Granola – a delicious alternative to oatmeal

Today, granola is perhaps the most popular quick breakfast, a simple snack, and a great alternative for those who have hated regular oatmeal since childhood. This miracle product has been around for a long time: first it conquered the United States, Australia, and then Europe. Convenience and versatility are the main secrets of granola's popularity. And due to the accelerated pace of life, it has become a real mainstream.

The FoodOboz editorial team will tell you what to combine with and how to make granola yourself.

Granola itself is very similar to muesli. However, it is many times tastier because of its cooking method. It is flattened oatmeal combined with nuts and honey, which are baked until golden brown. The most important thing is to remember the proportions, and then you can easily experiment with different products to your liking. To achieve the perfect crumbly consistency, you need to stir the flakes frequently during the cooking process.

To make classic granola, you will need the following ingredients:

• Oatmeal - 150 g
• Apple puree - 1 tbsp
• Butter - 30 g
• Honey - 1 tbsp. 
• Vanilla sugar - 10 g
• Cinnamon - to taste
• Peanuts - 30 g
• Walnuts - 30 g

Method of preparation:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Cover a baking sheet with a parchment sheet and grease with butter. Spread the granola evenly over the entire baking sheet.
2. Put in the oven for 30 minutes and bake at 160 degrees. Stir the mixture every 10 minutes to prevent it from burning.
3. Let the granola cool until it hardens.

Granola with dried fruits and cereals

Ingredients:

• Oatmeal - 1.5 tbsp.
• Flakes of other cereals - 0.5 tbsp
• Mixture of chopped nuts - 0.5 tbsp
• Mixture of sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, flax, and poppy seeds - 1 tbsp
• Honey - 2 tbsp. 
• Water - 0.5 tbsp
• Vegetable or nut oil - 2 tbsp. 

Method of preparation:

1. Pour all dry ingredients into a container. Pour them with honey, previously dissolved in water. Add the oil and mix everything thoroughly.
2. Put the mixture on a baking sheet covered with parchment. Put it in the oven for 30 minutes and bake at 150 degrees.
3. Meanwhile, chop the dates, dried apricots, figs (or dried fruit to your liking), and add raisins, and dried cranberries. There should be a glass of dried fruit in total.
4. 20 minutes after the start of baking, add the dried fruit, stir, and continue baking until tender.
5. Let the granola cool until it hardens.

Granola tastes great as an independent dish. But it is usually served with milk, yogurt, seasonal fruits, and berries.