Tropical Fruit, Nut and Spelt Granola

Tropical Fruit and Nut Granola (0365) by Meeta K. Wolff

Experts have told us over and over again that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and one should never skip it. The ancient proverb “Breakfast like a King, lunch like a Prince and dine like a pauper” has more than a grain of truth in it.

I grew up in an Indian family traveling around the world. Living outside of India as kids a lot of our food habits were often influenced by the cuisine of the the country we were currently living in.  What I distinctly remember however was, contrary to the proverb, we would dine in true royal Indian manner! 

Dinner was the most important meal for us, simply because it was a practical means to get the whole family together. My mother would take this occasion each evening to cook up a decadent and lavish meal during the week. Breakfasts on a typical weekday usually consisted of a sandwich and a bottle of chocolate milk while we dashed off to get to school.  Lunches were taken at school and comprised of a lunchbox filled with fruit, sandwiches or leftovers and salads. I’d spend some of my money at the school tuck-shop buying a packet of crisps or get myself a legendry egg roll from a small dingy looking place next to our school (this egg roll is worth a whole post in itself!).

When I left home as a young adult, things changed a bit and I have to admit for a while my eating habits took a terrible dip. When you are young who has time to eat!  Meals were the things you basically crammed in between stress and hectic. Coming to Germany however, changed that and I began to take more interest in food as a means to socialize in a new country and learn a new language. I was reminded of my mother, who always told us that meals should be a celebration of sharing and being together with family and friends. I still live with these words.

Tropical Fruit and Nut Granola (0354) by Meeta K. Wolff

The most precious thing I learned in those early days here in Europe was that very important proverb. Most of the Germans I know are roughly guided by the proverb. I soon found myself adapting to the old saying too and realized that taking this time in the mornings to kick-start the day was not only a way of keeping me fitter but it also provided a vital mental retreat before tackling the rest of the day.

Over the years I still live by the rule and have adapted it to fit the lifestyle of my family and myself. For me breakfast is a reflective repast which allows me a few moments to replenish the mind, nourish the body and spend a moment or two with my little family before we all haste out and plunge into our work day.

Tropical Fruit and Nut Granola (0362) by Meeta K. Wolff

During the week Soeren and I will get together at the breakfast table and we take some time together to enjoy a bowl of granola or muesli. This is our weekday ritual and we hardly ever stray away from tucking into a big (or small) bowl of homemade granola. We vary it with different fruits nuts or flakes, sometimes with yogurt other times with milk - but always granola or muesli.

At school Soeren has a second breakfast break and I usually pack this box full of fruit, a sandwich, a brioche or a croissant. Carbs for a growing energetic boy - a must. Once at work I also like indulging in a second breakfast. My colleagues and I will get together in the kitchen and over steaming cups of coffee or espresso we usually chatter about sometimes important, other times less important matters of the world. My second breakfast is often a bowl of fruit with yogurt, sometimes a brioche, crisp bread, a croissant or just another bowl of granola.

Tropical Fruit and Nut Granola (0359) by Meeta K. Wolff

With all the granola and muesli we eat it’s not surprising that I make large batches almost every week. In a previous post I shared the difference between the American granola and its European counterpart, muesli, and I also declared my affinity to the crispy, sweet and golden roasted granola. But did you know that if one was living in Australia, one could risk legal action for using the word “GRANOLA"?”

In an article from the Telegraph, an Australian chef was issued a letter by the company Sanitarium informing him that his use of the word “granola” on his menu was actually a trademark infringement. Only in Australia one can obtain the official “granola” as Sanitarium has copyrighted the name there.

So what did the chef do?

After claiming "It's kind of silly..” he did change the name of the dish on his menu to:

"Cereal, Nuts, Poached Pear & Sheep Yoghurt.”
The menu went on to explain: "No it's not . . . you can't use 'that name' because it is a registered trademark. We don't want to get sued -- this is a dish of cereal and nuts toasted in maple syrup, spice and NOT 'you know what'." (source The Telegraph)

You’ve got to giggle about the granola fiasco!

Tropical Fruit and Nut Granola (0358) by Meeta K. Wolff

Luckily I am not in Australia and I can still call my granola “granola” without risking any legal action. This granola is a lovely summer time version filled with tropical flavors of dried papaya, mango, pineapple and coconut. I use rolled spelt flakes for a more earthy note and a mixture of cashew nuts, almonds and hazelnuts for a big crunchy bite.

Don’t forget that all this month I am hosting the Monthly Mingle and the theme is GRANOLA & MUESLII’d love to see your creations of not only breakfast cereals but also treats using both. You still have till the end of the month (June 30th) so get your granola/muesli recipes over here!

Recipe: Tropical Fruit, Nut and Spelt Granola

Printable version of recipe here

Tropical Fruit and Nut Spelt Granola by Meeta K. Wolff

Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Serves: approx. 8 servings

Ingredients:

  • 200g clear honey
  • 4 tablespoon rapeseed oil
  • 300g rolled spelt flakes
  • 50g cashew nuts
  • 50g blanched almonds
  • 50g hazelnuts
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon fleur de sel
  • 150g dried tropical fruit mix. I used: papaya, mango, pineapple
  • 50g desiccated coconut flakes

Method:

  1. Heat oven to 180 degrees C. In a large pan, heat the honey and oil together until bubbling, then add the oats, nuts, fleur de sel and cinnamon. Stir well until the oats and nuts are well coated, and then transfer onto 1 or 2 baking sheets, spreading the mixture out. Bake for 20-25 minutes , stirring halfway, until golden.

  2. Remove from the oven and, while still hot, stir in the fruit and coconut. Spread out again and press down with a spatula to cool - this will make it clump together. Once the granola has completely cooled transfer to an airtight container. The granola will keep for 3 weeks.

Verdict

Tropical Fruit and Nut Granola (0351) by Meeta K. Wolff

I love adding fresh fruit to my bowl of granola and here I added chunks of juicy mango and delightful fresh sweet raspberries. A dollop of thick Greek-style yogurt rounds it off so perfectly. The gorgeous pieces of dried fruit gleam like jewels in the golden honey coated cereal - what better way to start your day!

Hope you all enjoy the rest of the week and your weekend. Treat yourself to a lavish breakfast and make it an occasion of celebration and indulgence, providing a chance to reconnect with family and friends.

Hugs!

You might like these GRANOLA ideas from WFLH:

Four Grain Berry Pistachio Nut Granola Bar (02) by MeetaK Granola Goji Muffins (03) by MeetaK Granola Berry Nut Chocolate Intens (0002) by MeetaK
Granola Bars - Four Grain Very Berry Pistachio Nut Granola Goji Muffins Granola - Berry Nut Chocolate Intense


All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2012 Meeta Khurana Wolff unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First

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24 comments:

  1. I rarely eat breakfast, but I love having brunch. This granola looks and sounds amazing. Perfect with yogurt and fruits.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  2. I love your *ahem* granola! Dinner has always really been our family time although this year lunch has more often found the four of us together at home around the table. But since we married a million years ago, breakfast has always belonged to JP and I: we always made it a point to get up before the boys and have that quiet start of the day together. But granola is actually my mid-morning snack! I still have yet to make it.

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  3. Same here back at home Dinner was the mail meal time as all of us were together for this meal.
    Here on the other hand lunch is the main meal unless if it is a weekend.
    You do live a healthy way and i wish i was like you.
    Granola looks so good.

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  4. I love breakfasts, in every style - sometimes with a big slice of bread and cheese and german "Aufschnitt" - you know ;-) As a child I wasn't a big fan of muesli because most times it was so soggy because of to much milk. But I like the so called granola - roasting flavors and grispy-crunchy. Yours look perfect - I love dried fruits.
    I will hurry up with my monthly mingle and it was a real challenge I have to admit.
    warmly, Sandy

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  5. A fabulous post and your photos are amazing. I love Granola too, so easy to make so must try making it. I found your blog through Facebook.

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  6. I was going to say in Australia you can't call it Granola but saw you mentioned it here. It's such a ridiculous thing that's happening here. Anyway, your granola looks fabulously delicious. I usually eat toast for breakfast, but sometimes I get a craving for granola.

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  7. Well...who knew that the word granola was so controversial? I had no idea about that granola word fiasco...as far as I know we've always called it muesli here (and granola is considered to be a US word). Anyway, I like your take on it Meeta...the tropical touch is divine!

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  8. I always admire your photography and recipes. Love this healthy treat!!

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  9. Although I love a crunchy granola, we are regular muesli makers and eaters here in Hamburg. Always with a little fruit, Ollie takes his with milk and me with yogurt. My teen went through a no breakfast phase which practically killed me knowing how vital it is. I'm happy to say she came around and reading about how it's the most important meal of the day sunk in better than hearing it from me. Whatever! Just eat it!

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  10. Hi Meeta,
    I always love your posts and your photography too! The proverb holds true, only thing important is discipline to follow it :). I am regularly having muesli with nuts in milk. Would love to try your version too.

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  11. That's a funny story from Australia LOL!

    I love granola or cereal so much that at times I even make this my 4 o'clock snack bite with some fruits on it.

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  12. Oh goodness that's so funny about the Australian granola fuss! I'd never heard of that before.

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  13. Such a pretty granola recipe Meeta!! Love those bright flavors.

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  14. I am more of a big breakfast person. But then again that depends if I'm also going on a hike on a particular day.

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  15. It was definitely rather tough for me to learn to have breakfast- my first meal for the day was my lunch, but since I started to aet cereal and fruits in the morning I feel much more energized.

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  16. wow... tempting granola. lovely pictures

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  17. I've always been a real breakfast girl and granola or muesli is one of my favorites. For some reason I have never made my own though. I keep meaning to do that but you just convinced me to have a go.. ;) This looks totally delicious and my kind of breakfast for sure! O and thanks for the Monthly Mingle reminder!

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  18. Great recipe Meeta. I just made some granola today for your monthly mingle event. Amazing pictures too Meeta.

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  19. Absolutely mouth watering and beautiful pics!!

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  20. Well I think I'm fairly safe in using the word "granola" to say. I love this post on granola- the recipe, the childhood stories an of course the granola fiasco story.

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  21. That's another inch on my hips!

    By the way, I've nominated you for a Veratile Blogger Award - I hope you don't mind.

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  22. Aww Meeta love the whimsical Australian tid bit. I love granola and used to make it every week so thanks for the lift to get me going again. I will head over to your post about the difference between granola and musli, have no clue how did I miss it?!

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  23. Thank you all so much for stopping by and for all your comments. Isn't that little story about the granola fiasco just hilarious? Although I can see where the company is coming from I still really like the way the chef reacted. Kudos. Glad you liked the granola recipe here too - for those who love fruit and fruity flavors you will love this.

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Thank you for visiting What's For Lunch, Honey? and taking time to browse through my recipes, listen to my ramblings and enjoy my photographs. I appreciate all your comments, feedback and input. I will answer your questions to my best knowledge and respond to your comments as soon as possible.

In the meantime I hope you enjoy your stay here and that I was able to make this an experience for your senses.

Hugs
Meeta