Raisins and whole almonds perk up this bowl of granola, from La Campagne. Photography by Elvira Kalviste | THE NIBBLE.
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STEPHANIE ZONIS is a contributing editor.
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January 2012 |
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Page 6c: Best Granola
The Best Granola Brands From C To F
This is Page 6c of a seven-page-plus article on granola cereal, and reviews of 44 granola cereal brands and nine muesli brands. Click on the black links below to visit other pages.
Article Index
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Granola Reviews
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Cascadian Farm (Certified Kosher, Certified Organic)
Certified organic. Certified kosher by The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations. The Cinnamon Raisin Granola (serving size listed as 2/3 cup. Per 1/2 cup: 157.5 calories, 18.75 fat calories, 12 g sugars, 150 mg sodium) contains no nuts. This is a light-textured mix of small clusters with dark raisins. A slight cinnamon/honey flavor. Doesn’t taste salty despite the considerable sodium content. The Dark Chocolate Almond Granola (serving size listed as 3/4 cup. Per 1/2 cup: 139.9 calories, 26.6 fat calories, 9.3 g sugars, 99.9 mg sodium) has a slight chocolate aroma. It contains dark chocolate chips but the chocolate flavor is decidedly modest. Again, there is no salt taste, despite a higher sodium content than most other products tested. Website.
Cycle de Vie Granola
This granola is attractively packaged in mason jars. A light-textured, loose granola. The coconut flakes and dried currants are especially appealing in this mix. It isn’t too sweet, but it’s too salty for my minimalist salt preferences. Website.
Emmy’s Granola
These are raw, buckwheat-based granolas. Verified non-GMO by the Non-GMO Project. All serving sizes are 57 grams; I don’t know how to translate that into a cup measurement. Most ingredients used are organic. The Original Granola (per 57 grams: 200 calories, 45 fat calories, 9 g sugars, 35 mg sodium) has a pleasant date-cinnamon flavor, although the large clusters are quite difficult to bite into and to chew. The apricots in the Apricot Flax Granola (per 57 grams: 195 calories, 27 fat calories, 12 g sugars, 8 mg sodium) provided most of the flavor in this granola. They tended to be in large chunks. Again, the granola was hard to bite into and chew. One chunk had an entire dried apricot half on one side; this was attractive, but both apricot and granola were so hard I couldn’t bite off a smaller piece. There was a slight peanut flavor in the Peanut Butter Banana Granola (per 57 grams: 218 calories, 62 fat calories, 10 g sugars, 17 mg sodium), and it contains both banana chips and dried bananas, so you get a hint of fruit flavor, as well. This granola seemed less hard than the others. Website.
Familia
A very crisp, light texture with a strong apple presence (due to the use of apple juice concentrate and apple pieces) denoted the Low Fat Granola (serving size listed as 2/3 cup. Per 1/2 cup: 157.5 calories, 22.5 fat calories, 10.5 g sugars, 82.5 mg sodium). There were no nuts in this blend. Also see our review of Familia muesli. Website.
FIKA Granola Deluxe
Crammed with dried fruits, nuts and seeds, this was more like a muesli to me; the oat base didn’t seem to have been toasted/baked, although I called to double-check and was told that it is indeed baked. I found this granola at the Chocolate Show in New York City; at present, I don’t see it on the company’s website. No nutrition information provided. Website.
Flour Craft Bakery (Gluten Free, Organic Ingredients)
Most ingredients used in these gluten-free granolas are organic. All serving sizes are listed as one ounce. The Maple Pecan (per one ounce: 136 calories, 74 fat calories, 5 g sugars, 130 mg sodium) was a loose blend, quite dry in nature, with no fruit. The toasted (unsweetened) coconut flakes were a nice touch, but the blend was much too salty. The Cranberry Almond (per one ounce: 129 calories, 65 fat calories, 6 g sugars, 115 mg sodium) was packed with dried cranberries and good-sized chunks of almonds. This is visually-pleasing blend, with good textural contrast, but it tastes slightly too salty. Website.
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