Granola

Flaxseed is an incredible source of omega-3s.

There’s nothing quite like making your own granola. You can toss in as many nuts and fruits as you want and sweeten it to your taste. While the possibilities are endless, we love this honey-sweetened variation with sesame seeds. The cardamom clings to the almonds, dried apricots and pears, and oats, adding an exotic touch.

The Seaman and Steel families are addicted to this homemade granola with dried blueberries and sweet dates. Serve it with a splash of milk or a spoonful of yogurt or ice cream, sprinkled on pancakes, or in a smoothie.

Honey and dried fruit sweeten oats and nuts to make this easy stir-and-bake breakfast.

Egg whites replace the usual oil or butter. This recipe makes a lot of granola, but that's just fine because there are so many things you can do with it. 1. For a breakfast parfait
Layer thawed frozen berries, vanilla yogurt, and granola in a tall glass. Drizzle with honey.
2. As a topping for apple pie
Instead of streusel, sprinkle granola over the apples during the last five minutes of the pie's baking time.
3. For trail mix
Just add M&Ms or white-chocolate chips, and you're ready for a hike.

Serve this granola with milk and sliced bananas or yogurt for breakfast, or sprinkle it over ice cream for dessert.

Unlike many store-bought granolas, this luxurious blend of oats, green pumpkin seeds, and exotic dried fruit is preservative-free and not overly sweet. Sprinkle it on yogurt, pancakes, or waffles—or simply enjoy eating it out of hand.

Sue Ellison of Edgewater, Colorado, writes: "Although I play guitar and piano, and have worked for more than 20 years as an elementary-school music teacher, at this point music is just my job; cooking is my passion. It's an interest I share with my daughter, Hannah. We do a phenomenal amount of cooking together. In fact, I think she learned how to count using chocolate chips, standing on a stool next to me at the kitchen counter while I baked chocolate croissants." Roasted pine nuts add a southwestern accent to this lightly sweetened granola. Once the granola has cooled, leave it in large chunks for a snack or crumble it into bits for a cereal topping. Either way, it will keep up to one week if stored airtight.

In addition to being great with milk at breakfast time, this is nice sprinkled over yogurt, fruit or ice cream, or baked into your favorite granola cookies or bars.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. This granola is delicious topped with fresh fruit (we suggest kiwifruit and pineapple) or on its own, served with milk or yogurt. The recipe makes about 6 cups, so you'll have some left over.

"When we visit our daughter at Amherst College in Massachusetts, my husband and I stay at The Lord Jeffery Inn," says Caroline I. Cameron of Washington, D.C.."The granola at breakfast is terrific. I would be grateful if you could get the recipe from their chef so that I can surprise my husband by making the granola at home." This granola can also be enjoyed as a snack with the addition of chocolate chips. You could sprinkle it over ice cream, too.

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 hr