Learn Something, Make Food: My Report On Granola & My Recipe For It

/ Ally Bean

Be forewarned, I wondered about the origin of granola and ended up going down a heck of a rabbit hole…

MY REPORT ON GRANOLA

Our story of granola starts in prehistoric times

The history of granola is intertwined with oats, a wild grain that was probably first cultivated by the prehistoric inhabitants of Central Europe.

No one is certain about the origins of oats but all agree that once milled the resulting oatmeal, when cooked, is easy to digest, healthy, and economical. It is the basis for many breakfast dishes, then and now, most notably porridge.

Granola owes a debt of gratitude to oats.

Fast forward to the 19th century

In the late 1800s as the US population became more health conscious, Dr. James Caleb Jackson of the Our Home on the Hillside health spa of Danville, NY, developed a dry cereal that he called “granula.” It was the first processed breakfast cereal in the US.

Granula involved oatmeal and twice-baked zwieback mixed together. It was disparaging referred to as “wheat rocks” and was intended to be a healthy grain-based alternative to a breakfast of bacon and eggs.

At about the same time Dr. John Harvey Kellogg of the Battlecreek Sanitarium of Battlecreek, MI, learned about Dr. Jackson’s granula and stole the idea of it. Kellogg, more businessman than doctor from what I can tell, renamed his product “granola” to avoid a lawsuit by Dr. Jackson.

Continuing into the early 20th century

Even though recipes for granula existed, like the popular one by The Sisters of the Brethren Church, Kellogg’s name for the cereal became associated with the product.

Ironically one of Kellogg’s patients at his sanitarium, a Mr. Charles William Post, stole the idea of Kellogg’s granula/granola and created his own version if it called Grape-Nuts.

Meanwhile in Europe in the early 1900s a Swiss nutritionist Dr. Maximilian Bircher-Benner of a sanitarium in Zurich created a dry grain-based cereal [because apparently who wasn’t?].  He called it “muesli” and his recipe involved oats, nuts, and dried fruit.

Fast forward to the 1960s

Because of the hippie movement granola made a comeback in popularity. Cups of it were popular at Woodstock in 1969.

Sometimes referred to as Sunshine Happy Hippie Granola, this homemade granola was made from a recipe that in essence combined Jackson/Kellogg’s idea of “granula/granola” with Bircher-Benner’s idea of “muesli.”

The new hippie granola hit mainstream America in the early 70s. This reinvented crunchy granola was much sweeter than earlier recipes of granola. It was manufactured by many large food companies, advertised on TV, and became associated with healthy eating despite its high sugar content.

Sources

BREAKFAST DISHES Granula, a recipe by Sister Amanda Witmore, of McPherson, KS, found in The Inglenook Cookbook by The Sisters of the Brethren Church [1906]

Chapter 2, BREAKFAST A History by Heather Arndt Anderson

Charles William Post, Wikipedia

Granola, wordnik

Granola Girl, THE NIBBLE, The Webzine of Food Adventures

Granula, Wikipedia

Jackson Sanitarium, Dansville NY, via #ArtofAbandonment on YouTube

James Caleb Jackson, Inventor of Dry Breakfast Cereal, MENTAL FLOSS

John Harvey Kellogg, Britannica

Maximilian Bircher-Benner, History of the Bircher-Benner Clinik in Le Pont

Peace, Love And Granola: The Untold Story Of The Food Shortage At Woodstock, HUFFPOST

Sunshine Happy Hippie Granola, a recipe by Donna found in Woodstock- Preservation Archives [1969]

THE CEREALS, OR GRAINS., Science in the Kitchen: a scientific treatise by Ella Ervilla Kellogg [1893]

The Origin and History of Granola, CULINARY LORE, Food Science, History and much More!

The Process of How Oatmeal is Made, The Clinton Courier of Clinton, MS

THE SUGAR CONTENT OF GRANOLAS Jane Brody’s Nutrition Book [1980]

MY RECIPE FOR GRANOLA

2 Cups Old-Fashioned rolled oats

1/3 Cup olive oil

1/3 Cup maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 Cup coarsely chopped blanched slivered almonds

1 Tablespoon sesame seeds

1/2 Cup dried cranberries &/or dried apricots

1/2 Cup flaked sweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 300ºF.

Scatter oats over a large rimmed greased baking sheet and toast for ten minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from oven.

In a saucepan on the stove top, combine oil and maple syrup then bring to a boil – cook for one minute. Remove from heat and add cinnamon, mixing throughly.

In a large bowl, combine almonds and sesame seeds, add toasted oats, then mix together. Pour the oil/syrup mixture into the bowl and mix thoroughly.

Spread mixture in a thin layer on the baking sheet and return to oven. Toast for 20 minutes, stirring often, until light brown.

Pour into a bowl, add coconut and cranberries &/or apricots, then mix.

Store in the refrigerator. Freezes well.

~ ~ ☮️ ~ ~

226 thoughts on “Learn Something, Make Food: My Report On Granola & My Recipe For It”

    • Donna, I did not start out to write a report on granola, but the more I read the more I wanted to know. Then, suddenly, I had a lot of information… and what better place to put it than in a blog post!

      Liked by 1 person

  5. I am not a granola fan but this recipe sounds like it would be sweet and crunchy. My mother ate dry oatmeal out of the box. Like mother like daughter, I did for a while, too. It is definitely an acquired taste.

    Liked by 1 person

  9. And yet, still, the best granola I ever had and lived off of during college was dug out of the barrels in the Green Mountain Grainary Food Co-Op in Boulder in the 1970s. I have never been able to reproduce that recipe! Yours intrigues me because you state that ‘it freezes well’. I’ll give it a try for sure!

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Cranberries! My favorite substitution for raisins. That looks good. Do most recipes use olive oil? I never knew. We usually have oatmeal for breakfast–sometimes quick oats, but the best version is when spouse makes steel cut oats on the stove top with buttermilk.

    Liked by 1 person

    • AutumnAshbough, good question about the olive oil. I don’t know the answer, I just know that whatever recipe I originally had used it. I’ve tweaked this recipe over the years, good-bye raisins, hello cranberries.

      I’ve never had steel cut oats cooked with buttermilk. Sounds intriguing and healthy, more so than granola.

      Liked by 1 person

  14. I eat oatmeal a lot with fruit, flax and sometimes walnuts. I made myself stop buying granola when I really understood how much sugar was in the boxed brands, but I do like granola as well. Your recipe sounds good Ally Bean, and not too sweet. And…I just like saying the word muesli! I think of little Heidi exploring around her Alpine home running back to grandfather and the hut for a big bowl topped with some goat milk…

    Liked by 1 person

  15. I’m laughing at the ‘wheat rocks’ term. Yeah…that doesn’t sound too appetizing! I love the history, Ally, and the sharing of your recipe. Olive oil, you say? What a great ingredient to add to pull things together. I need to come up with an oat alternative. Just this morning (and hey, how do YOU do that – write about things that the hubs and I are real-time discussing…as you’re posting) I complained to hubs that the granola I just bought — all delicious and oat-based with pumpkin seeds is triggering my stupid oat allergy. I have speckled freckles on my cheeks and neck this morning (TMI?) and I know why. Let me know what alternative recipes you’ve run across…w/o yummy oats, okay? And please don’t call anything a ‘wheat rock’. Appreciate your “report”! A++++++ 😊

    Liked by 1 person

    • Victoria, I liked the description of “wheat rocks” too. I don’t think it was intended to be what granula would be known for, but it is. Funny how you were talking about oats today already. I’m sorry you have an allergy to them. I didn’t research actual recipes for granola as much as the history of it. Every recipe I did see involved oats so I’m no help at all.

      Thanks for the high grade on my report. This was one of those curiosities that got out of hand, but once into the subject I kept going. There was a lot of who knew? and well I’ll be! as I researched.

      Liked by 1 person

  16. As an anti-health food nut, I have to admit I’d never wondered about the origin of granola before, but I feel enlightened nonetheless. I am proud to say I was aware of the bit of trivia that Post stole the formula for Grape Nuts from the guy behind Kellogg’s…. and without Post’s theft, we may not have breakfast cereals as we know them today because Kellogg had no intention of making his granola a commercial product until he saw how successful Post was with Grape Nuts and eventually developed Corn Flakes…

    Liked by 1 person

    • evilsquirrel13, nice addition to this report. I intentionally didn’t read anything about Kellogg’s corn flakes because I knew it’d be another rabbit hole of cereal information– and there’s only so much info I want to know about cereals. I’m sure you understand.

      Like

    • Suzanne, I had no idea about the history of granola when I started researching it. It was idle curiosity, but fascinating once I got into it. I did not leave out a secret ingredient so try it to see what you think. This is a recipe I’ve had forever and tweaked along the way. I don’t know its original source… maybe Joy of Cooking? 🤷‍♀️

      Liked by 1 person

  19. I’ve been making my own granola since I retired after getting a strong craving for it. I change it up all the time. Sometimes I add chia seeds, pecans, walnuts. Try a tablespoon of sesame oil–YUM! Thanks for letting me know Mr. Kellogg stole the recipe. I like our versions better.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Annie, I should mess around with the ingredients in this recipe more. I never thought of sesame oil in it, but why not? Reading about Dr. Kellogg he doesn’t come across as the most ethical, moral person on earth– but he was a businessman through and through.

      Like

    • Maggie, before doing this research I had no idea where granola come from. Other than the grocery store shelves, of course. I can see how honey would work in place of the maple syrup. Good idea. Will keep that in mind.

      Liked by 1 person

  21. Thank you for that report! I learned a lot. I remember my mom buying Muesli in the 1970’s and I liked it. About two years ago, I started making homemade granola to cut back on the sugar of store bought (plus, I use less honey/maple syrup than recipes recommend or use 3 C oats). I make it about every other week for the three of us and we use it mostly as a crunchy topping for Greek yogurt. I make all sorts of varieties, but I have never cooked the oil/syrup ahead of time, nor have I ever stored the final product in the fridge.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Bijoux, I remember eating muesli when I was younger and we visited Canada, but it wasn’t a thing around here. I cut back on the maple syrup on this recipe. I only make it maybe 3 or 4 times a year but like you we usually put it on Greek yogurt. Whatever original recipe I started with for this one, it said to store it in the fridge, so I still do. Maybe I don’t have to? 🤔

      Like

    • Donna, what started out as idle curiosity morphed into this report. I agree with you. I learn about many things I’d never think to explore, but then am happy that someone else did– and wrote about it in blogland.

      Like

  23. I love granola. I was making my own GF version of it and freezing it in little 1/2 cups. It included dried cherries, dark chocolate chips, toasted quinoa, coconut, almond butter, GF oats, vanilla, and sunflower seeds. I stopped making it when I determined that I needed to steer clear of seeds, but I’ve recently been thinking that I could go back to it if I just leave out the sunflower seeds. Duh.

    You could now write a dissertation on the background and development of granola. That was quite a rabbit hole.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Ernie, dried cherries in granola sound good to me. Thanks for the idea. From what I can tell there’s really no right or wrong mix of ingredients in granola. I’m not keen on sunflower seeds, so if you take them out of your recipe I’d be all for it.

      I didn’t start out to learn this much about granola, but once I got started I kept going. Figured I should write about it here.

      Like

  24. I am always dumbfounded at the variety of types of granola recipes. Mine is so much easier than yours – there’s no stovetop involved! And I suspect mine has a much different texture than yours. I guess it’s true for all foods that given a general food people come up with a billion different variations, but it’s utterly surprising when I read a granola recipe that isn’t “dump everything in a bowl and mix it and then cook it on low heat for a while.” Ha!

    Liked by 1 person

    • NGS, you raise an excellent point about recipes for foods that are pretty much generic foods, like granola. I’ve never used a granola recipe that doesn’t involve making a sweet syrup-y concoction, but I know they exist. At the very end on my recipe everything has been dumped in a bowl and mixed together. I get where you end up eventually. 😊

      Like

    • Margaret, I don’t like the commercial brands of granola either– too sweet and too crunchy. Not to mention pricey. This recipe makes something that is good on top of yogurt.

      Like

    • Anne, I don’t eat granola often but the last time I made some I got curious about its beginnings. I can understand why you buy it at the grocery store, it’s definitely easier that way.

      Like

  30. I’ve never been a big fan of Granola, but LOVE Grapenuts, and Muesli. I discovered Muesli in France and haven’t found a really good one here that is a good as the ones I had for breakfast in France.
    I’ve never tried making my own! Your recipe looks good. I’m printing it out. I’ll let you know if I try it.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Deborah, I had muesli in Canada years ago and it was delicious. I don’t know of any American brands of it. I make granola for us because the store-bought stuff is too sweet and hard. Plus I like to cook and bake so why not make it!

      Liked by 1 person

        • I don’t think I’ve seen Alpine brand and don’t think I’ll look for it. I like remembering muesli as being a yummy Canadian food. I know what you mean about needing to be in the mood to cook and bake. I like to do it, but even then must be in the mood.

          Liked by 1 person

  31. Ooooh that looks tasty. Your recipe is very similar to mine, except I use coconut oil instead of olive oil for a bit more coconutty flavour. And no cranberries since one of my sons is allergic. But otherwise – very similar! I admit that I often buy granola, which is silly because it’s so simple to make, and cost-wise, is a fraction of store bought.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Nicole, I could use coconut oil, just never thought of it. Thanks for the idea. That’s one reason that I like granola recipes, they’re versatile and adaptable. And like you mention it’s much less costly to make it yourself.

      Like

  32. I like my home made granola on yogurt and raspberry rhubarb compote. We make ours with flax, quinoa and love adding dried apricots (cut up tiny) with the cranberries at the end. We skip the coconut and I just use maple syrup and no oil. Never thought about freeing it, just store it in a Tupperware container and never had an issue.

    Liked by 1 person

  35. It is amazing how inadvertently going down a rabbit hole becomes fodder for a post! I love when that happens. And your recipe looks and sounds divine. So much better than anything one can find in store – you get to control the amount of sugar and what goes in.

    Like

  36. I LOVE granola and tend to eat it as a dessert or evening snack with a bit of yogurt. I have a similar homemade granola recipe to what you’ve posted and it is delicious. But, these days I mostly “cheat” and buy boxed stuff. There is a particular brand and style I love the most and stock up whenever it is on sale. A generous helping of yogurt, a sprinkle of granola and chia seeds and a few chocolate chips for good measure. YUM!

    And now I’m hungry 🙂

    Like

    • Elisabeth, I like how you eat your granola. I often put it on Greek yogurt with some fruit for breakfast BUT I could be convinced to eat it for dessert too– especially with a few chocolate chips. I’m hungry now, too.

      Like

  37. Who knew you could find granola in a rabbit hole?? I’m continually learning something new from your blog, Ally. 🙂 I learned about muesli when I worked in Switzerland in the mid-seventies but my granola recipe comes from my uncle and I make it quite often as it’s the main thing I eat for breakfast. My daughters are always happy if I bring them some as a gift, but my husband isn’t really a granola guy (which is fine, otherwise I’d be making it all the time!) Lot of stealing going on the granola world (and elsewhere in the business world) wasn’t there?

    Like

    • Janet, I was surprised by the history of granola. I was just casually curious when I began researching, but quickly realized there’s quite a story of the stuff. You worked in Switzerland? That’s cool. My exposure to muesli is from travels in Canada.

      I could have started looking into the backstory of corn flakes, it was mentioned in passing in some articles about granola. But I decided I didn’t want to know what else Kellogg had done. He didn’t seem like a forthright fellow, very involved in eugenics.

      Like

      • We currently add beans to our cereal with a peanut-butter based dressing, sort of like a Thai peanut dish? I’m not sure if I’m explaining myself well in terms of what I mean by savory, we’re still in the “experimentation” phase, so we’re looking for ideas…

        Liked by 1 person

    • Gigi, I know what you mean about the quantity of some recipes. It’s a bit MUCH. As least this recipe is more in tune with a couple of people eating the stuff– and not getting tired of it.

      Like

  41. I’ve been making granola for 50 years! I didn’t realize it had been that long, but it has. I started when we had a little commune in Oregon in the 1970s. I’ve been using a recipe that has oats, almonds, cashews, and pumpkin seeds. The sweetener is a combination of maple syrup and safflower oil. I have it very often. I never refrigerated it, but now I’m wondering if I should. I love that you make granola and that you explored this long history of it. Thank you for that.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Robin, you are the queen of granola, all hail! I’ve never thought about putting pumpkin seeds in it, even though I like them. I also haven’t thought about safflower oil in years, but now that you mention it… the thing about granola recipes is that they are VERSATILE so so what you want. This report was not my intention when I went looking to find out about the roots of granola, but once I did I had to share it here.

      Like

  42. Oh, very interesting story about the story of granula/granola. All that stealing! And a couple in sanitariums? I’ve always wanted to try making my own granola but have not put much effort into it. Your recipe sounds delicious! I have a few ingredients missing (definitely will want to use cranberries) — so I need to pick up the items and give it a try! Thanks for sharing!!

    Liked by 1 person

    • M, I know what you mean about the sanitariums. From my perspective it sounds dodgy, but I think back then they were more for posh people not crazy people. If you try this recipe let me know what you think. We like it.

      Like

    • Eilene, I used to eat Grape Nuts with warm milk on them for breakfast in the winter. It helped soften them but the description of Jackson’s granula being “wheat rocks” did ring true with me about Grape Nuts. Hard little things, they are.

      Liked by 1 person

  46. When I lived in Liberia, granola-making was a ritual. Of course, ingredients were limited, so we usually used Quaker oats, which we could get in Monrovia, then added benne seed (sesame seed), peanuts from the local market, and fresh coconut, which cost only the ten cents needed to get a kid to shimmy up a tree and throw one down. Honey was the sweetener, and I must say that granola beat anything found in the stores here. It wasn’t a traditional Liberian food, of course, but believe me: once my houseboy got a taste of it, I had to lay down the law. Two bowlsful per day was the limit!

    Like

    • Linda, this is a wonderfully unique memory of making granola. Thanks for sharing it here. I like how you got your coconut. Talk about fresh! I understand how your Liberian granola would have tasted better than any other granola ever. Funny about the houseboy who took to the stuff. Wonder if he ever made any at home himself– or if he passed the recipe down to his children.

      Liked by 1 person

      • I suppose it would have been possible for him to make it at home, although without electricity or an oven, he would have been limited to a pot over the fire. Beyond that, he wouldn’t have been able to acquire the oats, unless someone in the village made the trip to Monrovia. I do laugh when I remember his preferences. He disliked green foods, other than cooked collards and such, so I learned to put green frosting on the brownies. It was the only way to keep him out of them. As for passing the recipe down to children, he disappeared in the Liberian civil war, so I doubt that.

        Liked by 1 person

        • I see your point about him not being able to make granola at home– and about how he might not have lived to a ripe old age. I love that you dyed the brownie frosting green to keep him away from them. Smart thinking. Why were you in Liberia, if you don’t mind me asking?

          Liked by 1 person

          • I was working with the Lutheran Church — a missionary, if you will. I started out there in public health (maternal/child health clinics), but added seminary teaching and hospital chaplaincy to my duties. That’s the experience that started me on the path to seminary and ordination.

            Liked by 1 person

            • I knew you’d gone to seminary but nothing more than that. It sounds like a fascinating life-changing experience that pointed you down a path that worked for you– and helped others in the process. Thanks for explaining.

              Liked by 1 person

  47. Despite the fact that I have one open package of one brand of granola and one unopened package of another brand of granola in my cupboard, I intend to make this recipe. What is it about winter that makes people crave granola? Or maybe it’s just me…

    Liked by 1 person

  48. It sounds good Ally but a lot of work, but worth it if you like granola. I like a teaspoon once in awhile mixed in with yoghurt, but usually end up throwing the rest of the box out after it goes stale.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Joni, I make granola maybe once a season. We don’t eat it every day so it seems special when I do make it. The boxed stuff doesn’t appeal to me. I’d let it get stale and throw it out too.

      Liked by 1 person

  49. Yum yum. A lovely sounding recipe. I used to make my own form of muesli from whole cooking oats (not the quick cook ones) – and add almonds and nuts and dried berries and loved it – I didn’t toast the oats though. I would add yoghurt or kefir or sourmilk for a probiotic boost. Since I retired I don’t often eat breakfast that often (such a bad habit I thought I would never adopt), although will have a piece of fruit on occasions. Unless you are coeliac, this is a great breakfast option for any age. It was interesting learning how this dish evolved. Darn Kellogg stealing the idea. It must have happened frequently in the commercial world.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Amanda, I’m sure I’d like your muesli. That’s something I’ve had on vacation in Canada, but don’t find around here. I never thought about how eating it or granola with yogurt [which is what I do] is a probiotic boost. I just like the flavors together.

      I don’t always eat breakfast anymore. When I was younger I always did, but as I’ve grown older I’m like you in that I eat a piece of fruit, or a handful of nuts, and call it breakfast.

      Like

          • You could be right that the reason we don’t have an appetite for breakfast is the slowing metabolism. If I am not exerting myself through the day, my body does not need large amounts of fuel early on and perhaps it has become accustomed to this.

            Liked by 1 person

  51. I enjoy granola with Greek yoghurt, but tend not to have it often because of the high sugar content (I avoid low fat yoghurts for the same reason). I have (albeit briefly) thought about making my own, but the experimentation required to work out a recipe I like put me off. I like your replacement of raisins with cranberries – excellent decision. I’d be tempted to try dates and cut down even more on the maple syrup (or honey – I like to use local honey for hay fever), and I wouldn’t include sesame seeds as I don’t like them much . Hmmm… I appear to be talking myself into giving it a try 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    • Deb, I understand about the high sugar content in granola. I eat it on plain Greek yogurt so I won’t end up grossed out by too much sweetness. Dates would be good in this recipe and I’m sure you could use honey, although I’m not a fan of that flavor but don’t hate it. As for the seeds, a few commenters have mentioned pepitas instead of sesame seeds. From what I can tell if you like it and think it belongs in granola, you can put it in!

      Liked by 1 person

  54. Very interesting, Ally. Like several others noted, Kellogg got what he deserved. Also, I had forgotten all about Grapenuts. I used to eat those on occasion. Now I can’t imagine why. 😂 I do like granola sprinkled in Greek yogurt on occasion. My husband is a big fan, so maybe I should surprise him by trying your recipe.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Christie, from what I can tell Kellogg wasn’t a good guy, more of a promoter than anything else. I used to eat Grapenuts, but haven’t had them in years. I do rather like that Post stole the idea for them from Kellogg. If you make the granola, it’ll be less sweet than the commercial stuff. That’s part of the reason I like it.

      Liked by 1 person

  55. I love the history lesson here with Granola. Who knew??
    I remember eating grapenuts many moons ago, and thinking about it now; it hurts my teeth. So hard. So chewy.
    I mostly avoid granola because of the sugar, but your take on it doesn’t look too sweet. Did you like it? Will you continue to make this recipe?

    Liked by 1 person

    • Suz, I became fascinated with the history of granola even though my initial intention was just idle curiosity. Grapenuts is an acquired taste– and for those with strong teeth! We like the recipe I shared. I tweaked it for many years, then stuck with this one. But the thing about granola is that you can make it pretty much any way that appeals to you and your taste buds. No right or wrong with it.

      Liked by 1 person

  56. Fascinating cereal-for-thought! I guess there should have been a patent for the first granola (granula?) and instead, different people spread the wealth. I dislike boxed cereal. UGH. Even good homemade granola is too much for me (although your recipe sounds yummy) but I do love a couple tablespoons of granola (as unsweet as possible) on my yogurt every morning. Call me a hippie granola-eater. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

      • Well your food photography is wonderful (as usual) and the down views with your beautiful countertops are other takeaways!
        And side note – we sometimes buy grain-free granola mixes – but they are very expensive and also just not needed anymore – my eating has changed drastically – and so if I do long hikes (long for me are still
        Baby hikes – ha) but an 10ounce bag of raw cashews is my go to snack !

        Like

        • Thanks about the photos. It took me a few takes to get them right. I’ve never looked for grain-free granola, but good to know it’s out there. I like raw almonds as my go-to snack, but I’d eat cashews too.

          Liked by 1 person

          • oh just a tip – be careful with raw almonds – it is truly a but that s not ideal “raw”
            I learned this in 2018 – when I ate too many (while laboring for a party i was setting up – almonds were my go to)
            anyhow, as great as they are – they really should be soaked to release something in the outer coating
            I was warned of this but disregarded the comments because I thought folks were just anti raw – (if that makes sense) – and then maybe I just had too many raw almonds that day (or week) but I learned a big lesson that some nuts (and some veggies too) have anti-nutrients and need to be cooked (or blanched if almonds) = just some “food for thought”
            and for some reason – raw cashews are totally different – and have become my go to if I travel (because it coud be a meal) or if I hike and need fuel
            XX
            🙂

            Like

              • I think the first time I heard about the need to blanch almonds – it was from a blogger!
                but as noted – I can be resistant and know this is just how I am – hahah
                and so I used to buy the large bags of almonds and then pour hot water over them – let them soak – drain it and then toast them in different ways – depending on what I was using them for
                but now I usually only eat walnuts and cashews – and never buy them with “industrial seed oils” like canola – blah

                Liked by 1 person

  58. I love all your research, nice job, Ally. I’ve been on a research kick for the last 3 years too. I eat the exact opposite breakfast, bacon & eggs, and butter! The research you found still holds steady with the message that my breakfast isn’t healthy, no surprise to me. My research took me on the path of, “What if everything I learned so far about the food we eat was a lie, where would that take my rabbit hole digging?”

    It’s out there, the research that supports the alternatives as healthier, however, the search engines tend to feed-forward that which has the most funding to support it. That trail always takes us back to the founders of the processed foods (Kellogg, Post, etc.) that get/spend the most advertising $. Tufts University’s Food Compass is funded by all of them too, interestingly, processed cereals like Reese’s Puffs are highly recommended over eggs and butter. WTH?

    There’s some history you didn’t find about cereals. For kicks about more hidden connections to funding sources for grains, etc., look for the video from Belinda Fettke: Nutrition Science: How did we get here.” That one was, like a WTF moment!

    Your granola version looks delightful though. I wouldn’t eat it at all now, but, I think it’s great that you enjoy it. Back in the day, I did love a bowl of oatmeal, with cut-up apples, cinnamon, some honey, and skim milk.

    And…to end my rambling thoughts to share, I just read Toxic Superfoods by Sally K. Norton, it’s an eye-opener for sure about many foods that we eat that we think are healthy for us. I’m still trying to process the book so far. I do see some interesting connections though.

    Enjoy your breakfast!

    Like

    • Shelley, I enjoyed doing this research but it was accidental. I just got curious then found out more than I [or anyone?] needs to know about granola. Still what is a blog for if not to share the rabbit holes you explore.

      You raise a great point about search engines and the algorithms they use when answering a query. Obviously industries lobby for their ideas to be first in line. There’s always bias. I remember way back when before Google when you had to pick a specific search engine [Altavista or Ask Jeeves] that focused on one type of information, then ask your questions. The answers you received were more diverse.

      As for some foods being healthy then not healthy then healthy again, same as it ever was. In my lifetime I’ve been told that for breakfast I should eat sugar-y cereals, then bacon & eggs, then whole grain cereals with soy milk, then egg white omelets with cheese, then toast with avocado. I’m aware of the advice and trends then eat a variety of foods, in a balanced way, with moderate proportions. For me as long as there’s no HFCS or aspartame or high fat foods, I’m good, my tummy approves.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Yes, Yes, Yes! What we’re fed and told to believe has definitely ebbed and flowed over the years. I found some old ‘healthy’ magazines I had saved from the 1990s, it’s quite interesting to read them and see what advice is still true and what has completely changed again. I saved the page that said a glass of red wine is good for you and prevents cancer. 😏

        I chuckled at the Ask Jeeves comment…I remember my husband thinking that was the coolest thing. Our kids grew up with the rules to look on the internet for research. Whereas I still kind of miss the idea of the card files at the library and the wandering until you could find the book on the shelf. The real proof that it was written down for all ages to prove it had to be true. 🤔😉 Speaking of that, have you checked out ChatGPT yet? I could see you finding very interesting questions to ask it (https://chat.openai.com/).

        Liked by 1 person

        • I try to like red wine but prefer a crisp white one instead. Of course the *healthy* wine is the one I don’t like. Drinking red is more like taking medicine to me– and where’s the joy in that?

          Thanks for the link. I know of ChatGPT but haven’t done anything with it. Last fall I was messing around with Craiyon, an AI image generator that makes pictures based on your prompts. That was fun.

          Liked by 1 person

          • Yes, dry red wine is an aquired taste, it took me a long time to get there, but the organic brands tend to taste smooth to me now. It’s all really poison, but it’s fun to pick the poison of choice when the occasion strikes and the only wine emoji fits. 🍷

            You’re welcome. I haven’t done anything with the AI apps either. I think Apple via my phone, and Google via my computer do enough gathering of data. I think I remember you using that image generator, it did look fun!

            As always, I enjoyed your post and look forward to your next one!

            Liked by 1 person

  59. Oh my! I made a batch of that granola recipe you posted the other day Ally Bean. . Made a triple sized batch this morning. I think I found a new food group to experiment with in the kitchen. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Neil, I make granola maybe three or four times a year. It’s an *event* when I do. That’s often enough for us. This last time, in addition to making it, I got curious about its origins, hence my report.

      Liked by 1 person

  61. Fascinating history — I never stopped to wonder where the idea for granola came from. I used to make it regularly back in the 1980s but when my kids got into their teens they stopped eating it. Now I can’t eat it but your recipe looks delicious! (I don’t care for raisins, either…)

    Liked by 1 person

    • Barbara, I don’t know why I suddenly got curious about the origin of granola, but I did. Then I discovered more than I anticipated. Not a fan of raisins but I know many people add them to granola which works just fine… for them.

      Liked by 1 person

  62. “Wheat rocks” – that cracked me up, Ally. I guess when you’re used to bacon and eggs you’re gonna to turn your nose up at a concept like granola. Your recipe sounds delicious. One of my go-to breakfasts is unflavored yogurt sweetened with fruit and a small helping of whole-grain cereal. I’m tempted to substitute the cereal with your granola and see if it’s even better.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Dave, I found the “wheat rocks” description to be delightfully petty, but I suppose it was accurate. I like plain yogurt with fruit and granola on top tastes good to me. I don’t make granola all the time so it’s a special treat for us.

      Like

  63. I’m late to this party (it’s been a week) but your post reminded me of how my mother used to put oatmeal into our hamburgers to stretch the meat a little farther for our family. The reason for it was economical, but I really liked the taste and texture. My husband was horrified, however, so I haven’t done that in years. Now, I crave an oatmeal burger!
    Apart from that, I’m not really a granola person. I eat plain cooked oatmeal with a banana cut up in it. Delicious!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Arlene, my mother made meatloaf with oats in it instead of bread crumbs, but no burgers. They do sound good to me, so I may try that. We like granola maybe three or four times a year as something special. I couldn’t eat it daily. And thanks for stopping by to comment. I always like hearing from you.

      Liked by 1 person

  65. I actually knew the history of granola, which just goes to show what a food nerd I am. I’ve never made my own though. BTW, once-baked zwieback toast is horrible enough. I can’t imagine degrading it further by baking it a second time!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Mark, you are an impressive person. I didn’t know any of this, but found myself drawn into the drama of it. I wondered about twice-baked zwieback, too. The people who ate Jackson’s granula must have had strong teeth and jaws.

      Like

  67. What the heck is with the sanitariums and the baked oat cluster things? That’s fascinating. Thanks for the history lesson.

    I love that Post ripped off Kellogg after Kellogg ripped off Jackson. Too perfect.

    Liked by 1 person

    • J, from what I can tell the sanitariums were pushing a vegetarian diet and it seemed to start with grains. I agree about the delightful deceit of Post taking what Kellogg took from Jackson. Made me smile.

      Like

  70. I never considered the history of granula/granola and I thank you for your research, Ally. I used to make it years ago. Your recipe looks a lot more interesting than mine. Thanks for all this!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Barbara, I’d never thought much about granola either, but the last time I made some I got curious so I did some research that led to more research etc, etc. Glad you enjoyed my rabbit hole.

      Liked by 1 person

  71. This was interesting Ally – I never knew about the history of granola. I have been eating pre-made granola off and on through the years and yes, I was part of the hippie generation, having been a teen when I first heard the word granola. I’ve never made my own, but my mom used to make granola bars all the time – they had raisins and peanuts and oatmeal of course, but I don’t recall any more of the ingredients. They were not exceptionally chewy, rather they were more the consistency of the Nature Valley Granola Bars. I really loved those NV bars back in the day, but as I got older and had to get a crown when a large filling started to crumble, I decided I would never eat another granola bar. Sadly, I also gave up eating biscotti cookies for the same reason.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda, I was amazed by what I learned about granola once I started researching it. It has quite a history. I’ve had those NV Granola Bars but it’s been years. They’re something I used to pack when I was flying somewhere, wanting to have a snack with me just in case of delays. I’m sorry you had to give them up, but probably for the best. Better to have sound teeth.

      Liked by 1 person

      • I had no idea on the history before reading this post. I have used granola to mix with yogurt for a little crunch or I mix some trail mix with the granola as well. I always packed NV bars with me and I loved the crunchy oat best … the dentist always says “eat what you want, a crown will never come loose.” I decided not to tempt fate.

        Like

Comments are closed.