Does anyone have a healthy recipe for homemade granola and/or granola bars?

Granola isn't exactly healthy because there is a slight fat and a sugar component, but by using the right ingredients you can make it healthier.





I use a basic formula and adjust the actual recipe for whatever I have on hand.





Formula: 7 cups dry ingredients (at least 3 of these cups rolled oats) to 1 - 1 1/2 cups wet ingredients (at least 1/2 cup of these ingredients being sweet) to 3 TBSP flavorless oil. (note, brown sugar is a wet).





Mix dry ingredients in large bowl. Bring wet ingredients + oil to simmer. Drizzle over dry ingredients and stir. Poor onto greased baking sheet and bake 30-60 minutes at 275F stirring occassionally. Allow to cool 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.





Example dry ingredients: oats, wheat germ, flavor powders, crisp rice, nuts, seeds, coconut, sugar, spices





Example wet ingredients: syrups, jellies, honey, peanut butter, molasses, juices, apple sauce, yogurt, pumpkin, liquid flavorsDoes anyone have a healthy recipe for homemade granola and/or granola bars?
Honey Granola


You can also plug in other things. ie dried cherries, apricots, dried coconut, different kinds of nuts to suit it to your taste! Also try different honeys, such as lavender or orange blossom, or substitute maple syrup for the honey





Ingredients:





2 cups rolled oats





1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar





1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon





1/2 cup golden raisins





1/3 cup slivered almonds





4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter





4 Tbs. honey


Directions:





Preheat an oven to 325掳F.





In a bowl, combine the oats, sugar, cinnamon, raisins and almonds, and toss to mix. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, add the honey and stir to blend. Pour over the oat mixture and stir to blend.





Spread the granola out on a baking sheet and bake until golden and crunchy, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature before serving. Stored in an airtight container, the granola will keep up to 10 days. Makes about 3 cups.Does anyone have a healthy recipe for homemade granola and/or granola bars?
Master Granola Recipe Makes 1 quart





Adjust oven rack to middle position, and heat oven to 275 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch metal pan with cooking spray, then set aside. Mix oats, wheat germ, brown sugar, salt and Extra Ingredients --except dried fruit -- in a bowl. Bring syrup, oil, water and any Flavoring indicated below to a simmer in a saucepan over low heat. Drizzle over oat mixture, and stir to combine. Pour mixture onto prepared pan. Working a handful at a time, squeeze cereal to form small clumps. Bake for 30 minutes. Stir in dried fruit. Continue to bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes longer. Let cool. (Granola can be stored in an airtight tin for up to two weeks.) For nutrition information on each granola variation, go to usaweekend.com.





2 cups old-fashioned oats


1/2 cup wheat germ


2 Tbs. dark brown sugar


1/4 tsp. salt


1 cup Extra Ingredients (see complete list below)


1/4 cup maple syrup


3 Tbs. flavorless oil, such as vegetable or canola


1 Tb. water


Flavoring (see below)





1. Classic Granola


Extra Ingredients: 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, 1/3 cup sweetened flake coconut, 1/3 cup dark or golden raisins


Flavoring: 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon


You can replace the 1/4 cup of maple syrup with 2 Tbs. each of maple syrup and molasses.





2. Crunchy Granola


Extra Ingredients: 1/4 cup slivered almonds, 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, 2 Tbs. sesame seeds, 6 Tbs. currants


Flavoring: none





3. Granola with Tropical Flavoring


Add the coconut along with the cashews and banana chips.


Extra Ingredients: 1/4 cup chopped roasted unsalted cashews, 1/4 cup chopped banana chips, 1/4 cup sweetened flake coconut, 1/4 cup chopped dried pineapple


Flavoring: 1/2 tsp. ground ginger





4. Granola with Cherries and Almonds


Extra Ingredients: 1/3 cup sliced almonds, 1/3 cup sweetened flake coconut, 1/3 cup dried cherries


Flavoring: 3/4 tsp. almond extract





5. Trail Mix Granola


Extra Ingredients: 1/4 cup chopped roasted unsalted peanuts, 1/4 cup sweetened flake coconut, 1/4 cup dark or golden raisins, 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips*


Flavoring: none


*Stir chips into the granola only after it has completely cooled.





6. Orange-Berry Granola with Pecans


Extra Ingredients: 1/2 cup chopped pecans,1/4 cup dried cranberries, 1/4 cup dried blueberries


Flavoring: 1/2 tsp. finely grated orange zest





7. Pear Granola with Hazelnuts and Vanilla


Extra Ingredients: 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts, 1/4 cup chopped dried cherries, 1/4 cup chopped dried pears


Flavoring: 1 tsp. vanilla extract





8. Orange-Flavored Granola with Pistachios, Mangos and Dates


Extra Ingredients: 1/2 cup chopped roasted pistachios, 1/4 cup chopped dates, 1/4 cup chopped dried mangos


Flavoring: 1/2 tsp. finely grated orange zest and 1/4 tsp. allspice