Tag Archive: Granola

Almond Butter Granola Snackers

Almond Butter Granola Snackers

The best part about being gluten-free in this decade is the endless supply of new products available(not to mention whole restaurant menus and online websites). Chex just came out with two new products to add to that list: Honey Nut Granola and Mixed Berry Granola, made with gluten-free oats and clusters of Chex cereal.

I got to try both and the honey nut was definitely my favorite–just the right amount of sweetness to go with any flavored yogurt and chunks of almonds and real Chex baked together. After eating half the bag, I made these cookies with the rest to make the granola more portable. These snackers are the perfect fix for an afternoon snack or along with breakfast.

Almond Butter Granola Snackers

I used almond butter for these because it goes perfectly with the almond slivers in the granola but you could also use peanut butter or even sunflower seed butter.

Almond Butter Granola Snackers

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 18 Snackers):

  • 3/4 cup almond butter
  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 cup Honey Nut Chex granola
Method:
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together the almond butter, honey, sugar, egg, salt, and baking powder until well mixed.
  3. Add in the granola and fold it in completely.
  4. Roll the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and flatten slightly between the palms of your hands. Put each round of dough on a non-stick baking surface.
  5. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven when the outside starts to turn brown and is slightly firm to the touch.
  6. Let cool slightly before moving. Store in an air-tight container.

My First Life By Dailyburn Recipe

Low Sugar Chocolate Hazelnut Granola

The internet is a crazy awesome place because it’s full of resources for any life you want to live, whether it’s gluten-free recipes, vegetarian restaurant hot spots, of just a chocolate-filled life.

I’m excited that Dailyburn‘s blog Life By Dailyburn asked me to be a recipe contributor for their site. They’re an amazing resource for anyone looking to be healthier and get whipped into shape.

The first recipe I made for them will hopefully pique your interest. If you want to cut out sugar in the morning but still eat flavorful food making your own is a must. This cocoa hazelnut granola recipe only uses maple syrup for sweetness to keep the flavor but ditch the processed sugars. It also tastes great and can save you money–what’s not to love?

And if you’re also looking for a healthier life and haven’t yet, follow them on Facebook and Pinterest for some daily inspirations to eat great and workout.

4 Healthy New Year’s Recipes

New Year’s resolutions are hard. It’s easy to shoot to high and make resolutions impossible to keep up with; the best kind are little changes you can work into your everyday routine and maintain without even thinking about it.

I didn’t make a food or fitness resolution this year. Mine is to get whiter teeth, so I bought special toothpaste and mouthwash. We’ll see how that goes with the horde of coffee and chocolate I eat.

If you did make a resolution to eat healthier, here are 4 simple recipes you can work into your every week to hit that goal. All of them have common, simple ingredients and are probably foods you already eat, so working them into your diet should be a breeze.

Breakfast:

LowFatCinnamonBrownSugarGranola_thumb

Low-Fat Cinnamon Raisin Granola is a great quick and filling alternative to heftier breakfasts like bagels and cream cheese or a donut. You can make a big batch on the weekend and portion out servings for the weekday mornings to grab and go.

Snack:

Fruity-Peanut-Butter-Yogurt-Dip-Yield-807x1024

Fruity Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip will satisfy your sweet tooth in the afternoon and still be tasty enough to enjoy. It’s a simple mix of yogurt, peanut butter, and sweetener that’s good for kids or grown-ups.

Entree:

EasyBroccoliFrittata_thumb

Easy Broccoli Frittata is another recipe you can make in bulk over the weekend and reheat throughout the week whenever you’re less than motivated to make a meal. The eggs and cheese are full of protein while the broccoli adds a boost of healthy nutrients, too. Add a simple side and you’ve got a whole dinner.

Dessert:

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Raw Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Cake proves that you can still have dessert even when you’re eating healthy. The bulk of this “cake” is dates and hazelnuts, making for a delicious and nutritious end to a meal.

Did you make a New Year’s resolution? What was it?

10 Sweet October Recipes

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October is one of my favorite months because it’s filled with chocolate and candy and unreasonably sugar-filled drinks. November is another favorite month because it has chocolate and candy at 50% off but we’re not quite there yet.

Whether it’s using pumpkin or chocolate or candy corn, there are tons of recipes out there to make October a little sweeter and add a personal touch to the season. Here are a few of my favorites from this blog.

Snacks

Homemade-Pumpkin-Granola_thumb

Pumpkin granola is full of Autumn flavor without too much added sugar. It’s a great topping to yogurt or smoothies on a Fall morning or even all on its own.

Sweet & salty Halloween Chex mix is the perfect party snack for kids or adults. With pretzel sticks and candy corn, it’s too addictive to have just one handful.

Homemade pumpkin cream cheese beats the flavored cream cheese you get at a bagel store in flavor and price. It’s a great way to spice up breakfast on-the-go in the morning.

Cookies

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Spiced almond butter cookies are as good as any 4-ingredient cookie gets. It’s deeply nutty and slightly spicy with cinnamon and nutmeg to round out the flavor. Have a few next to your favorite cup of tea.

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are a seasonal way to make a classic cookie recipe. The pumpkin in them makes the softer and puffier so cakey cookie lovers should take note.

Candy

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Peanut butter pumpkins are the tastier, homemade counterpart to Reese’s pumpkins. They’re a lot easier to make than you’d imagine and a killer dessert to bring to a party or give out as a Halloween gift.

Homemade chocolate turtles are another crowd-pleasing homemade candy to impress your guests. They’re addictive so definitely make these for a crowd or you’ll be eating one after the other.

White chocolate candy corn bark is a simple, kid-friendly recipes with just a few ingredients but totally fun and seasonal.

Cakes & Bread

GrainFreePumpkinBread_thumb

Gluten-free pumpkin bread is good any time of year(obviously, because I made this back in June), but especially good on an Autumn morning with a cup of hot dark roasted coffee.

Chocolate-pumpkin baked custard is not your typical dessert and great to make for a group of people who want something different. It’s reminiscent of a flourless chocolate cake but lightened up a little with the addition of pumpkin.

Chocolate Almond Granola Bars

Chocolate Almond Granola Bars

I’m a snacker. I can’t imagine how somebody could go from lunch all the way to dinner time without snacking on something. Seriously, how do they do it? I’m usually reaching for a candy bar or bag of popcorn at 3pm and more often than not know I should be eating something healthier.

I first made these bars last Summer and they disappeared as quickly as they set. They’re unbelievably delicious for something that takes 10 minutes to make with simple ingredients. This time around I used homemade chocolate cashew butter in place of the almond butter because it’s what I had on-hand and they tasted just as good if not better.

Chocolate Almond Granola Bars Drizzled

Just like the first time I made these, I used candied ginger instead of dried fruit. I love a little bit of spice with my chocolate. I’d highly recommend chopping your almonds and fruit before adding them to the batter because the larger portions will make your granola bars harder to cut in the final step.

Chocolate Almond Granola Bars

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 8 to 10 bars):

  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup almond butter
  • 1/4 cup honey**
  • 1 cup oats*
  • 1 1/2 cups chocolate rice crisps cereal*
  • 1/2 cup almonds, crushed or sliced
  • 1/2 cup dried fruit
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

*To make these granola bars gluten-free, make sure these two ingredients are certified gluten-free.

**Use 3 Tablespoons of agave to make these vegan.

Chocolate Almond Granola Bars Uncut

Method:

  1. In a microwave or over a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips.
  2. Stir in the almond butter and honey until smooth.
  3. Add in the oats, cereal, almonds, dried fruit, and salt and mix until everything is completely covered.
  4. Line an 8 x 8 baking tray with wax paper. Dump the batter into the pan and press down into an even layer.
  5. Refrigerate the bars until they’ve hardened—about 20-30 minutes.
  6. With a sharp knife, cut the bars in half horizontally and into quarters vertically into 8 2 x 4 bars.
  7. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Chocolate Almond Granola Bars Uncut Stacked

Low-Fat Cinnamon Brown Sugar Granola

Low-Fat Cinnamon Brown Sugar Granola

Brown sugar is an ingredient I don’t use enough. When I find it in the pantry, I could eat it by the spoonful. It reminds me of cinnamon rolls and apple crumbles, and so does this simple granola recipe.

I usually like to add some sort of healthy fat like almonds or peanut butter to my granola but wanted to try something different. There’s only 2 Tablespoons of oil in the entire batch and no nuts. If you’re looking for a leaner breakfast, this will definitely fit the bill.

Low-Fat Cinnamon Brown Sugar Granola Ingredients

You can add more spices to suit your favorite flavors. Swapping in pumpkin pie spice or adding your own nutmeg and allspice will give it a slightly nuttier flavor. Make sure to use gluten-free oats if dealing with a gluten allergy.

Low-Fat Cinnamon Brown Sugar Granola

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 Tablespoons water
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup raisins

Jun 25th 002Low-Fat Cinnamon Brown Sugar Granola Baked

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sugar, oil, water, cinnamon, and salt until the sugar dissolves and the ingredients are evenly mixed.
  3. Pour the oats out onto a non-stick baking surface and spread them out into a thin layer.
  4. Bake for 30 minutes or until the oats are crisp and turn golden.
  5. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
  6. Add the raisins into the granola and mix well.
  7. Store in a sealed container at room temperature when not enjoying.

Low-Fat Cinnamon Brown Sugar Granola Serving

Peanut Butter Banana Granola

Peanut Butter Banana Granola

I’ve eaten yogurt, granola and a sliced banana for more meals this past month than I’m willing to admit. I’m not sure if it’s because it’s so good or so easy; it’s probably a bit of both. I never knew if you could cook the banana flavor into the granola until I saw this recipe. That gave me all the confidence I needed to try it out.

This is the kind of granola I have no trouble eating all by itself. It has every flavor and texture in it you could possibly want. The clusters are slightly softer than normal granola because of the bananas; it reminds me of the crusty outside of slightly overcooked banana bread. It’s great to eat with just about any flavor of yogurt, too.

Peanut Butter Banana Granola Ingredients

This granola tasted fresher than any I’ve tried before. It’s great to make for yourself if you will eat it over the course of a week but might not be the best to give as a gift to someone. Make sure to refrigerate this to keep it its freshest.

Peanut Butter Banana Granola

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 3 cups)

  • 1 banana, mashed
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 Tablespoons peanut butter
  • 2 Tablespoons oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips(optional)
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts(optional)

Peanut Butter Banana Granola Yield

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the banana, oats, syrup, peanut butter, oil, cinnamon, vanilla and salt until evenly mixed.
  3. Spread the oats out in a thin layer on a non-stick baking surface.
  4. Bake for 25-30 minutes, breaking up the oats into clusters about 20 minutes into baking.
  5. When the clusters are golden and firm, remove them from the oven and let them cool.
  6. Once the granola has cooled, add chocolate chips or nuts if using. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator when not eating.  

Peanut Butter Banana Granola Yogurt

 

Strawberry Cashew Granola

Strawberry Cashew Granola

The best thing about Spring so far has been buying produce that’s not potatoes or shipped from the other side of the country at the supermarket. I even got suckered into buying a plant just because it was on sale and comes from a local town; I’m a marketer’s dream.

After a long, exciting weekend outdoors I couldn’t bring myself to do much more on Sunday night other than stay in watching TV and making this granola. Thankfully the recipe is simple enough that you can throw it together whenever. The next morning I slept through my alarm for almost an hour and hastily threw together a breakfast of yogurt, fresh strawberries, and this granola. Even on the run it tasted delicious.

Strawberry Cashew Granola Strawberries

The flavor of this granola is very subtle which is great over plain or vanilla yogurt in the morning before your taste buds really wake up. If you don’t feel like making the strawberry syrup you can also mix 6 Tablespoons of maple syrup with 2 Tablespoons of a good strawberry jam and have the same flavor.

Strawberry Cashew Granola

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 2 1/2 cups):

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup strawberry syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup roasted salted cashews

Strawberry Cashew Granola Yield

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl mix together the oats, syrup, salt, and oil.
  3. Spread the oat mixture over a non-stick baking surface in a thin layer.
  4. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the oats are toasted.
  5. Remove from the oven and let the granola cool.
  6. Break the granola apart and toss the clumps with the cashews.
  7. Store in an air-tight container at room temperature.

Strawberry Cashew Granola Serving

Maple Hazelnut Granola

Maple Hazelnut Granola

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a recipe for granola. That’s mostly because I’ve been reluctant to pay $7 for a bag of gluten-free rolled oats at the grocery store near me. But this week I finally caved in because I’d missed a bowl of hot, soft oatmeal in the morning and chewy, crunchy granola on my yogurt.

I love the subtle flavor of maple syrup; when I sweeten my yogurt I usually choose maple syrup over honey. It’s even better with a little cinnamon and vanilla mixed in to remind you of warm french toast. This granola is great over some maple yogurt but also by the handful.

Maple Hazelnut Granola Sample

This granola isn’t too sweet on its own. If you prefer a sweeter granola, increase the maple syrup to 1/2 cup. You can also add some chocolate chips once the granola has cooled for a fun flavor.

Maple Hazelnut Granola

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 3 1/2 cups):

  • 2 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 2 Tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup hazelnuts
  • 1/2 cup raisins

Maple Hazelnut Granola Yield

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, syrup, oil, vanilla, cinnamon and salt thoroughly.
  3. Lay the oats out on a non-stick baking tray in a thin layer.
  4. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the oats are toasted but not burnt.
  5. Remove the granola from the oven and let the oats cool.
  6. Once cool, toss the oats with the hazelnuts and raisins until thoroughly mixed.
  7. Store in an air-tight container at room temperature when not eating.

Maple Hazelnut Granola Serving

Homemade Granola Bites

Homemade Granola Bite

I don’t believe that things always taste better when they’re homemade; there are plenty of things that I’d rather just buy at the grocery store because it’s easier or tastier that way.

These thankfully are one of those things that taste better made yourself and the recipe couldn’t be easier. They’re slightly soft and chewy—a perfect snack in the afternoon or something to nibble on before a workout. And because you make them yourself you can adjust the flavor to be whatever you like. Personally I’m a fan of almond butter and chocolate chips.

Homemade Granola Bite Yield

To make these gluten-free make sure you’re using oats that are certified gluten-free. Make sure to mix the ingredients evenly and well to prevent them from falling apart in the oven.

Homemade Granola Bites

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 14 bites):

  • 1 1/2 cups oats
  • 1/2 cup natural almond or peanut butter
  • 3 Tablespoons honey or maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup chocolate chips or raisins
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 250.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients until it starts to form a dough. If there isn’t enough moisture to hold the oats together, add almond butter by the tablespoon until there is.
  3. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them on a non-stick baking surface.
  4. Bake for 20 minutes until the outsides have browned.
  5. Let the granola bites cool and store them at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.

Homemade Granola Bite Baked