Granola came into vogue during the health-food movement of the '60s, quietly retreated, and in the past few years has become popular again.

Today you will find upscale bakeries and restaurants that sell personalized versions of granola, each with their own mix of nuts, fruits and grains. They are often pricey and, frankly, not as good as making your own, often filled with excess oil and sugar. The following recipe is filled with a toasted oat and nut flavor and is not too sweet. I like to add shredded coconut for a touch of tropical flavor. If you like you can add macadamia nuts too!

After graduating from UC Berkeley, the capital of political demonstrations and granola, I went off to study at Le Cordon Bleu in London. Cooking up all of those rich dishes sometimes seemed too much. I yearned for lighter food that reminded me of the U.S., and I decided that I could create the best granola that any Brit had ever tasted.

I sought out health food stores with raw nuts and dried fruits and experimented with a number of variations. A culinary "breakthrough" occurred in my tiny flat when I combined some tasty honey with crispy nut and fruit granola in my even tinier oven and produced the basic recipe that I am now sharing with you

Try this dish with yogurt and maple syrup. If you have any fresh berries on hand, toss them on top. I also like to layer this with my favorite fruit yogurt and berries in parfait glasses. And don't forget to try it in hot oatmeal for a comforting, textural surprise.

This homemade granola has a wonderful toasted flavor with just a hint of honey or maple syrup: a perfect start to the new year, when we all want to eat healthy. Feel free to add any combination of dried fruits and nuts, and try to make extra batches to toss into cookies and sprinkle over ice cream. This also makes a great gift.

Toasted Oat Granola

Makes 8 cups

5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 1/2 cups unsalted sunflower seeds

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