4 Unusual Granola Recipes from Lunch to Dinner
Ready to take granola beyond breakfast? This wholesome treat can replace breadcrumbs, flour, and other grains in certain recipes, having the power to transform your everyday dishes into something with a bit of crunchy pizzazz. Here are four unusual—and tasty!— granola recipes to take you from lunch to dinner to dessert.
- Crusted fish. Use granola in place of (or in combination with) breadcrumbs to crust your favorite fish fillet for a great crunch with just a touch of sweetness. To do it, lightly pulse granola in a food processor until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs (about a cup of granola for four fillets total). Next, dredge each of your fish fillets first in a bowl of flour, then in a bowl of buttermilk (or non-dairy milk with a small teaspoon of apple cider vinegar added to it), then finally in your bowl of ground granola. Bake as usual and enjoy!
- Granola gratin. For a sweet and spiced gratin topping—in place of the usual savory cheesy topping—use granola instead of the typical breadcrumbs and cheese formula. This is especially yummy with baked sweet potato casserole—just in time for holiday menus! To do it, create your gratin filling as usual (whether vegetables, fruits, or mashed sweet potatoes) and place filling in casserole dish. For the topping, pulse breadcrumbs together until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs, and add a couple of tablespoons of either olive oil or melted butter, along with either a pinch of salt and herbs for a more savory twist, or sugar and spice for a more sweet twist. Sprinkle mixture over casserole and bake until browned and lightly crisp.
- Crusted nuts. This amazing take on the classic candied nuts is perfect for the holidays, and the idea comes from the always-inspiring food blog Smitten Kitchen. Pulse granola in a food processor until very fine but not completely ground; leave in one bowl. In another bowl, beat an egg white gently until just frothy. Now, toss your nuts in the frothed egg white until fully coated, then toss lightly in the granola mixture—don’t overmix. Lay nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 275F-300F until golden, about 20 to 30 minutes, shaking pan once to move around the nuts.
- Granola pie crust. Jazz up your holiday pie by making a no-brainer pie crust with granola. To do it, pulse about 1 ½ to 2 cups granola in a food processor until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add a few tablespoons of melted butter or olive oil, and if the granola you’re using is not particularly sweet, also add in a few tablespoons of dry sweetener of choice. Pulse again lightly until mixture is moistened and cohesive. Transfer to a pie plate and bake at 350F until pie is just golden, about 10 to 13 minutes. Remove from oven and cool before using in pie recipe.
Related on Organic Authority
Kid-Approved Homemade Granola Bar Recipe
Homemade Granola Bars for a Healthy After-School Snacks
Super Food Granola Recipe (Gluten-Free)
Image adapted from Flickr, Veganbaking.net, CC BY-SA 2.0
