Oats are versatile and can come in different forms. You can make overnight-oats, oatmeal, oats dosa, etc.
Today I am making granola, a crunch snack with rolled oats and nuts.
Whole oats: They are the old fashioned oats, that are also called rolled oats. They are steamed and then flattened into large flakes.
Steel oats: These oats maintain the original form and need to be cooked longer to attain the creamy texture. They have been cut with steel blades.
Quick oats: These oats are similar to rolled oats , they are steamed and flattened into more thinner flakes for quick cooking.
All oats are loaded with fibre and make a perfect ingredient for healthy cooking.
I love preparing home made granola using rolled oats and bunch of nuts, coconut flakes and dry fruits, combined with some sweet ingredient like honey, maple syrup, olive oil. This can be made in big quantity and stored to enjoy as a healthy snack or used to top over plain yogurt, oatmeal, etc.
The steps are very simple and the result is satisfying.
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| Home made granola |
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| Add and mix all ingredients in a bowl |
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| Maple syrup, rolled oats and olive oil |
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| Bake the granola |
Ingredients
Serves 8
2 cups organic old fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup walnuts bits or chopped
1/4 cup pecans (optional)
1/4 cup coconut flakes
2 tsp pepitas seeds (pumpkin seeds)
2 tsp sweetened dried cranberries
pinch of salt
1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp cardamon powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
Method:
1. Using a medium sized bowl , add oats, walnuts, pecans, coconut flakes, pepitas seeds, salt, cinnamon powder, cardamon powder and stir these dry ingredients.
2. To this add in maple syrup and olive oil and stir well.
3. Line parchment paper onto a baking sheet and heat oven to 350 F. Add to bake for approx. 15 mins. Take out and mix again, bake for another 10 to 12 minutes and or till granola appears light golden brown. Close and add dried sweetened cranberries or any other dried fruits of your choice. Let it cool to room temperature before serving.
Granola can be stored in an air tight container for more than 10 days. Enjoy, by adding a tablespoon of prepared granola along with yogurt, and berries, or just by itself.
Enjoy :) and do let me know if you make it any other way. Would love to know from you.
