I finally did it!
I took the plunge, tried my hand at homemade granola and it came out crunchy and delicious!
It's so good, I'm munching on it now!
I don't why it took me so long to try it. The idea is super simple and you can really use any ingredients you have on hand.
I've had this bag of puffed kamut...
in my pantry for months. It's a lot like puffed rice, just a different grain. It worked great and really helped to bulk up the granola. When baked it also added a wonderful crunch.
I mixed in some chia seeds just because and decided chocolate was the best way to get the kids interested. Both of those ingredients are optional. The base recipe is the combination of honey and a nut butter combined with oats and a puffed cereal of your choice. I got the idea from this bar recipe, which uses a similar ratio. I reduced the honey since I wasn't going the bar route.
The kids were uninterested in helping and eating, which was disappointing. I just can't get either of them excited about cooking with me in the kitchen anymore. I hope it's just a phase. 🙁
On a positive note, Little Bean did munch on some during snack time.
He didn't go ga-ga over it but he did take a few bites. I think it will grow on him.
Anyway, here's what I did. I hope you take the base idea and make your own creation. If you do let me know in the comments. I'd love to see what fun combinations you come up with. Next time I'm thing dried cherries or sunflower seeds and dried cranberries!
Ingredients
- 2 cups old fashioned oats (160g)
- 2 cups puffed cereal (~30g) I used Puffed Kamut
- 2 tablespoon chia seeds (24g)
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips (56g)
- pinch of kosher salt
- ⅓ cup almond butter (84g)
- ¼ cup honey (84g)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Spray a large bowl with non-stick cooking spray -- this will help when you add the honey and almond butter. Add the oats, puffed cereal, chia seeds, chocolate chips and salt.
Set aside.
In a smaller microwave-safe bowl, add the honey and almond butter.
Microwave for about 30 seconds then mix until combined.
It will take a few minutes to get the two combined. Just keep mixing.
Pour the honey-almond butter mixture over the dry ingredient and mix well. I actually ditched the spatula and used my hands to toss everything together. Hence, no photo.
Spray a large non-stick cookie sheet with non-stick spray and spread the granola mixture evenly.
Since the 8-year-old's Pokemon cards snuck into the photo I shall show you a behind-the-scenes.
Unfortunately my kitchen usually looks like this. I just find a fairly clean photo to snap my shots. lol
Anyway, bake for about 30 minutes, tossing every 8-10 so the granola doesn't burn.
Remove from oven, let cool on the sheet and then transfer to an airtight container. I immediately ate some with yogurt and then tried a bit with almond milk.
Both ways were crunchy and delicious!
I weighed and ended up with a total of 400g of granola, which was easily measured out to be 9 ½ cups so that's what I'm basing the nutritional information on. I love it when all the numbers come together so easily!
📖 Recipe
Crunchy Puffed Granola With Chocolate and Chia Seeds
Ingredients
- 2 cups old fashioned oats 160g
- 2 cups puffed cereal ~30g I used Puffed Kamut
- 2 tablespoon chia seeds 24g
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips 56g
- pinch of kosher salt
- ⅓ cup almond butter 84g
- ¼ cup honey 84g
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
- Spray a large bowl with non-stick cooking spray - this will help when you add the honey and almond butter. Add the oats, puffed cereal, chia seeds, chocolate chips and salt. Set aside.2 cups old fashioned oats, 2 cups puffed cereal, 2 tablespoon chia seeds, ½ cup mini chocolate chips, pinch of kosher salt
- In a smaller microwave-safe bowl, add the honey and almond butter.¼ cup honey, ⅓ cup almond butter
- Microwave for about 30 seconds then mix until combined.
- It will take a few minutes to get the two combined. Just keep mixing.
- Pour the honey-almond butter mixture over the dry ingredient and mix well. I actually ditched the spatula and used my hands to toss everything together. Hence, no photo.
- Spray a large non-stick cookie sheet with non-stick spray and spread the granola mixture evenly.
- Anyway, bake for about 30 minutes, tossing every 8-10 so the granola doesn't burn.
- Remove from oven, let cool on the sheet and then transfer to an airtight container. I immediately ate some with yogurt and then tried a bit with almond milk.
Di
Granola with chocolate - I'm still counting this as a healthy option lol, looks gorgeous 🙂
Matt @ Your Living Body
Yum. I was just thinking of some creative ways to add chia seeds to my diet. They're full of so much goodness!
Tina Laskey
Wow.. I love your site. I have been a member of Weight Watchers several times over the last 34 years.. and unfortunately never made it to become a lifetime member.. I am once again following the program (Points Plus Version) but just find my work schedule and their meeting times conflict. I have been "good" for a week now. Keeping track no matter what enters my mouth.. Yes, there were a couple "bad" choices in there, but I still wrote them down. I still have some "extra" points left for the week, but I really don't want to use them if I don't have to.
Like you, I try to use up the stuff in the fridge or cupboard in some recipe when I discover some produce that has become over ripe, or cereal or dairy products that are about to expire.
This morning I whipped up what I'd like to call, Strawberry Crème Brule . I had 1% Cottage Cheese that no one seemed to want to eat, So I thought I must do something with that. My first thought was to make a pasta less lasagna using zuchinni in place of the pasta.. but since I'd already dug out the pork chops for supper, I changed my mind, and went with something for dessert.
I had Strawberry Jello (no sugar added) some Knox gelatatin, and jam in the cupboards. I WAS just going to mix it all together and pour it into little dessert cups, then the light bulb went off. Hey, lets make it look fancy.
The jello I mixed with 1 cup boiling water. I poured it evenly into 6 silicone muffin cups. With about 1/4 cup left over to mix in with the cottage cheese mixture.
Put the muffin cups on a cookie sheet and placed in the fridge. Meanwhile, during the time it would need to set.. about a half hour, I had a shower, got dressed, and sorted laundry. Then I put the cottage cheese, 1/1/2 cups, 2 tbsp. jam, the remainder of the jello liquid, and a packet of prepared Knox gelatine into a personal blender. Whizzed that all together, till smooth and creamy. Took out the tray of jello, and they were set.
Poured the cottage cheese mixture, now a nice pastel pink, into each muffin cup until they were full. I actualy had a bit left over, and just put it into a small dessert dish.
Left these in the fridge till it was supper time. They flipped out easy since silicone from the silicone muffin holder. Placed them carefully in the centre of a small plate, and surrounded it with fresh cut pineapple, raspberries and blueberries. Turned out very pretty, so I think I will serve this on my next Ladies Poker Night when it's my turn to host. And bonus. A full plate of food = only 1 points plus.
Oh, and btw.. my kitchen is not perfect, either.. LOL. Nice to see someone who is REAL on here.
Eth
I also like to add uncooked quinoa for a nice crunch and additional protein boost
Jenny
I love these types of cereals. I buy them once in a while from the store, but they're usually super expensive for a small box. If this tastes as good as it looks I might have a solution!
Jody - Fit at 55
So afraid to make - the portion control may go out the window! 😉
Lori
This looks yummy!
Lisa Burke
Pumpkin seeds are great to add also!
Mandy B
I love granola, this looks so yum! btw, LOVE the fact you've included a behind the scenes shot lol it definitely gives me confidence knowing most of us have kitchens like this 🙂
Krista S.
Oooh that looks good! I love granola, but haven't really made it much because my family doesn't like it. I haven't ever thought to put the puffed cereal in there. What a great idea.