If your kids (or you) love cereal, let's make some. It's easy. You can control the ingredients, and that alone makes it worth it.
Homemade granola with almond milk or grass-fed cow's milk is delicious. It's also delicious with yogurt for a parfait, and you can make it chunky and serve it as an after-school snack or packed in school lunch.
Here is a recipe for homemade granola to start you off. From here, you can modify and add your favorite dried fruits, nuts, and even seeds like pumpkin or flax seeds for an extra boost of nutrients.
3 cups gluten-free oats like Bob's Red Mill brand
3 tablespoons coconut oil
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup of honey
3 tablespoons creamy almond butter
1/2 cup dried currants or cranberries - or both
1/2 cups nuts like walnuts, shaved almonds, or cashews
Add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix well.
I find it easiest to mix with a large serving fork. This helps blend the sticky ingredients and ensure the peanut butter and honey are incorporated.
Line a cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper. This is helpful when it comes time to remove the granola and prevents sticking to your pan. But it is okay if you do not have any parchment paper.
Place the granola on the cookie sheet in a thin layer.
Bake at 250 degrees F until brown. About 30 minutes.
Mixing up the granola once or twice while it is baking is also helpful to further ensure that all ingredients are well blended. I use the mixing fork and push everything around.
Store in an airtight container or large Ziplock bag. I make a double batch and store some in the freezer for the next month.
Serve with almond milk, or grass-fed plain yogurt, or make a fruit parfait. Click here for the fruit parfait recipe.
The honey will create the clusters if you want the granola to be chunky. Mix but not so thoroughly in this case, and the granola will create clusters.
If you find your dried fruits or coconut browns too much, add them when there is about 10 minutes left in the baking time.
If your granola is not browning, try baking it at 300 degrees or let it cook a bit longer. However, be sure the oven is preheated to 300 degrees before placing the granola in the oven. Every time I have rushed this part, my granola burns.
A note about the ingredients:
If possible, use local handmade products- maple syrup, raw honey, and nut butter. These are usually available at farmer's markets, and they last for several months.
On a day you feel like "tonight's just a bowl of cereal" for dinner, I hope the following recipes inspire you to skip the bowl and pull together a simple dish. But, at the very least, if the cereal must prevail, you benefit from sitting down to eat together.
Sitting down to be with family and children over a simple bowl of pasta or cereal can uplift your spirit, recharge you on the down days, and lead to priceless conservations and connection. So, no matter what's for dinner, pull out a chair and have a seat. You'll be grateful you did.
Learn how to use a Granola Parfait to make an easy dinner in this post.
