A Healthy Breakfast — Un petit-déjeuner santé

June 18, 2008

My Granola

“I can’t stay in bed,” I told P. “Don’t insist!”

“Why not? Isn’t it nice and toasty in here?”

Well it surely was but the problem was that I was hungry. As is always the case when I wake up. I am one of these people waking up with a stomach making noises and calling for food. Aren’t you too?

I discovered granola and its wonders about fifteen years ago, when I lived in the United States for the first time, during the days when I was teaching French in a university lost in the middle of corn fields. Yes, corn fields there were indeed in that part of the world! Many!

This was also the time when I met P. and to tell the truth, he is really the one who initiated me to granola. How could I have lived for so long not knowing about this delicious food, I wondered then? What was wrong with us the French for not welcoming more cereals like granola on the breakfast table? No argument, I would have granola any day instead of a croissant. Vraiment !

After the first bite of granola, I was hooked: I immediately fell in love with its nuttiness and crunchiness. A few years later, when I visited P. again — and we then shared a bit of life living together in a tiny apartment on campus — we also enjoyed cycling every weekend or so to the small organic store nearby, to fill up with more granola when we ran out. We liked ours not too sweet and often ate it quite simply, with fresh berries or perhaps slices of fresh apple and plain French-style yogurt. It might sound silly but I loved that P. and I shared a liking for the same types of food. I knew that a good connection was on the right track: with the man, and the food.

Will you then be surprised when I tell you that I have been making all types of granola since then?

Making granola is pretty easy and straightforward, and can be customized as you like. Choose the nuts you like — pecans, walnuts, and more — and add any type of dried fruit you prefer. I particularly like dried cherries or slices of dried apples, because apples and me in the morning are best friends. This is also one of the reason why I like to add apple juice too when I prepare granola, and add maple syrup and honey for extra flavor. Sometimes I can also add orange oil instead of canola oil but then, that gives me another recipe altogether.

Then sit down at the table, make yourself comfortable and be happy to start your day on the right foot.

With the right food.

Nothing beats a healthy breakfast like this one.

But can I tell you a secret?

I love to pack some in a zip-lock bag and snack on it when I am out, at any time of the day.

Simplement délicieux !

My Breakfast Granola
  • 3 cups rolled oats*
  • 1 cup pecans
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1/2 cup dried cherries
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup freshly squeezed apple juice
  • 1 vanilla bean, split open and seeds scraped out

    • *Use gluten free oats for a gluten free version, like I did

Steps:

  • In a pot, put together the honey, maple syrup, apple juice, canola oil, salt and cinnamon. Add the vanilla bean and seeds and bring to a gentle boil. Stop the heat, cover and let infuse for 30 minutes. Filter.
  • In a separate bowl, mix all the other ingredients (except the dried cherries).
  • Pour the liquid over and mix well.
  • Spread the granola on a baking sheet covered with a sheet of parchment paper, and place in the oven for 1 hour at 300 F.
  • Take out, and let cool completely at room temperature. Add the dried cherries then.
  • Enjoy with fresh yogurt, or cow, rice or soy milk. And fresh berries. This granola keeps well in an air-tight container.
Le coin français
Mon granola
  • 280 g de flocons d’avoine*
  • 100 g de noix de pécan
  • 60 g d’amandes émincées
  • 30 g de graines de sésame
  • 70 g de graines de courge
  • 1/2 tasse de cerises sèchées
  • 3 càs d’huile végétale, type colza
  • 60 ml de miel liquide
  • 60 ml de sirop d’érable
  • 1/2 càc de cannelle en poudre
  • 1/2 càc de sel
  • 80 ml de jus de pomme frais
  • 1 gousse de vanille, coupée en deux et grattée

    • *Utilisez des flocons d’avoine sans gluten, pour une version sans gluten, comme je l’ai fait

Étapes :

  • Dans une casserole, mettez le miel, le sirop d’érable, le jus de pommes, l’huile, le sel et la cannelle. Ajoutez la gousse et les graines de vanille. Mélangez et amenez à la première ébullition. Arrêtez le feu et couvrez. Laissez infuser pendant 30 minutes, puis filtrez.
  • Dans une grande jatte, mélangez tous les autres ingrédients, sauf les cerises.
  • Versez le liquide et mélangez bien.
  • Étalez le granola sur une plaque de cuisson recouverte de papier sulfurisé, et mettez au four préchauffé à 150 C pendant 1 heure.
  • Sortez du four et laissez completement refroidir. Ajoutez ensuite les cerises sèchées.
  • Dégustez avec du yaourt velouté nature, ou du lait, avec des fruits frais. Le granola se conserve bien dans un récipient étanche à l’air.
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Tagged as: Breakfast , Gluten Free
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46 Comments »

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  1. Je suis une fan de granola, moi aussi, et j’aime qu’il soit très peu sucré. Dommage que dans mon cas, je sois la seule à l’aimer à la maison, car j’en fais peu souvent !

    Comment by Clea — On June, 18th, 2008 at 2:53 am

  2. I’m addicted to homemade granola! Yours looks terribly tempting and delicious!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Comment by Rosa — On June, 18th, 2008 at 3:01 am

  3. c santé mais c surtout tres bon!!!!!
    en tout cas bravo tes photos sont sublimes!!!

    Comment by myhome-made — On June, 18th, 2008 at 3:57 am

  4. Voilà de quoi nous redonner de la force pour nous mettre au travail! Merci de ces belles recettes toujours magnifiquement illustrées.

    Comment by L'atelier des Chefs — On June, 18th, 2008 at 5:24 am

  5. C’est vrai on devrait vendre des portions de granola dans les cafés français tiens… Le croissant est aussi bon à ses heures, mais un petit déjeuner (ou autre occasion) comme celui que tu proposes là, rien de tel pour bien commencer une journée ou se redonner de l’énergie…
    Les fruits secs dans la cuisine française, c’est peut-être moins courant… et ça ne devrait pas !

    Comment by Sha — On June, 18th, 2008 at 5:26 am

  6. I am also one to wake up and have to eat breakfast right away. That’s how we all are in my family. I have to have fruit and coffee and then a hearty breakfast. I make my own granola often times and nothing beats it. The photos are fresh and bright as always!

    Comment by Aran — On June, 18th, 2008 at 6:06 am

  7. really enjoy your healthy breakfast~

    colorful and yummy!

    love it!

    Comment by YOYO's Cooking — On June, 18th, 2008 at 6:12 am

  8. Mhhh, ça a l’air fameux!! J’adore le muesli, j’en mangerais à tous les repas, mais celui-ci, c’est définitivement la rolls royce du muesli!!

    Comment by Colloquial Cook — On June, 18th, 2008 at 6:37 am

  9. Your homemade granola looks fabulous. I love the addition of apple juice – I’m going to try that with my granola next time!

    Comment by food librarian — On June, 18th, 2008 at 7:43 am

  10. I love granola also but I eat it for dessert at night…I am one of those who can’t do more than yogurt and coffee in the morning, but that’s also because I have to teach Pilates right after and more than that has non desirable side effects :)
    It really looks like the perfect healthy breakfast!

    Comment by Tartelette — On June, 18th, 2008 at 7:57 am

  11. Sublime !!!

    Comment by Elsa — On June, 18th, 2008 at 8:16 am

  12. I’m a huge fan of granola and always wake up hungry too. It’s very rare that I skip breakfast, although it may be delayed. I haven’t made any granola yet this season. I copped out and bought some, but yours looks so good that I’m inspired to do it soon!

    Comment by Anali — On June, 18th, 2008 at 9:25 am

  13. Wow, i would really like to have that kind of breakfast sometime. Sounds like a perfect thing to make to your partner and bring it to bed!

    Comment by Ida — On June, 18th, 2008 at 10:23 am

  14. That looks amazing! Who knew granola could be framed in such a romantic and appealing manner?

    Comment by Erin — On June, 18th, 2008 at 11:32 am

  15. Fabulous granola, it looks so healthy and inviting with the fresh fruit on top yum!

    Comment by Jeena — On June, 18th, 2008 at 2:20 pm

  16. It looks delicious Bea :) I have been wanting to make granola for a long time now. Commercial cereals are convenient but are usually so tasteless.

    Comment by Lisa — On June, 18th, 2008 at 6:10 pm

  17. We’ve gotten hooked on granola with cottage cheese — something I started eating in my own college days, and all these years later, it’s still our favorite.

    Comment by Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) — On June, 18th, 2008 at 8:28 pm

  18. I love granola too! But have only recently started to make my own…such a pleasure to have stashed away in a jar, ready for breakfast (with yogurt yes or milk) or anytime. I recently made a healthy breakfast with quinoa…also very good!

    Comment by joey — On June, 18th, 2008 at 10:29 pm

  19. J’adore ce petit déj.!

    Comment by lory — On June, 19th, 2008 at 12:40 am

  20. I would live to wake up to this. Healthy, crunchy and absolutely satisfying in every way. I enjoy putting sundried cranberries in mine.

    Comment by chef ledarney — On June, 19th, 2008 at 1:17 am

  21. Ca a en effet l’air délicieux. Je voulais juste préciser qu’en revancher il ne devrait pas être taggé “gluten free” car il y a du gluten dans l’avoine. Bravo en tout cas pour ta belle créativité cuisine/ photos, always much appreciated!

    Comment by oiseau — On June, 19th, 2008 at 3:14 am

  22. Un très joli petit déjeuner comme j’aime, surtout quand on a le temps de le déguster le week-end, pas trop tard dans la matinée. Vivement qu’on croule sous les framboises, myrtilles et autres fruits d’été!

    Comment by Botacook — On June, 19th, 2008 at 5:34 am

  23. I didn’t really understand how good granola could be until I tried my German mother-in-law’s homemade granola. Now we live a thousand miles away from her, and I’m craving it!

    Comment by Becky — On June, 19th, 2008 at 8:13 am

  24. You have truly inspired me to make homemade granola now…thank you!!!

    Comment by rebekka — On June, 19th, 2008 at 8:30 am

  25. This looks fabulous – perfect timing too because I wanted to pick up ingredients for granola at the store today.

    Comment by Holly — On June, 19th, 2008 at 9:03 am

  26. Je ne sais pas pourquoi je n’en ai jamais fait car il y a des lustres que j’en parle. Tu viens de me donner le coup de pouce qu’il fallait, surtout que j’ai mis la main sur des flocons d’avoine sans gluten.

    Comment by Miss Diane — On June, 19th, 2008 at 9:56 am

  27. Ce site est tout simplement superbe et les recettes tellement tentantes !

    Comment by sevrinou — On June, 19th, 2008 at 10:59 am

  28. Beautiful photos as always! Delicious sounding granola too. Mixing it with yogurt makes for a perfect breakfast!

    Comment by Terry B — On June, 19th, 2008 at 12:35 pm

  29. Wouldn’t I love some of this beauty in the morning? ;)

    Comment by Patricia Scarpin — On June, 19th, 2008 at 1:09 pm

  30. D’une certaine manière, le cousin du Bircher Müsli germanique!

    Comment by Flo Bretzel — On June, 19th, 2008 at 2:34 pm

  31. Bea, you know I’ve always adored your photography, but lately your styling has been positively breathtaking! You mix all these colors, textures, and fabrics so beautifully in your shots. It’s very impressive. Oh p.s. I love the granola too!

    Comment by Anita — On June, 20th, 2008 at 12:35 am

  32. That is my kind of healthy…looks great.

    Comment by peabody — On June, 20th, 2008 at 3:30 am

  33. fan de granola que j’achète chez Rose Bakery à Paris. je n’ai jamais fait le mien car j’ai peur d’en manger trop. bon WE

    Comment by marie — On June, 20th, 2008 at 4:32 am

  34. Wow, would you use 1 vanilla bean for “every morning”- breakfast? Luxurious, I would say :)
    By the way, I’ve been reading your blog for a short while, Bea. I really admire your shots and I love reading stories about your French hometown. And the food.. oh, they always look so beautiful. I haven’t tried any of your recipes though, but surely I will. Thanks for giving so much inspiration.

    Comment by Ratna — On June, 20th, 2008 at 1:14 pm

  35. Je suis fan de granola, ta version, assez proche de la mienne, me tente avec le jus de pommes et les graines de courge. Nous partageons le même idéal esthétique de ce petit-déjeuner gourmand.

    Comment by Lilo — On June, 20th, 2008 at 3:11 pm

  36. Un petit coucou pour te souhaiter un super week-end avec le soleil enfin…et je craque toujours de plaisir devant tes photos..

    Comment by Eleonora — On June, 20th, 2008 at 3:13 pm

  37. Many thanks everyone for your sweet comments. By the way, the gluten free version is done if you purchase gluten free oats, like I did.
    Thanks again for stopping by, and my apology for not answering individually these days, I simply have a lot on my plate, as we say! Know however that I carefully read, and appreciate every comment!

    Comment by Béa — On June, 21st, 2008 at 9:20 am

  38. Hi Béa, Good breakfast choice for the warm summer days ahead. The gluten-free version of your chocolate-matcha tea cakes worked out really well. Thanks for the help with that recipe. Also, I recently made your goji berry-pecan tea cakes, substituting blueberries for the goji berries. That is a delicious recipe of yours too. Thanks!

    Comment by valérie-jeanne — On June, 21st, 2008 at 8:37 pm

  39. Looks like what my wife had for breakfast yesterday..yumm!

    Comment by Jeff — On June, 22nd, 2008 at 8:18 pm

  40. Hi Béa, this looks really healthy and yummy. And I hardly put these 2 words together on 1 dish. Your blog is great!

    Comment by Mrs Ergül — On June, 22nd, 2008 at 8:59 pm

  41. your pictures JUST BLOW ME AWAY! you are so talented. crazy, crazy! & yummy granola, too! *m

    Comment by myriam — On June, 23rd, 2008 at 4:22 pm

  42. Love granola especially with blueberries. Great pics!

    Comment by Kim — On June, 24th, 2008 at 10:27 am

  43. Coucou Bea,
    Je suis une grande fan de ton site! Les couleurs, les textes, les recettes.. C’est une bouffee d’air.. Je me demandais si tu avais deja pense’ a animer des ateliers (ou des cours)de photographies (Boston ou alentours..) Je sais que tu as tres peu de temps libre mais en tous cas, si l’idee se concretise, je serais la premiere assise sur les bancs de ta classe.. Merci pour ton delicieux blog!

    Comment by Myriam — On July, 7th, 2008 at 8:04 pm

  44. Salut Bea!
    Les recettes:superbes!!!Les photos encore plus superbes!!!!Felicitation pour ta couverture de magazine. Everytime I look at your webssite i get hungry!
    Bisou,
    G.

    Comment by gege — On July, 10th, 2008 at 6:04 am

  45. What a fantastic mix of nuts and seeds! It looks truly delicious and it might even tempt my fussy son into having a decent breakfast….

    Comment by Angela — On July, 17th, 2008 at 5:45 am

  46. the granola looks and sounds delicious!

    one question: where did you get that milk jug? :D it looks adorable!

    Comment by felicia — On March, 25th, 2009 at 11:37 pm

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