I love granola. But after all these years, (granola was orginally introduced in the late 1800’s), many of us have been doing it all wrong. We’ve been eating this delicious, high fiber combination, the way it was marketed to us: filling cereal bowls to the brim or snacking on it right out of the box or jar. Sound familiar?
What’s wrong with filling your cereal bowl with granola? It’s so nutrient dense (yes, I do mean high in calories!) and if you follow the recommended portion of 1/4 cup, your bowl of cereal is teeny tiny. Here’s the solution: mix it with other, less nutrient dense cereals or use it as a topping for oatmeal (love it this way).
What’s wrong with snacking on granola out of the box or jar? It’s documented that we eat more food when eating out of large containers, than we do when eating out of smaller ones. If you love to snack on granola, make sure to portion it into smaller containers for eating (2 Tablespoons to 1/4 cup portions are reasonable for most individuals).
Here’s the third, smart way to eat granola: Get creative with granola and us it as an ingredient in other foods. This easily and consitently keeps the granola portion size in check. I love sweet and savory granola as a topping for vegetables; raisin and sunflower seed granola as a coating for frozen bananas; and fennel seed and pine nut granola paired with goat cheese. Once you try granola as an ingredient, you’ll find more uses for granola beyond breakfast and understand why this concept is so popular.
Today’s I made a granola that’s different then any of the ones I have made before including my dark chocolate granola with za’tar and spooky apple pie granola. This granola has some heat and is a flavor bomb, making it the ideal granola for a cooking ingredient. Stay tuned, you don’t want to miss my recipes using this salty and sour granola as a substitue for panko on fish, a topping for a springtime salad, and in a recovery snack.
How do you use granola as an ingredient in other foods?
Mango Curry Granola
Homemade granola with mango and curry, is the perfect ingredient to add to other foods like yogurt and salads.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup old fashioned oats (GF: look for gluten free label)
- 2 tablespoons quinoa, rinsed
- 1/4 cup peanuts
- 1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
- 1 egg white
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon lime juice
- 1Tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground curry
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
- 1/3 cup chopped dried mango
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Place ingredients oats through red pepper flakes in a small bowl and stir to combine.
3. Pour onto a foil or parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 20 to 30 minute or until golden, stirring every 10 minutes.
4. Allow to cool. Add lime zest and dried mango. Store in an air tight container.
I always like Mango curry Granola.I would like to try this.Thanks for sharing.
Looks yummy! I think it’s great for breakfast. Thanks for sharing.
The flavors in this granola sound amazing!! I would definitely to portion control this or that whole jar would be gone in a flash!
Thank you, Sonali. Yes, portion control is important for everyone.
I am a granola QUEEN! I love it all and this one is so unique!
Thanks, Rebecca. I think the appeal of granola for me is the wide range of add-ins and flavor combinations I can create! Hope you give this one a try.
Love your ideas for using granola as an ingredient in other recipes, especially savory ones! Totally going to try out some of those techniques!
Thanks, Jessica! Have fun and enjoy!
I’ve never tried/made savory granola but I love the idea… I definitely use it as a topper for yogurt all the time though… but it gets caloric fast!
Thanks you, Cassie! Hope you’ll try a savory granola sometime!
Ooh this looks so good. Reminds me of when you used za’atar in your last granola recipe – I loved the savory/smoky heat it added. Look forward to trying this one too!
Thank you, Deanna. Yes, both of these are savory good.