Gluten Free Granola



Its Spring break week and my daughter is home. Its not keeping her busy which stresses me, its feeding her. She's like a cow who needs something to chomp on all day. At school she thrives the whole day on just her lunch and one snack with leftovers coming home at times. But when at home she gets hungry every 30 minutes.

Good part about having allergies is that I don't stock on store bought cookies and other processed snacks.  I usually offer her fruits, cheese and nuts with occasional packet of chips or home baked cookies and cupcakes. The difficult part is children need a variety and get bored of everything too soon. This time I was running out of choices.

Finally settled on making the Gluten Free Granola. Its healthy, home made and delicious to eat. It can be taken anytime of the day as a crunchy snack or with milk/yogurt as a healthy breakfast. Its a good mix of carbs, protein and fats.
Ingredients:
  • 2 cups Gluten Free Oats (I used Bob's Red Mill)
  • 1 cup whole almonds
  • 1/2 cup halved cashew nuts
  • 1/4 cup flax seeds
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup raisins (to be added later)
 


 Directions:
  • Preheat oven at 350F.
  • Mix all the wet ingredients in a bowl with a whisk.
  • Add all the dry ingredients and mix to coat well.
  • Spread the mixture evenly over a large baking sheet.
  • Bake for 20-25 mins. Every 7-8 mins, pull out the sheet and remix the ingredients with the help of tongs and put it back in.
  • Keep an eye that the oat flakes don't burn.
  • The mixture turns into a nice golden hue.
  • It will crisp up as it cools.
  • Add in the raisins and mix well.
  • Store in an air tight jar and use as a healthy snack or with milk or yogurt for a healthy breakfast.
 
Enjoy this spring break engaging and spending time with your children!

Swati

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Gluten Free Chapati/Sorghum Flatbread

Image
Chapati/ Roti/ Poli - Different names for a simple flat-bread made in most Indian homes on a daily basis. Its usually made up of whole wheat which is freshly milled at the local flour mill. The most common carbohydrates consumed in an Indian diet are rice and wheat. Interestingly potatoes and corn are considered more as vegetables than carbs. In fact you can segregate the Indian populations geographically with North India relying heavily on wheat as opposed to South Indians being rice eaters and a whole segment in between who need both rice and the wheat chapatis in each meal. My daughter grew up preferring to eat chapatis even though my husband and I were born rice eaters. All hell broke loose when she was diagnosed with gluten allergy. Meal times became a struggle as she pushed away every meal with rice. Desperately i searched the internet for help. I tried many different mixes with starches and gums added but I still wasn't getting the soft pliable texture of a chapa
Read more

Gluten Free Upma

Image
Upma is traditionally made for breakfast in South Indian homes . Its main component is Rava or Cream of wheat. To make this gluten free, i have swapped the Rava for cream of rice or Idli Rava which is easily available at Indian grocery stores. This is a mild tasting but very filling breakfast. You can add more vegetables if you like. Makes: 2 servings Ingredients: 1/2 cup Cream of Rice /Idli Rava 1 1/2 cup water 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds 1/2 cup chopped onions 1 green chili finely chopped 1/2 inch piece ginger finely grated 1/2 cup peas salt to taste 1 tsp. sugar handful of raisins and cashew nuts(optional) Chopped cilantro for garnish 1 tbsp. oil Directions: Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Temper with mustard seeds and let them pop. Add chopped onions and sauté till soft. Add grated ginger and chopped chilies. Add raisins and cashew nuts if using. Add peas and the water. Let it come to a boil. Flavor it with salt and sugar. Add the idli rava and stir
Read more

Pudina Ghosht: Goat meat in Mint curry!

Image
Chicken just like potatoes can be cooked and flavored in infinite ways. But every Sunday which is our goat meat /mutton feasting day, I am torn between the left creative side of my head and cautious practical right side. I usually pair the goat meat with strong spices which compliment it well. Today I took a detour and decided to try a refreshing herb mint/pudina. I supported the mint with some cilantro/coriander leaves and churned out a delicious Mint flavored Goat curry /Pudina Ghosht. The refreshing herbs balanced the spices and meat flavors perfectly. This recipe is a winner and will have many repeats. Ingredients: 2 lbs goat meat pieces on bone 1 large red onion, sliced 4-5 large cloves of garlic, chopped 1.5 inch ginger chopped 3-4 thai chilies chopped 1 packed cup of fresh mint leaves 3/4 cup of fresh cilantro (coriander leaves) 1 heaped teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper (can add more to increased heat and flavor) 1/2 cup thick yogurt 1/4 teaspoon
Read more