Granola has gone big-time. A dozen brands crowd the cereal shelf, each endeavoring to out-glam the others -- often, alas, by tarting themselves up with fat and sugar. This is health food?

Happily, three small companies are making granola as it was meant to be -- simple, nutritious, oaten and awesome. They're in bags, not boxes, in Publix's Greenwise section.

Udi's ($5.79, 16 ounces) calls itself ''natural artisan'' granola, and the Denver-based company does produce a superior cereal comprised of nothing but thick-cut oats, honey, canola oil and walnuts. One crunchy ¼-cup serving contains 120 calories, 4 fat grams, 5 sugar grams, 3 protein grams and no sodium.

Feed ($4.99, 12 ounces) is a certified organic granola made by a couple of New Yorkers. Their raisin nut crunch is a mighty mix of oats, rye, brown rice, raisins, cane juice, honey, molasses, almonds, cashews, pecans, flaxseeds and sunflower seeds, plus vanilla for a cozy kick. It has more calories (150) but less fat (3.5 grams) than Udi's, along with 80 milligrams sodium and 5 grams each sugar and protein.

We love when a Florida girl makes good, especially when she makes good granola. Cheers to Clearwater's Mona Gale, who's been making Mona's Granola ($2.99, 11 ounces) since 1981. Pure and pleasing, her original has oats, sunflower seeds, honey, raisins, soybean oil, almonds, wheat germ, wheat bran and vanilla.

One sodium-free serving contains 120 calories, 6 grams each fat and sugar and 3.5 protein grams. And ounce for ounce, it's 45 to 60 percent less expensive than the competition.

Ellen Kanner writes biweekly about vegetarian concerns.

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