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What is Granola Cereal?
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Granola cereal can refer to granola, made with things like rolled oats, other grains, nuts and fruits and eaten for breakfast with a splash of milk. It can also reference breakfast cereals that are called granola, but can be used in a variety of ways. For instance, granola mixes can top yogurt or ice cream, and may be eaten by hand as a snack. There are companies that use loose granola cereal in other products; granola bars are compressed forms of the cereal, which may contain additional ingredients like chocolate chips.
In stores, you’ll find several varieties of granola cereal that are mass marketed. The Quaker® brand make one of the best known of these. Quaker 100% Natural® cereals are tasty, but they are fairly high in fat and sugars. Quaker has begun making a low fat version of their cereal that may be a better choice for the diet conscious.
You’ll find lots of granola cereal varieties in health food and natural food stores. Read labels thoroughly. Most granola cereal depends on some oil to help clump oats and other ingredients together and to make the cereal crunchy. Some versions have large amounts of honey or other sugars that will increase calories. However, in health food stores, you may be able to find lower calorie and lower fat versions.
Another alternative is to make your own granola. This can be an excellent means of controlling fat and calorie content. It also means you can throw in whatever extra ingredients you like. If you love cereal with lots of dried fruit or nuts, you can have it by adding these ingredients in abundance. You can additionally increase fiber content by adding other grains to the mix.
You’ll find lots of different recipes online and in cookbooks for fabulous versions of granola cereal. Like those cereals available commercially, healthfulness of homemade granola can be variable. Use of more oil and most nuts will increase calories, and those cereals that add chocolate are probably not the most diet friendly cereals in the world.
An alternate definition of granola cereal is hot cereal made with granola. Using milk and a microwave, you can take premade (home made or commercial granola) and heat it up. The result is a soft cereal, somewhat similar to oatmeal that provides a charming alternative to cold cereal for breakfast. Hot granola cereal can also be an excellent afternoon snack, particularly comforting when the weather is chilly.
Tricia Christensen
Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent DelightedCooking contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.
Learn more...
Tricia Christensen
Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent DelightedCooking contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.
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![Dried dates, which are often included in granola.]()
Dried dates, which are often included in granola. -
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By: LiaurinkoOats are a type of cereal grass. -
![Granola cereal can be used in a variety of ways.]()
By: nitoGranola cereal can be used in a variety of ways. -
![Honey is used to sweeten granola.]()
By: Sergii MoscaliukHoney is used to sweeten granola. -
![Granola can be a healthy breakfast item when eaten with milk.]()
By: Africa StudioGranola can be a healthy breakfast item when eaten with milk. -
![Granola cereal can be compressed into bars for travel-friendly snacks.]()
By: baibazGranola cereal can be compressed into bars for travel-friendly snacks.
Discussion Comments
It is always best to make foods yourself if you want to be sure it's healthy, and granola is no exception to this rule.
Rolled oats, which is the primary ingredient in granola is a fantastic source of fiber and has been proven to help lower your bad cholesterol, making this a heart friendly ingredient.
If you choose to use honey for your granola, it is a bit of a wonder food that contains tons of vitamins and minerals, all while having antioxidants and has been reported to lower your risk of cancer.
Of course, things like fruits and nuts are amazing for you when in the recommended amounts.
Making your own granola at home, whether to use in cereal or as a stand along snack can be pretty easy. All you need is about 6 cups of rolled oats, 2 cups of mixed nuts and seeds, cinnamon to taste, a little salt, 1 cup of honey, and 1 cup of dried fruit.
In a big bowl add the oats, any nuts and seeds you like that have been chopped up, then add in the honey and stir. Lastly add your salt and cinnamon. Don't use the fruit yet.
Spread your mix out on a baking sheet and put it in the over for around 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
When it is done baking put the mix back in the bowl and add your fruit. Stir and let it cool before popping it in the fridge.
@Backdraft - Yep its just that easy. To make basic granola you only need standard oats and an agent to make them stick together. Beyond this the sky is the limit. I would recommend looking up a recipe to make sure you have your proportions correct
So, could I make my own homemade granola cereal using just standard Quaker oats like everyone has sitting in their pantry?
Several posters have noted that granola can be very high in fat and calories. This is true, but I think in certain cases it is good to embrace this. What I mean is that granola does not need to be thought of as simply a health food, we can also acknowledge that it is delicious and treat it like a snack or a dessert food.
I have a friend who makes her own granola. She makes particularly large clusters and then dunks these in milk chocolate. She will serve these as a snack or after dinner and they are delicious. She also once made a kind of granola pie that had chocolate chips and fried cherries. It was amazing. Sometimes you just have to admit that bad things taste good and run with it. My friend has to great effect.
I make my own granola and I absolutely love it. I like to include dried cranberries and small slivers of almonds. I have also experimented with using different grains besides just rolled oats. The possibilities are almost endless and the taste is so much better than the stuff you buy in stores. Take the plunge everybody! Make your own granola.
I appreciate that the article encourages readers to read the nutrition labels before choosing a granola to begin eating. The astute eater will be shocked to learn that some granola contain as much fat and calories as their favorite cakes and cookies. Granola is, in some cases, one of the worst things that you can eat in the morning.
The good news is that you can buy natural and organic granola that often contains significantly less fat and calories than some of the mass produced varieties. A careful and observant shopper can find granolas which are not only low calorie, but also contain a huge range of vitamins and minerals.
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