January 25, 2011

Apple Cinnamon Granola

My breakfast rotation has just received a shake up. Welcoming to the lineup Apple Cinnamon Granola served over a big bowl of plain yogurt. We all know plain yogurt is crap healthy for us and this just adds a whole other layer of healthiness and makes choking down eating plain yogurt that much more rewarding to your waist line and your taste buds.

If you want to torture yourself you can do what I did. I had this toasting up in the oven while I broke a sweat on the treadmill jumping off only long enough to wash my hands and stir the granola every half hour. The aroma of cinnamon filled the air and the oven warmed our tiny apartment making the aroma that much more intense. I planned my workout and shower to end right about the time the granola finally had a chance to fully cool down so I could eat it afterward. Such a rewarding treat!

This was my first time making granola and this came out perfectly crunchy and sweet. The best part were the walnuts with some of the oats stuck to the outside from the applesauce and brown sugar. For this being my first granola recipe I can happily say I'd be happy if this becomes the only one I make. Sure, that would be boring so I could see how swapping the applesauce for other fruit purees could work and switching up the dried fruits as well would prevent this granola rotation from becoming tiresome. Whatever floats your boat! Make yourself and your taste buds happy. It's such a versatile recipe so make it your own.

Making homemade granola is much lighter on the budget than purchasing premade mixes. It is also simple to prepare with easy cleanup. What more could you ask for in a recipe? The fact that it is a Cooking Light recipe should be a perk as well.

Apples and cinnamon are a winning combination and you can't beat that nutty-apple cinnamon taste on a cold winter's day.

MyRecipes.com and Cooking Light, November 2005
Makes 6 cups (Serving size = 1/2 cup)

Stars of the Show:
  • 3 cups regular oats
  • 1 cup Cheerios
  • 1/3 cup oat bran cereal
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1/3 cup applesauce
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • cooking spray
  • 1 cup chopped dried apples
And Action:

Preheat the oven to 250°.

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl and stir well to combine.
Melt 2 tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the applesauce, honey, and brown sugar to the pan and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute stirrinf frequently. Pour the applesauce mixture over the oat mixture stirring to coat. Spread mixture evenly over a baking sheet that has been coated with cooking spray. Bake at 250° for 1 1/2 hours stirring every 30 minutes. Allow to cool completely. Stir in the chopped dried apples.

Store the Apple Cinnamon Granola in an airtight container for up to one week.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 196 (27% from fat)
Fat: 5.8g (sat 1.4g,mono 1.6g,poly 2.2g)
Protein: 4.4g
Carbohydrate: 35g
Fiber: 4g
Cholesterol: 5mg
Iron: 2.2mg
Sodium: 128mg
Calcium: 28mg

8 comments:

Angie said...

Yummy! I love walnut in granola. I also throw in coconut too!

Chelle B said...

Angie - Coconut is such a great idea! Mr. Sideline Chef does not like coconut but I sure do! I save all of the walnut bits for last. They are so good!

Anonymous said...

Your granola sounds terrific!Just can never go wrong with the apple and cinnamon combo. Yum.Maybe it could be renamed GrannyOle' to appeal to the zippiest of senior breakfast friends.

Chelle B said...

Anonymous - The granola is fantastic! Thankfully this makes lots.

Kelsey said...

This looks wonderful. I love anything apple cinnamon, so this is a real winner in my book!

Chelle B said...

Kelsey - Thank you! I don't think you can ever go wrong with apples and cinnamon. I'm just waiting for snack time to portion out my 1/2 cup serving!

Leanne said...

Mmm this looks delicious! What a wonderful combination. I've been meaning to make granola for a disturbingly long time, now

Jen at The Three Little Piglets said...

Popping over from Foodbuzz to say hello. Sounds delicious! I love apples in every form - never thought to add it to granola before though.

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