Wholesome Goodness

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Its name became synonymous with “healthy food”. Vegetarians, all things organic and hippy-style dressed people are labeled (here in Quebec anyway) with its name. If you bring to the office a snack of raw broccoli florets and a lunch of quinoa quiche or similar fares on a regular basis, your reputation will be immediately made. “She(he)’s granola” is what your colleagues will say of you. Yes, we’re talking about granola. But please, chase that folkloric “hippy breakfast food” image from your head. Granola has become mainstream and reached new heights of gourmet wholesome goodness since its birth in 1863.

From Dr. James C. Jackson concoction of whole wheat (Graham) flour cakes which had to be soaked overnight in order to be chewable (notice I didn’t write “palatable”), granola evolved to sweet, crunchy, toasted till golden, nuts filled and gem-like dried fruits studded breakfast (or snack) mélange.

The only version of granola I knew for years was the one sold in boxes. I don’t remember really how I came to try to make my own. It probably happened years ago when I was expecting or nursing one of my babies. I never could settle for the ready-made boxed version again. It was as if I only knew stewed chicken and I suddenly came across roasted chicken for the first time in my life. A revelation. Since then I made dozens of batches, trying different recipes until making granola became such a natural (no pun intended) that I didn’t need a recipe to make it anymore. I just need to wander through the aisles of the natural foods store to come up with a mélange idea for the next batch.


Then, just when I thought granola had no secrets for me anymore, I was deliciously surprised to discover it was keeping from me wonders of delicate and exotic originalities. I was roaming through a huge health and organic foods trade-show in Montreal 3 or 4 years ago when I stopped right on my tracks at a minuscule booth. Brown bags tied with raffia strings featuring a cellophane “window” showing a familiar texture and color, granola. Not surprising in a health-food show ? Well, it was the only “artisan” granola around in that huge show and the only competition was from industrial granola bars and granola boxes which I didn’t even looked at (since I thought I was granola-competent and no boxed one, however colorful it may be, can compare with my very own concoction).

Black Mission Figs

The artisan granola was made by very young sisters (identical twins) who came up with wonderful ideas (and names) for very original gourmet and even healthier version (who knew it could be made any more healthier) version of it just months before. It was her fist year selling it and it was her first trade show. The company is now a very successful one and “La Fourmi Bionique” (The Bionic Ant) is sold throughout Quebec in fine and gourmet stores.

Dried Strawberries

I bought no less than 6 bags of La Fourmi Bionique granola that day. We went through them very quickly but at that time, only one store - an hour drive from home - was carrying the brand and I couldn’t buy more. I started then to think “outside the box” when it came to granola ingredients. La Fourmi Bionique sure inspired me for out of the ordinary ingredients I add now in my own granola. Still, for months when I came across “La Fourmi Bionique” granola bags in a store, I just couldn’t resist buying few of them. It’s the next best thing after homemade granola.

But then I became a little bit disappointed at it since although artisan-made this is still a commercial product. As such, nuts and special ingredients (chocolate, ginseng, calendula leaves, macadamia nuts…) are present in minute amounts in their mix mainly made (at least 80%, may be more) of lightly roasted oatmeal flakes- which I can understand, how many people will pay 10$ for 300 g bag of –even if chockfull of organic calendula leaves and expensive nuts- granola? Not me… Now I just make my own. I wanted it more generous in goodies La Fourmi brilliantly thought of adding to regular granola but uses with too much of a parsimony.

I wanted my granola to be more balanced in taste, texture and color and after very little time fiddling with few new ingredients, I came up with 5 different granolas we enjoy sprinkled on yogurt, fruit salads, in bowlfuls of breakfast cereals and milk, on top of ice-creams or studded in sinfully rich cookies.

These are big batches but you can halve them if you wish. Though I find it handy to have a good supply of granola at all times. I keep the bulk of it in tightly closed glass jars (Mason style) in the freezer and I have a jar for our everyday use in the fridge.

Multigrains Very Fruity Granola

Multigrain Very Fruity Granola

4 cups multigrain flakes (my mix contains oats, barley, wheat, rye and kamut flakes)
2 cups chopped pecan nuts
2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
3/4 cup vegetable oil (I use sunflower oil)
1/2 cup honey, slightly heated to make it very liquid
1 cup raisins
3 cups diced dried fruit (I used cranberries, pineapple, strawberries, papaye and apples)

Preheat oven to 300ºF (150ºC) and have a 13"x8" baking sheet ready (no need to grease it.)

Mix in a big bowl the multigrain flakes, pecans, coconut, sunflower and pumpkin seeds.

Mix together in a measuring cup the oil and the honey. Heat few seconds if necessary to make the honey very liquid.

Pour the oil/honey mixture on the cereal-nut mixture and mix well with your hands making sure to moisten all the dry ingredients.

Drizzle one third of the mixture on the baking sheet (if your baking sheet is small spread a fourth of the mixture on it).

Bake, stirring frequently (at least every 5 minutes) until the mixture is light to golden brown. For a less crunchy granola, allow to roast until lightly browned. A deep goden brown colour will give you a very crunchy granola. Repeat for the remaining two thirds of granola.

Spread the mixture immediately on a baking paper or a clean baking sheet. After it's completely cooled mix in raisins and diced dried fruits.

Moroccan Flair Granola

Moroccan Flair Granola

4 cups oat flakes
1 cup sesame seeds
2 cups slivered almonds
1 cup roughly chopped pistachio nuts
1/2 cup sunflower oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optionnal)
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup orange blossom water
1 cup finely diced dried apricots
1 cup finely diced figs (I used Black Mission Figs)

Preheat oven to 300ºF (150ºC) and have a 13"x8" baking sheet ready (no need to grease it.)

Mix in a big bowl the oat flakes, sesame seeds, slivered almonds and cinnamon (if using).

Mix together in a measuring cup the oil, orange blossom water and the honey. Heat few seconds if necessary to make the honey very liquid.

Drizzle the oil/honey mixture on the cereal-nut mixture and mix well with your hands making sure to moisten all the dry ingredients.

Spread one third of the mixture on the baking sheet (if your baking sheet is smaller spread a fourth of the mixture on it).

Bake, stirring frequently (at least every 5 minutes) until the mixture is light to golden brown. For a less crunchy granola, allow to roast until lightly browned. A deep goden brown colour will give you a very crunchy granola. Reapeat for the remaining 2 thirds of granola.

Spread immediately the very hot mixture on a baking paper. Allow to cool, stirring often if you don't want any clusters. If you like your granola to have clusters, do not stir as often and wait until it cooled to break up the largest clusters. After it's completely cooled mix in dried apricots and figs.

Calendula & White Chocolate Granola

Calendula and White Chocolate Granola

This is a nut-less granola. It's the one I can give my sons to enjoy at school since it respects the school policy about nut allergies. I use it in cookies, to make granola bars or just as is in a small box so my boys add it to their yogourt at lunch time.

4 cups oatmeal flakes (or multigrain flakes)
2 cups raw sunflower seeds
2 cups raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 cups sunflower oil
1/2 cup honey
1 cup roughly chopped dried fruit (I used mango)
1/2 cup calendula leaves (health food stores)
1/2 cup to 1 cup (to taste) roughly chopped white chocolate

Preheat oven to 300ºF (150ºC) and have a 13"x8" baking sheet ready (no need to grease it.)

Mix in a big bowl the oat flakes, sunflower and pumpkin seeds.

Mix together in a measuring cup the oil and the honey. Heat few seconds if necessary to make the honey very liquid.

Drizzle the oil/honey mixture on the cereal-seeds mixture and mix well with your hands making sure to moisten all the dry ingredients.

Spread one third of the mixture on the baking sheet (if your baking sheet is smaller spread a fourth of the mixture on it).

Bake, stirring frequently (at least every 5 minutes) until the mixture is light to golden brown. For a less crunchy granola, allow to roast until lightly browned. A deep goden brown colour will give you a very crunchy granola. Personnally I like this one to be a bit on the "light-brown" side.

Spread immediately the very hot mixture on a baking paper. Allow to cool, stirring often if you don't want any clusters. If you like your granola to have clusters, do not stir until it cooled. Once completely cooled mix in diced dried fruits, calendula leaves and white chocolate.

Canadian Granola

Canadian Granola

4 cups oat flakes (or multigrain flakes)
2 cups roughly chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optionnal)
1/2 cup mapple syrup
1/2 cup sunflower oil (I use a mix of sunflower and hemp oil for this one)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped dried apples
1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 300ºF (150ºC) and have a 13"x8" baking sheet ready (no need to grease it.)

Mix in a big bowl the oat or multigrain flakes, walnut and ground cinnamon (if using).

Mix together in a measuring cup the oil, maple syrup, honey and vanilla extract. Heat slightly if necessary to liquefy the honey.

Drizzle the oil/honey mixture on the cereal-nut mixture and mix well with your hands making sure to moisten all the dry ingredients.

Spread one third of the mixture on the baking sheet (if your baking sheet is smaller spread a fourth of the mixture on it).

Bake, stirring frequently (at least every 5 minutes) until the mixture is light to golden brown. For a less crunchy granola, allow to roast until lightly browned. A deep goden brown colour will give you a very crunchy granola.

Spread immediately the very hot mixture on a baking paper. Allow to cool, stirring often if you don't want any clusters. If you like your granola to have clusters, do not stir as often and wait until it cooled to break up the largest clusters. After it's completely cooled mix in dried apples and cranberries.

Gingerbread & Dark Chocolate Granola

Gingerbread & Dark Chocolate Granola

4 cups oat or multigrain flakes
1.5 cups roughly chopped macadamia nuts
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cups sunflower oil
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
3/4 cup finely diced candied ginger (or less, I use this amount because I love a strong ginger taste)
1 cup diced dried figs (I prefer Black Mission Figs)
1 cup (more or less, to taste) roughly chopped good quality black chocolate

Preheat oven to 300ºF (150ºC) and have a 13"x8" baking sheet ready (no need to grease it.)

Mix in a big bowl the multigrain flakes, macadamia nuts, coconut flakes (if using), sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon and ginger and mix again with your hands.

Mix together in a measuring cup the oil, honey and molasses. Heat slightly if necessary to liquefy the honey and molasses.

Drizzle the oil/honey/molasses mixture on the cereal-nut mixture and mix well with your hands making sure to moisten all the dry ingredients.

Spread one third of the mixture on the baking sheet (if your baking sheet is smaller spread a fourth of the mixture on it).

Bake, stirring frequently (at least every 5 minutes) until the mixture is light to golden brown. For a less crunchy granola, allow to roast until lightly browned. A deep goden brown colour will give you a very crunchy granola.

Immediately Spread the very hot mixture on a baking paper. Allow to cool, stirring often if you don't want any clusters. If you like your granola to have clusters, do not stir as often and wait until it cooled to break up the largest clusters. After it's completely cooled mix in dried apples and cranberries.