Healthy Granola Recipe

by Rona
(Greenfootsteps.com)

Oats are considered a fitness power food, and granola is a tasty way to get your daily oats. The problem is that most granola recipes are loaded with sugar. You could buy a low-fat or low-sugar pre-packaged granola at the store but at nearly $6 a bag, it’s more economical to make your own.

This particular recipe uses honey to naturally sweeten the granola. There is no processed or brown sugar added. The sugar content is minimal in this recipe so the granola is about as pure and close-to-the-earth as it gets. The main fats are the healthy kinds from walnuts, almonds, pecans and flax meal.

Toasting your own granola is very easy provided that you remember to check it often enough to prevent over-browning. This low-fat healthy granola recipe is quite simple and fast to make.

Here's my easy healthy granola recipe using oats or a whole-grain cereal mix:


Ingredients:

Pick a selection of flaked or rolled grains - oats, wheat and barley are all good.

Pick a selection of nuts and seeds: almonds, brazils, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame and anything else you like. Coconut is also good but is relatively high in saturated fats. Use you can usually find unsweetened flakes.

Pick the dried fruits you would like to use: raisins, sultanas and dates, apricots and dried apples are all good. Avoid things that have been sweetened with additional sugar if you want a reasonably healthy mix. You also need honey and cooking oil.

Here are the proportions you need:

1 part oil, 2 parts honey, 3 - 4 parts seed and nuts, 4 parts grains, 3 - 4 parts dried fruit



Method:

Measure out the oil and honey into a large mixing bowl.
Add the nuts and seeds. They should be well chopped so that no large chunks remain, especially if you are using brazils and pecans.

Add the grains and mix everything together very well.
Cook the mixture in a shallow open tray. You need to turn the mixture from time to time so that everything becomes evenly browned.

When everything is cooked (about twenty minutes to half an hour) remove the tray and finish by mixing in the chopped fruit.


*Hope you enjoyed this healthy granola recipe, now I'd like to tell you about my favorite diet program that uses a lot of the healthy lower GI foods: Isabel de los Rios' 'The Diet Solution Program'.

The Diet Solution Program favours a long term health orientated approach to fat loss, but not offering anyone a quick fix to their weight troubles. It has loads of valuable data and research to support its approach. I personally investigated the program thoroughly and my mum has been using it for a while now. I have to say she got some great results.

The nutrition plan is one of the healthiest we have seen, a strong core focus on vegetables, fruits, vitamin dense foods, lean proteins, select dairy produce and a clear approach to not expecting one diet to work for all body types. So give it a try and let me know how you’re doing.*

Original Healthy Granola Recipe