Once You Start Grilling Your Granola You'll Never Turn Back

Whether you're dishing up s'mores, sausages, kebabs, or your catch of the day, part of the fun of camping out is cooking your food over an open flame. And with a little ingenuity, there's very little that you can't make on the grill, including breakfast.

For a hands-off, healthy snack, try throwing some granola on the grill alongside your buttermilk pancakes and bacon the next time you're serving an early morning outdoor feast. Your granola ingredients will pick up the deep, smoky flavor from the fire as they toast. The resulting roasted, nutty taste pairs perfectly with coffee.

Before your fireside breakfast, add freeze-dried fruit, coconut flakes, and pecans to grilled granola and serve it over tart yogurt or creamy oatmeal for a welcome crunch. Grilled granola is also an excellent trail treat as you hike. Mix your granola with other trail mix ingredients like pretzels, peanuts, and chocolate pieces for an elevated, easy-to-carry trail snack.

First, mix up a batch of granola as you normally would: with rolled oats, rice cereal, and sliced or whole nuts. Mix in your preferred binding ingredients, like honey, maple syrup, or egg whites, as well as oil or butter, spices, seasonings, or even coffee grounds. Fire up your grill until it reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit (usually medium heat), and leave enough space to apply some indirect heat to the granola. Just like in the oven, granola can turn from perfectly toasted to burned in a blink. If your grill is gas-powered, leave some of the burners off. If you're cooking up a snack on a charcoal grill, move your hot coals off to one side.

Tear off a sizable square of aluminum foil. If it's not the strong stuff, use two layers. Spray the foil generously with nonstick cooking spray. Dollop your granola on the center of your square and fold each edge of aluminum inward. You want to leave a gap open to let some air out and to keep an eye on your granola as it cooks. Place your packet over indirect heat. Every 10 minutes, open your granola packet and give it a stir until every morsel looks crisp and golden. Err on the side of caution, as granola can easily taste burnt no matter how you bake it. Also be sure to handle your packet with care using oven mitts, tongs, or a kitchen towel. Let the foil contents cool completely before serving.