KIRSTEN LUPINSKI: Homemade granola a good-to-go breakfast

In case you forgot, breakfast is the most important meal of the day!

I have been harping on breakfast for the past few months and stressing how important it is for all of us to have something healthy and nutritious to start the day off on the right foot. I know we all don’t have time to make a big breakfast every morning, so ideas that we can make ahead and just put together are great options.

Homemade granola is something that you can make ahead of time and just grab and go on busy mornings. I would recommend doubling this recipe because there are so many things you can do with this granola. I love this recipe because you have the flexibility to make it with what you like. You follow the basic recipe and then can add in a variety of different ingredients to make it “your” granola.

First preheat the oven to 275 degrees.

Then mix the following together in a large bowl; ¼ cup honey, ¼ cup maple syrup, 2 egg whites, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon salt.

Take half of this honey/maple syrup mixture and stir it into 4 cups of old-fashioned oats (not the quick oats) and 1 cup of nuts. You can select any nuts that you like and can use only one type or nut or a combination of nuts that equals 1 cup. I would suggest trying using walnuts, pecans, cashews or almonds, but you can try anything that you like. Also, if you have someone in your family that is allergic to nuts you can try to add some seeds instead (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds).

Spread this mixture on a baking sheet that has been sprayed or you can use parchment paper and bake for about 30-35 minutes.

As this is baking, take the other half of the honey/maple syrup mixture and add 2 cups of dried fruit. This can be any combination of dried fruit — cherries, cranberries, raisins, blueberries, prunes, mangoes, apples, pineapple (make sure it is all cut up into little pieces). Mix together and, after the oats bake, take them out of the oven and stir in the dried fruit mixture, spread out on the baking sheet, and bake for an additional 35-40 minutes.

Make sure to stir the granola halfway through this last baking process and then let it cool. You can store the granola in an air-tight container or zip-locking bag.

There are so many ways to use this granola. You can simply dump the granola in a bowl and add some milk, you can use it for a topping on yogurt (my personal favorite), or make a fruit/granola/yogurt parfait. You can also top ice cream or fresh fruit.

You can see that this is not a quick process, but it provides you with a healthier version than store-bought granola and can be used in a variety of ways.

Kirsten Lupinski is an assistant professor at Albany State University in the Department of Health and Human Performance. She has a bachelor’s of science in nutrition from the University of North Carolina, a master’s of science in health education from the University of Kentucky and a doctorate in education from the University of Cincinnati. She has worked in the health education field in various capacities (corporate health, community health, college health and wellness and university education) for more than 17 years. She and her husband have three young children (8-year-old twin boys and a 5-year-old girl).