One of my favorite things to have for breakfast in the mornings is granola, and I always make my own. I have several versions that I like to make. My good friend Mable taught me how to make my own granola back in the 1980's.
It's a really delicious way to get your children to eat oatmeal. They might turn up their noses at a bowl of hot oats but pop some granola in front of them and they will be gobbling it up. It also makes a great and nutritious snack with all of the nuts, wholesome grains and dried fruit.
Like with any recipe, this version of granola no longer resembles the original one. I have added to it and adapted it through the years, trying out new things. I like to think that it is even better than the original, but I do admit I am a bit biased.
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One thing for sure, it's a lot healthier than most ready-made granolas you will find in the shops. They are almost always loaded with preservatives, sugar and fat. I have to admit as well, they just don't taste good in comparison to a good granola that you have made yourself at home.
Admittedly, I am a bit biased, but I always think that homemade anything tastes infinitely better than anything you can buy in the shops.
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Making things like this yourself means you get to control what goes into them. What kinds of nuts you enjoy, how sweet or not sweet you want it to be. The kind of fat you choose to use. No palm oils or hydrogenated fats in my house!
No fake sugars either. Whenever I make my granola I always use pure honey or maple syrup.
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That's probably why it tastes better than store bought. Everything is natural. I did start using a cereal mix in my granola years ago. Meusli works great. Anything that is a nice mix of grains. Today I used this Kashi Go Lean Honey, Almond and Flax Cereal.
I love Kashi and I thought it would work perfectly in this. I was right. It does. Have you ever tried their Cinnamon Whole Wheat Harvest cereal? I love it and could munch on it like cookies. They are like mini shredded wheats with a nice cinnamon flavor, but no sugar is added. Love them.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE HONEY GRANOLA
Simple everyday ingredients. It might seem like a lot, but you can pare it down by using only one or two nuts. Myself, I like a nice variety!
- 7 ounces (approximately 200g) Kashi Go Lean Almond Flax cereal (you can use any multigrain cereal in the same amount. Meusli is good.)
- 2 cups (approximately 165g) large flake oats
- 1/2 cup (60g) walnut halves
- 1/2 cup (85g) whole almonds
- 1/4 cup (30g) raw cashew nuts
- 1/4 cup (30g) pecans
- 1/4 cup (31g) pistachio nuts
- small handful sunflower seeds
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup 120ml) honey
- 1/4 cup (60ml) light olive oil or melted coconut oil
To finish:
- approximately 1 cup (151g) dried fruit (cranberries, blueberries, sultanas, cherries, apricots, etc.)
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As I said you can vary the number of varieties of nuts you use. I like a nice wide variety. The important thing is you have about 1 1/2 cups of nuts altogether. Don't use salted nuts. Just the plain old raw nuts will do.
You can also vary the type of dried fruits you use to finish the granola with. Bear in mind that because of the cereal some of the moisture from your dried fruit will be absorbed, so don't pick fruit that is aready quite dry.
Also don't pick fruit that is too moist, or you will end up with a soggy granola! Sometimes I like to add large coconut chips into the mix, or pumpkin seeds. Granola is one of those breakfast cereals that just about anything goes!
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HOW TO MAKE HONEY GRANOLA
Nothing could be easier. Just be sure to keep an eye on it in the oven and stir it frequently. You don't want it burning.
Preheat the oven to 300*F/150*C/gas mark 3. Spray a large, rimmed baking sheet with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.
Mix together all of the cereal, oats, nuts and cinnamon in a large bowl.
Whisk together the honey and oil. Pour this over the dry mixture in the bowl and mix well together with a wooden spoon, making sure everything gets coated. Spread this mixture out on the prepared baking sheet.
Toast in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes. Give it a stir every 15 minutes and keep a very close watch on it for the last 10 minutes. Because of the honey it can go from perfect to burnt in a flash.
Remove from the oven. Stir occasionally as it cools. Stir in the dried fruit and store in an airtight container. This also freezes well and will keep for up to 6 months.
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We are coming into gift giving season here over the next weeks and Granola makes a great gift. Just pop it into a fancy jar and tie a nice ribbon around the lid, along with a label stating the ingredients.
It's really nice popped into a basket along with a few other breakfast goodies such as a nice box of tea, some artisanal bread, a jar of nice jam or marmalade, and maybe a nice mug and some homemade napkins. I can't think of anyone who wouldn't love a gift like that!
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Are you as much of a lover of Homemade granolas and cereals as I am? If so, you might also enjoy these:
PERFECT GRANOLA - I think this is the perfect balance of toasted nuts, coconut flakes, old fashioned oats and maple sweetness. Not too sweet, just perfect. I enjoy it with plain yogurt and sometimes a squirt of date syrup if I am feeling especially indulgent.
EASY STOVE-TOP GRANOLA - A delicious granola that you make totally in a skillet on top of the stove. Perfect for when you don't have a working oven, are in student digs, or for when you just don't want to heat up the kitchen.
Yield: 4 - 5 cups
Honey Granola
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 50 Min
My favorite breakfast is a bowl of Greek yogurt, sprinkled with homemade granola and fruit. This is one of my favorite versions of granola. Its super good!
Ingredients
- 7 ounces (approximately 200g) Kashi Go Lean Almond Flax cereal (you can use any multigrain cereal in the same amount. Meusli is good.)
- 2 cups (approximately 165g) large flake oats
- 1/2 cup (60g) walnut halves
- 1/2 cup (85g) whole almonds
- 1/4 cup (30g) raw cashew nuts
- 1/4 cup (30g) pecans
- 1/4 cup (31g) pistachio nuts
- small handful sunflower seeds
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup 120ml) honey
- 1/4 cup (60ml) light olive oil or melted coconut oil
To finish:
- approximately 1 cup (151g) dried fruit (cranberries, blueberries, sultanas, cherries, apricots, etc.)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300*F/150*C/gas mark 3. Spray a large, rimmed baking sheet with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.
- Mix together all of the cereal, oats, nuts and cinnamon in a large bowl.
- Whisk together the honey and oil. Pour this over the dry mixture in the bowl and mix well together with a wooden spoon, making sure everything gets coated. Spread this mixture out on the prepared baking sheet.
- Toast in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes. Give it a stir every 15 minutes and keep a very close watch on it for the last 10 minutes. Because of the honey it can go from perfect to burnt in a flash.
- Remove from the oven. Stir occasionally as it cools. Stir in the dried fruit and store in an airtight container. This also freezes well and will keep for up to 6 months.
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This bread machine recipe I am sharing with you today is for a French Sandwich Pain Au Lait. Pain Au Lait translated means milk bread, and what I am talking about here is a French style of loaf that has been enriched with milk and butter.
Golden brown on the outside with a beautiful tight texture, this is a bread that is perfect for making sandwiches, be they grilled or not!
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A slow rising bread, this bread rises dramatically when baking. Traditionally this type of bread is baked in a lidded loaf pan to make perfectly square loaves.
Baking this in the bread machine provides almost the same result, as you can see. It is a beautiful loaf and is perfect for sandwiches of any kind.
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Actually, this is the fourth time I have baked this loaf to show you. The first time I ran out of light on the first day and so pictures just never got taken. It was so good I knew I wanted to share it with you.
The second time I made it, I threw everything into the bread machine and went to church, only to discover when I got home that I had not put in the water. DUH!
The third time, I used the wrong yeast and the bread rose so much that it stuck to the roof of my bread maker. 😖
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Seriously though, this is a beautiful loaf of bread, and well worth any angst or number of mistakes made in getting to the perfect loaf just so that I can share it with you.
Of all the loaves I have made in my bread machine, it IS my favorite one! Perfect for grilled sandwiches, or cut into shapes to make tea sandwiches, it is light, but has a truly beautiful crumb which makes it ideal for those purposes!
My recipe has been adapted from the Bread Machine Lover's Bread Machine Book by Beth Hensperger and if you are a person who loves to use their bread machine, I cannot recommend it enough. It's the best bread machine book going!
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WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE FRENCH SANDWICH PAIN AU LAIT
This time I did not use a mix of flours as set out in the recipe but just my Anita's Organic Mill 60/40 bakers blend flour. It turned out perfectly. (This is because I could not find barley flour.)
- 1 1/4 cups (300ml) water
- 5 TBS butter, cut into pieces
- 2 7/8 cups (390g) bread flour
- 1/8 cup (30g) barley flour
- 1/3 cup (80g) dry milk powder
- 1 TBS vital wheat gluten
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast
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As I said I used the 60/40 flour, and it worked a charm. Barley flour adds a touch of sweetness to the bread, but I found the flavor to be fine just as is. As you can tell it was a bit more on the whole wheat side.
That also didn't bother me as I prefer to eat a whole meal bread if I can, rather than a white.
Also, the dry milk powder, she had specified low fat milk powder, but all I have is full fat milk powder. I have used this with no problem whatsoever.
My bread machine is the Panasonic Automatic Bread Maker Model# SD-RD250. This is the bread machine I have been using for over 20 years. I went through two of them in the UK, and when I went to buy one here in Canada, I knew I had to get another one. I have just always been happy with their performance.
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HINTS AND TIPS FOR MAKING GREAT BREAD IN A BREAD MACHINE
Really if you follow the directions on your particular bread machine your bread should work out perfectly, but there are a few things you can do that will give you an even better loaf of bread.
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2. Bread machine loaves work best with bread flour. Bread flour can also be labeled "Best for Bread" or "High Gluten flour."
3. You can use regular flour, but if you do I recommend adding Vital Wheat Gluten to the recipe. This helps to boost the protein content of the bread.
4. Measure very carefully. If you don't add enough flour, no matter the type of flour you use, the bread will collapse and is often uncooked in the center. If you add too much flour, you will end up with a dense, hard heavy ball.
5. I add Vital Wheat Gluten to all of my recipes for bread making in a bread machine. You can purchase it online. It helps to yield a much better loaf, helping the loaf to rise higher with a nicer texture than without.
Vital wheat gluten is best stored in the refrigerator (for up to one year), but you can store it on the counter if you think you will use it up within two months (highly unlikely for the home baker.)
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6. Yeast is a vital component in making yeasted breads! Duh. It can come in many forms. I recommend using yeast which is prepared specifically for use in the bread machine. I store my yeast in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator.
7. Salt is another important component in bread making. Do not however, let the salt touch the yeast. Salt is important in bread making, not only as a flavor enhancer, but also in controlling the level of yeast fermentation.
8. Follow the recommendations when it comes to the order of adding ingredients to your machine. There are reasons why some machines put the dry ingredients first and the wet last. Others might recommend putting in the wet first and the dry last. YOU NEED TO FOLLOW THE EXACT ORDER AS RECOMMENDED BY YOUR PARTICULAR MODEL!!
Most of the time when a recipe fails it is because the baker fails to follow the correct directions as per the machine they are using.
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If you follow my recommendations, there really is no reason (other than human error) that you can't bake the best loaf of bread in your bread machine ever. I use mine at least once a week, sometimes twice and most of the time I end up with beautiful loaves, unless I use the wrong yeast or forget to put in the water, lol. 😁
Some other bread machine recipes I can recommend are:
BREAD MACHINE PARKER HOUSE ROLLS - Think you can't make rolls using a bread machine? Think again! This recipe uses the dough cycle for making the dough. The rolls are then shaped and baked in the traditional manner.
BUTTERMILK WHOLE WHEAT BREAD - With a mixture of both whole wheat and white bread flours, and sweetened with maple syrup, and then not forgetting the addition of the buttermilk, it makes for a really delicious wholesome loaf of bread!
French Sandwich Pain Au Lait
Yield 1 loaf (1 1/2-pound loaf)
A delicious bread machine loaf made in the style of the white French sandwich bread called pain de mie. This bread makes beautiful sandwiches, toasted or otherwise.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups (300ml) water
- 5 TBS butter, cut into pieces
- 2 7/8 cups (390g) bread flour
- 1/8 cup (30g) barley flour
- 1/3 cup (80g) dry milk powder
- 1 TBS vital wheat gluten
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast
Instructions
- Place all of your ingredients into your particular model of bread machine according to the manufacturer's directions. Take care not to let the salt come in contact with the yeast. (In mine, I place yeast, sugar, gluten powder, flour, dry milk powder, salt, butter and then the water.)
- Set crust on medium and program for the basic cycle. Press start.
- When the baking cycle has ended, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing. Store in an airtight bag or container.
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French Toast is one of those breakfast dishes I like to enjoy at the weekend. although I do live on my own that doesn't mean that I can't still enjoy a special and hearty breakfast at the weekend.
This creme brulééd French toast with caramelized apples is just such a dish. I have sized it to feed two to three people, depending on appetites. I find personally that I am perfectly happy with just one slice. The other two get wrapped and frozen (individually wrapped) for me to heat up another time.
You can also very easily double all of the ingredients to feed more people as well. Its simple really.
The French toast itself is bite after bite of crunchy coated caramelized melt in your mouth deliciousness. On its own with just plain maple syrup, it would be quite satisfying.
Combine that with a Creamy Maple Apple Syrup and you have a combination made in heaven. The two go together just like peas and carrots.
Who wouldn't like an apple topping for French toast? I cannot imagine anyone not liking this delicious combo!! And it's also very quick and easy to do. I call this a win on all counts!
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This is a very autumnal combination. I love this time of year when the shops and farm markets start to get in the fresh crop of apples. They smell so good.
My mother loved to get a fresh MacIntosh apple and then breathe in the scent. I confess, I too love to do the same. It is probably the Nova Scotian in me, but I do have a great love for fresh crisp autumn apples. They are quite simply one of my favorite things!
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The idea of sugar coating my French toast and frying it in butter until it caramelizes is not one I can claim for myself. It is an idea inspired by a French toast recipe which I discovered here.
I have often made cinnamon roll toast in much the same way, but I had never actually thought of doing French toast that way. Its genius! You end up with light and fluffy, custard-middled French toast with a crisp caramelized sugar coating.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE FRENCH TOAST WITH CREAMY MAPLE APPLES
There is nothing really complicated needed, unless you consider brioche bread to be complicated. At one time maybe, but these days it is readily available in most places. I adore a good brioche.
For the French Toast:
- 4 thick slices day old Brioche
- 2 large free-range eggs + 1 egg yolk
- 3/4 cup (180ml) half and half (single cream)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla
- 2 1/2 TBS granulated sugar, divided
- butter for cooking
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For the Creamy Maple Apples:
- 2 honey crisp apples, peeled, cored and sliced into wedges
- small knob of butter
- 1/2 cup (120ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
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Make sure your Brioche is at least a day old. That way it will absorb the custard mixture better. If your brioche is too fresh, just take it out of the bag and leave it exposed to the air for half an hour or so.
Don't be tempted to use anything other than real Maple Syrup for the caramelized apples. You will not get the same result. The Maple Syrup works with the cream to give you that caramel style of consistency that goes very well with the apples.
A little bit of the apple cream goes a long way when it comes to enjoying this and goes perfectly with the apples.
I used Honey Crisp apples on this day because that is what I had in the house, but you can use any good firm eating apple that you enjoy.
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HOW TO MAKE FRENCH TOAST WITH CREAMY MAPLE APPLES
It's simple really and goes together very quickly. It only looks complicated on the plate. ☺ Its not really.
First make the French Toast. Have the oven heated to a low temperature to keep the French Toast warm while you make the apples.
Whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, cream, vanilla and 1/2 TBS sugar together in a half sheet pan.
Place the bread slices in the pan and allow them to soak in the egg mixture for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip them over and soak on the other side.
Heat a large heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat. Add a knob of butter. Add the Brioche slices (you will probably need to do this in batches). Sprinkle the top of each slice with 1/2 TBS of sugar.
When the underside is golden brown flip over and cook the other side until caramelized and golden brown. Remove to a plate, caramelized side up. Repeat until you have cooked all of the French Toast.
Keep the French toast warm in a low oven while you do the apples.
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Wipe the pan out with a piece of paper towel. Add another knob of butter and then the apple wedges. Cook over medium heat until they are golden brown on both sides and crispy tender.
Add the maple syrup and allow it to bubble up. Add the cream, whisking and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla.
Serve the French Toast with some of the creamy caramel apples spooned over top.
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And that's it basically. You are now able to enjoy something which tastes rich and delicious but is so simple to prepare that it will become a favorite way to enjoy your French Toast, even if you skip the caramel apples and just apply the method of caramelizing sugar on the surface.
I am thinking a dollop of whipped cream would also be very nice served on top of this fabulous breakfast dish. Am I wrong or am I right? You decide!
I think you will find it to be quite tasty and delicious any way you decide to serve it!
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Some other delicious ways to enjoy your French toast are:
BUTTERMILK FRENCH TOAST -Crisp on the outside and rich on the inside with a soufflé-like buttermilk custard that is oh so delicious! Thick slices of bread are soaked in a lemon and vanilla buttermilk custard and then left to sit on a wire rack over a baking sheet so that the custard has time to settle before frying in butter. Once fried to a crisp golden brown, the toast is baked for a few minutes longer in a moderate oven.
FRENCH TOAST FINGERS - you can use any kind of crisp breakfast cereal to coat them. Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Captain Crunch, Cookie Crisp, etc. If it is crisp and can be crushed, it is perfect for this use. Using cereal like this to coat the French Toast Sticks also has the added appeal of being a tad bit naughty. Children love dipping these.
Yield: 3
French Toast with Creamy Maple Apples
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min
Melt in your mouth Brulééd French Toast served with a lush and creamy maple apple syrup. This is fabulous.
Ingredients
For the French Toast:
- 4 thick slices day old Brioche
- 2 large free-range eggs + 1 egg yolk
- 3/4 cup (180ml) half and half (single cream)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla
- 2 1/2 TBS granulated sugar, divided
- butter for cooking
For the Creamy Maple Apples:
- 2 honey crisp apples, peeled, cored and sliced into wedges
- small knob of butter
- 1/2 cup (120ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- First make the French Toast. Have the oven heated to a low temperature to keep the French Toast warm while you make the apples.
- Whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, cream, vanilla and 1/2 TBS sugar together in a half sheet pan.
- Place the bread slices in the pan and allow them to soak in the egg mixture for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip them over and soak on the other side.
- Heat a large heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat. Add a knob of butter. Add the Brioche slices (you will probably need to do this in batches). Sprinkle the top of each slice with 1/2 TBS of sugar.
- When the underside is golden brown flip over and cook the other side until caramelized and golden brown. Remove to a plate, caramelized side up. Repeat until you have cooked all of the French Toast.
- Keep the French toast warm in a low oven while you do the apples.
- Wipe the pan out with a piece of paper towel. Add another knob of butter and then the apple wedges. Cook over medium heat until they are golden brown on both sides and crispy tender.
- Add the maple syrup and allow it to bubble up. Add the cream, whisking and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla.
- Serve the French Toast with some of the creamy caramel apples spooned over top.
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