Grown Up Cereal: Healthy Apple and Raisin Granola
Did everyone else grow up on cereal? I did! I even ate it for dinner many times in college. I didn’t love granola until I was older. I liked the typical sugar filled cereals like Froot Loops and Frosted Flakes. Of course, Cap’n Crunch beat them all out because I am a peanut butter freak.
I feel guilty feeding my kids all those cereals. Now I know how much sugar is in them. It was a fast breakfast and an easy way to get them to eat in the morning. It's amazing the marketing that is done so kids ask for those cereals.
Now I love granola, but the store bought versions, even the “natural” ones, are filled with sugar, chemicals and preservatives. I also love really simple recipes so this works when I have a craving for cereal or something crunchy.
I know exactly what’s in this granola and it’s fun to change out the ingredients and try new things. You can change out the raisins for blueberries or any fruit that is tasty when dried. Any type of nuts will taste great in it.
What ingredients do you need?
2 cups soaked organic groats or steel cut groats (I got mine from the local health food store). Just put them in a bowl and cover with cold, filtered water and let them soak overnight.
I used these nuts and seeds, but choose the ones you love.
¼ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup chopped raw almonds
½ cup organic raisins or your favorite organic unsweetened dried fruit
1 cup organic unsweetened coconut flakes (optional)
1 organic apple, diced (I use Granny Smith apples for the tartness)
2 tbsp raw, organic honey (I also use 100% maple syrup sometimes)
¼ vanilla extract
1 tbsp coconut oil
⅛ tsp Himalayan pink sea salt
What do you do with those ingredients?
Here’s the easy part! Just mix all those ingredients in a bowl. Use your hands or large spoon. It is sticky, but you want it that way to make the “clumps” of granola.
I use a dehydrator at 115 degrees for about 5 hours, but I have also used the oven and baked my granola for at least 40 minutes at 200 degrees. If you use the oven, watch your granola and make sure the temperature is low so it doesn’t burn or harden the raisins. It may take longer depending on how wet your soaked groats are when you cook the granola.
This is so good with cashew milk! See my previous blog post for that recipe. I also like to sprinkle it on fruit or eat it alone as a snack.
Let me know if you try it or if you change up the ingredients.
Have fun having cereal again!
Be well!