recipe to one I lost long ago! Thanks for this recipe and I can’t wait to try it! 🙂
- on November 16, 2011 at 5:40 am | Reply healthyhabitscoach
  
  That is great! Thanks so much and good luck for your degree and vocation!
on December 11, 2011 at 1:46 pm | Reply Susan Newton

This Healthy Granola Recipe sounds awesome! I have it baking in the oven right now. I also blog and share some healthy foods I make and other topics as well. http://www.livingwithsusan.blogspot.com if you are interested.

Susan
on February 9, 2012 at 11:30 pm | Reply Noah Berkowitz

Thanks for sharing healthy recipe, I will consider it and later I will try it!
on March 3, 2012 at 8:51 pm | Reply recipes

I like reading through an article that can make men and women think. Also, many thanks for permitting me to comment!