Homemade granola adds crunch to healthy breakfast

Top this granola-and-yogurt parfait with a sprig of mint.
Top this granola-and-yogurt parfait with a sprig of mint.

Morning is one of my favorite parts of each weekday. Even though I may have worked late in my restaurants the night before, I love to get up to fix breakfast for my two young sons, Oliver and Alexander, before driving them to school.

Breakfast, as everyone knows, is important for starting the day right. A good morning meal gives you energy and helps you focus on what lies ahead. It can also help set the tone for the way you eat the rest of the day. Have a healthy breakfast, and you’re more likely to follow up with a nutritious lunch and dinner. Eat the wrong morning foods, with too much sugar or fat and not enough protein and complex carbohydrates to sustain and satisfy you, and you’ll probably eat equally unhealthy foods throughout the day.

One of the breakfast foods I like the most is granola, a crunchy mix of toasted grains, nuts and dried fruit. But the granola you buy in stores can often be too high in fat, sugar and salt.

That’s why I like to make my own from scratch, with chewy dried fruit and crunchy nuts. Not only can you serve it as a breakfast cereal with low-fat or nonfat milk, but it also makes an excellent midafternoon snack, and if you like, you can turn it into beautiful and delicious granola-and-yogurt parfaits to serve for a midweek breakfast or weekend brunch.

You’ll find that this easy granola recipe takes about an hour and a half to prepare, including all the measuring and mixing, so it’s a good weekend project. But the yield is very generous — 2 dozen servings — and it stores well in an airtight container at room temperature. (You can also prepare just half or a quarter of the recipe.) Feel free to substitute other nuts you like, making sure you start with raw, unsalted ones so you don’t add any unnecessary fat or salt to the mixture.

With plenty of the granola on hand, you’ll be able to prepare refreshing parfaits at a moment’s notice. My version of that recipe calls for berries, but you could also use other juicy seasonal fruits. If you prefer the granola to be a little softer, cover each filled glass with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or even overnight, before serving.

OAT AND NUT GRANOLA WITH DRIED FRUIT

Makes about 24 cups; 24 servings

Ingredients:

1 1/2 ounces shredded unsweetened coconut

1 pound rolled oats, about 5 cups

1/4 pound sliced blanched almonds

1/4 pound raw shelled cashews

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup pure maple syrup

Nonstick butter-flavored cooking spray

1 cup seedless raisins

1 cup dried cherries or dried cranberries

Directions:

Heat the oven to 325 degrees.

Spread the coconut evenly in a thin layer on a rimmed baking sheet or in a baking pan. Toast in the oven until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes, keeping careful watch that the coconut doesn’t burn. Immediately transfer to a bowl to cool. Raise the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

In a very large bowl, combine the oats, almonds and cashews. Add the brown sugar, orange zest, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; stir well to combine.

In a small saucepan, heat the syrup over low heat until hot but not yet boiling. Pour it evenly over the dry ingredients, and stir well with a large sturdy metal spoon to coat the dry ingredients evenly with the syrup.

Spray one or two large rimmed baking sheets or baking pans with nonstick cooking spray. Empty the mixture from the bowl onto the sheet (or sheets), and spread it with a large spatula or spoon, pressing the mixture down to an even thickness of about 1/2 inch. Bake for about 30 minutes; then very carefully invert onto another nonstick-sprayed sheet or pan, and bake until the granola reaches a deep golden-brown color, about 30 minutes longer.

Remove from the oven, and transfer the sheet or sheets to wire racks, leaving them to cool completely. By hand, break the granola into bite-sized chunks, transferring them to a clean bowl. Add the raisins, dried cherries or cranberries, and the toasted coconut, and toss well to combine.

Transfer the granola to airtight containers or sealable heavy-duty food-storage bags, and store at a cool room temperature. The granola will keep for up to several weeks.

GRANOLA AND YOGURT PARFAITS WITH FRESH BERRIES

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 cups plain nonfat yogurt

2 cups fresh raspberries and blueberries

4 cups Oat and Nut Granola With Dried Fruit (see previous recipe) or good-quality store-bought granola

4 sprigs fresh mint, for garnish

Directions:

Divide half of the yogurt among four large wine glasses, parfait glasses or other decorative serving glasses. Add the granola into each glass, then half of the berries. Add another layer of yogurt and berries, and serve immediately with a garnish of fresh mint sprigs.

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