Yogi Crunch

As a member of the foodbuzz tastemaker program I get to review and experiment with food products occasionally. However, I try to only accept products that I will either use or that I want to try out for pantry use. I was already a huge fan of Special K cereal and I always stock up on their cereal when it goes on sale. So, I was pretty pumped to try out some of Kellogs' Special K line.

I am a huge granola fan. And usually that is a huge problem. Huge in that whenever I make my own granola there is a danger of huge amounts going to my hips. I can't keep my hand out of the granola "jar." So, I was excited to try Special K low fat granola. LOW FAT Granola! I was interested to see if this was something I would stock in my pantry. I have to say that I was very reluctant to share this tasty treat and that is always a good sign that it is good. I won't say that it is as indulgent as the homemade stuff but it has a light sweet crunch that goes perfect with my yogurt and fruit breakfast. I am however a major cheapskate. I will buy this again when it goes on sale and I have a coupon, because it is slightly pricey. Special K also sent me a box of blueberry fruit crisps which are an amazing 2 grams of fat and 100 calories per pouch -- 2 crisps. These were tasty and disappeared quickly. I sprinkled half of one on top of my layered yogi crunch for a little extra blueberry something, something.

Yogi Crunch

So lowfat and sweet and healthy

Ingredients per cup

6 pineapple chunks (I used canned pineapple in its own juice)

1 handful of Special K or other granola

1/4 Cup of light strawberry yogurt

1/2 fruit crisp (Special K) crumbled on top.

Granola Experiment -- Peanut Butter and Chocolate Granola Bars

Everybody has their own granola bar recipe and now I can happily say I have success with my own creation. I can't believe how easy it is to make granola bars. It was so simple I actually started working on a second granola recipe invention with pumpkin and craisins while I was cooking my first granola bars. The second invention didn't work out as great, although it was well on its way to yummy granola cereal before I burned it.

I will be making these granola bars again and maybe next time I will try an apple raisin version. Although you just can't go wrong combining peanut butter and chocolate, at least not with my kids.

2 Cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 Cup peanuts
1/2 Cup finely chopped peanuts
1/2 Cup sunflower seeds
1/2 Cup Coconut milk powder
1/2 Cup honey
1 Cup of peanut butter (I used smooth)
2 Tsp vanilla extract
1/2 Tsp salt
3/4 Cup chocolate chips



*Butter a 9 by 9 inch baking dish and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*Spread the oats and peanuts onto a baking sheet. Place in oven and toast for 10 minutes. When you remove from oven reduce oven to 300 degrees.
*In the meantime, combine honey, peanut butter, vanilla and salt in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until combined. It should only take a couple of minutes.
*Combine toasted oat mixture with coconut milk powder and honey mixture. Add the chocolate chips.
* Place mixture into prepared baking dish and press down.
* Bake for 25 Minutes at 300 degrees.
* Cool completely and cut into squares. Will store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.


This is the last granola experiment for the month. I learned a few things from my granola experiment.
1. I love granola and oatmeal snacks
2. If I want to continue to make granola snacks and cereal I need to stock what I refer to as oatmeal companions: coconut, raisins, honey, craisins, a variety of nuts, and dried fruit.
3. I really prefer coconut milk powder to shredded coconut in my granola. Check out the link in the above recipe for my source for this yummy product.
4. The leftover shreds from frosted shredded wheat cereal make a great granola additive.
4. Don't over toast your granola. Burnt does not taste good.
Next month I am going to be trying recipes with refried beans -- including the infamous refried bean pie. I am going to give you my honest opinions on the pie and other standard food storage, refried bean recipes.

Granola Experiment #2 Oatmeal Cinnamon Drops

I had high hopes these would taste like the Quaker Oats balls. They don't. But they are gone, gobbled up, and I just barely made them two days ago. They really are more like mini oatmeal cookies but they are addictingly good and pantry friendly. So, I am keeping this oatmeal recipe.

Adapted from a recipe by Joyce Wylie
I actually halved this recipe because I was short on butter. It still made a few dozen of these mini bites.

1 C margarine, softened
2 Cups sugar (I actually used half fructose and granulated sugar. I am a big fructose fan)
1 tsp sugar free maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla
2 Cups flour
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 Cups oats plus 1/2 cup oats kept separate.
2/3 C raisin

Cream margaine and sugar: add eggs, syrup and vanilla. Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking powder in a small bowl. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in oats and raisins.

Roll into 1 inch balls and roll in oat bowl. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
Makes 8 to 10 dozen.

The Granola Experiment -- Banana Tropical Granola

No two pantries are alike. And my pantry is an ever changing place, which is why I have decided to conduct the granola experiment. I love granola. However, I do not love how much a small amount of granola costs at the grocery store. I also love all different flavors of granola. And so I am venturing on an experiment this month to try and concoct my own granola repertoire with what is available each week in my pantry. Of course you can join me in this venture. Just mix and match the nuts or fruits with what you have available. It is amazing the goodies you can find in your pantry just waiting to team up with some good old fashioned oatmeal. I would love to find a recipe that closely resembles those granola balls by Quaker Oats that come in those sparsely packed snack packs. So, if you have such a yummy delight send it this way. Here is my first granola creation and I have to say it is quite addicting. Even my picky son who doesn't like hot oatmeal cereal is loving this stuff.

Banana Granola
4 Cups of old fashioned oats (no instant or quick)
1/4 C shredded coconut (this is all I had)
3/4 C coconut milk powder (I bought mine in bulk because it is a really versatile little flavoring)
1/4 C milled flax seed
3/4 C pinenuts
1/4 C chopped hazlenuts
1/2 C crushed frosted shredded wheat cereal (You know the leftovers on the bottom of the cereal bag)
1/4 tsp salt
10 Tb butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup maple syrup (I used sugar free syrup and I think it tastes just as great)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Cup coarsely chopped banana chips

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine first 7 ingredients. Melt butter in the microwave or over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients (except bananas). Pour over dry ingredients. Cook for 30 minutes on greased baking pans. Do not overcook! Cool and add bananas
Now I reserved two cups of this granola without bananas because I wanted to mimic my son's favorite cold cereal, Honey Nut Bunches of Oats, which is a little pricey when it is not on sale. The result got a thumbs up.

Add two cups of granola to 3 cups of corn flakes and drizzle with two teaspoons of honey. Toss gently. Mmm mmm, my boy gobbles it up.

Next week: Cinnamon Raisin Granola