Aran’s Mix-and-Match Granola Recipe
Today’s recipe is about so much more than a fantastic homemade granola formula.
It’s Global Goals Week as well as Climate Week in NYC with a string of events, summits, talks and strikes organized to examine how we can accelerate both the SDG’s and climate action. It’s exciting stuff.
If you’re feeling a little left out of the fun, rest assured that we all have our part to play and the kitchen is a great place to start.
Homemade Pantry Staples
Reducing plastic and paper consumption is a huge step we can take in moving towards a zero-waste kitchen. And by prepping a few pantry staples – like salad dressings, basic condiments, canned tomatoes – and granola! — we can eliminate the plastic tubs and jars that these ingredients come in.
As a bonus? The homemade versions taste far better than the grocery store staples and are actually cheaper in the long run. It’s been a while, but once upon a time we covered this topic extensively in a little series called Eat Well, Spend Less and the results spoke for themselves.
My article on Homemade Substitutes for Grocery Staples is one of the longest running popular posts on Simple Bites.
Consider cutting back on plastic pollution by making a few pantry staples at home. Take it one step at a time, as with all dietary and lifestyle changes, and have have fun! The following recipe is a great place to start.
Aran’s Mix-and-Match Granola Recipe
Homemade granola is one of those foods that is far better that the store-bought granola, no matter how much you pay and how pretty the packaging may be. I know this, and so does Aran Goyoaga of the blog Cannelle at Vanille.
Aran’s beautiful (doesn’t even begin to cover it) new cookbook is titled Cannelle et Vanille: Nourishing, Gluten-Free Recipes for Every Meal and Mood and it is incredibly inspiring.
The kids and I have been brunching on Aran’s Egg Tostada with Fennel, Radishes and Yogurt and I’ve been using the late-summer Nova Scotia strawberries in her Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Summer Fruits. So simple and yet decadent.
In her Mix-and-Match Granola recipe, kindly shared with permission, Aran gives us a formula for creating our own granola blend. Not only is this super convenient, but it’s also a step towards zero-waste. This mix-and-match method allows you to use up bits and dabs of pantry ingredients that might otherwise go to waste.
Mix-and-Match Granola Ingredients
I added a few of my own suggestions to this list, like dark chocolate chunks, and you should too. Reach for your favourite ingredients and dream up a breakfast granola that is perfect just for you.
- GRAINS: rolled oats, buckwheat groats, quinoa flakes, puffed quinoa, puffed rice
- NUTS and SEEDS: pecans, coconut flakes, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, cashews, almonds, hazelnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, etc
- FRUIT JUICE: apple juice, fresh pressed apple cider, orange juice, pineapple juice
- LIQUID SWEETENER: maple syrup, honey, brown rice syrup
- OIL: coconut oil, olive oil, flaxseed oil, melted butter, browned butter
- GROUND SPICES: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, mace, allspice
- DRIED FRUIT: raisins, currants, cranberries, apricots, cherries, figs, berries, mango, pineapple, apples
Mix-and-Match Granola
Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled oats and gluten-free grains
- 1 1/2 cups nuts and seeds
- 1/2 cup fruit juice
- 1/2 cup liquid sweetener
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground spices
- 1 1/2 cups dried fruit
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Combine the grains, nuts and seeds in a large bowl.
- Combine the juice, sweetener, oil, vanilla, salt and spices in a medium bowl. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and toss to coat.
- Spread the mixture evenly on a large baking sheet. Bake, stirring the granola every 15 minutes, for about 40-50 minutes total, or until golden brown. Granola will crisp up and become crunchier as it cools.
- Let the granola cool completely on the pan. Stir in the dried fruits. Transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 1 month. Alternately, freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
©2019 By Aran Goyoaga. All rights reserved. Excerpted from Cannelle et Vanille by permission of Sasquatch Books.
You are such an inspiration for your zero-waste initiatives Aimee! We love granola here, but my two eaters prefer the “bar” form. Do you think this could be made into bars simply by baking in a Pyrex and maybe adding an egg? Also, if using peanut butter, would you consider it as a fat?
Thank you for all that you do! 🙂
great idea and yes, much better than commercial brands and so many options with a homemade version, thank you