A medley of aromas — cinnamon, peanut butter, and even cayenne pepper — swirls around the kitchen whenever Sarah Lanphier makes granola.

She makes huge batches of the oat-filled creations every couple of weeks — 300 pounds at a time — for her business Nuts About Granola, with promises of fresh, unforgettable ingredients.

"We specialize in unique flavors, so I typically pick a dessert or a type of more-like-dessert item and try to make it into a granola," she said at the business's Lancaster Central Market stand.

Lanphier said Nuts About Granola products are full of wholesome ingredients: "We use a lot of natural and organic extracts, zests and spices."

While she hands out free samples of the Plane Jane variety, an original flavor with bursts of peanut butter and a little bit of honey, the 2009 Elizabethtown College graduate wears a crimson T-shirt with "Are You Nuts?" emblazoned in gold lettering.

Customers certainly have been going nuts for the handmade granola, with other varieties including "Creamsicle" and "Mexican Hot Chocolate," which resulted from a "Create Your Own Flavor" contest and has a kick of cayenne pepper at the end of every bite.

Lanphier is not the only one to catch on to the freshly made granola craze — food enthusiasts at home also have been turning to healthier granola recipes that still yield plenty of flavor.

Anyone can try mixing together delicious, nutritious granola in the kitchen. Lauren Podolsky, a Mechanicsburg resident and fan of the local granola company, makes her own to add to her breakfasts and has even given some to her friends as Christmas gifts.

"I do admit I feel a little better when eating my own granola, only because I am able to control what goes into it," she said. "I go through the stuff like it's my job, but I also try to be aware of how much I am consuming."

Podolsky writes about her daily eats and healthy lifestyle on her blog "Say What You Need to Say." A recent post describes a cereal bowl concoction: 1/4 cup Kashi Go Lean Crunch cereal, 1/4 cup Kashi Island Vanilla cereal, a diced pear, a sprinkle of blackberries, vanilla Oikos yogurt, and the star of the bowl — 2 tablespoons of her Apricot Cherry Coconut Granola.

Liz Ehrhart, owner of Furnace Hills Bed and Breakfast in Denver with her husband, Ben, serves granola that she whips up in the kitchen using a recipe from Washington Post columnist Leigh Lambert.

Ehrhart said Lambert's recipe is perfect for "peanut butter lovers" and serves it to guests along with an almond butter granola recipe she created herself. She has also concocted vegan versions of both.

Guests are not the only ones who enjoy her granola.

"Most people are like, 'this is awesome,' " she said. "When I have it in the house, I'm constantly picking and eating it. I'll divvy it out to my neighbors. My kids love it."

While the recipes call for butter or butter substitute, Ehrhart noted their healthy components: "It does have honey and peanut butter and the rolled oats, so you're getting protein, which is going to sustain you."

She also said granola can be a crowning glory on ice cream.

Nuts About Granola uses natural ingredients that are mostly local, said Lanphier's mother and co-owner Gayle Lanphier, a registered dietitian.

"We don't like processed sweeteners like white sugar," Gayle said in a phone interview. "We go for raw sugars and honey and molasses. … We try to include some dry fruits, if we can."

Lancaster General Wellness Center registered dietitian Jacqui Zimmerman agreed that dried fruits can be healthy granola additions. She likes adding dried apricots for their iron and dried cherries because they contain antioxidants and healthy omega-3 fats, she said.

Stay away from sweetened dry coconut though; Zimmerman said the sugary white flakes can add 150 calories and 10 grams of mostly saturated fat.

Recipes

Almond Butter Granola
Vegan Apricot Cherry Coconut Granola

akennedy@lnpnews.com