Homemade Granola Cereal

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I love cereal! Whenever I'm pregnant I crave cereal all times of the day. Currently, at 32 weeks pregnant it is one of my favorite midnight snacks when I can't sleep and find myself s-t-a-r-v-i-n-g!

Unfortunately, many boxed cereals we buy in the store are not healthy at all. Despite the high sugar content, cereals that aren't organic often have recently found to contain high levels of an nasty chemical called GLYPHOSATE.

Glyphosate is the main ingredient found in Monsanto's herbicide, Round-Up which is a weedkiller often sprayed on crops. According to a study conducted by the organization Food Democracy Now! , High levels have of glyphosate have been found in popular food such as Cheerios, Corn Flakes, Raisin Bran, Stacey's Pita Chips, Triscuits, and others. I was so mad to hear that the highest levels were found in Cheerios since that is one of the first solid foods parents give to their babies.

Here is the link to the article and study: http://www.fooddemocracynow.org/blog/2016/dec/27-0

According to this article published by the Huffington Post, the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), categorized Glyphosate as a"probable human carcinogen" which can cause cancer. Here is an excerpt from this article published by the IARC:

"For the herbicide glyphosate, there was limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The evidence in humans is from studies of exposures, mostly agricultural, in the USA, Canada, and Sweden published since 2001. In addition, there is convincing evidence that glyphosate also can cause cancer in laboratory animals. On the basis of tumours in mice, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) originally classified glyphosate as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group C) in 1985. After a re-evaluation of that mouse study, the US EPA changed its classification to evidence of non-carcinogenicity in humans (Group E) in 1991. The US EPA Scientific Advisory Panel noted that the re-evaluated glyphosate results were still significant using two statistical tests recommended in the IARC Preamble. The IARC Working Group that conducted the evaluation considered the significant findings from the US EPA report and several more recent positive results in concluding that there is sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals. Glyphosate also caused DNA and chromosomal damage in human cells, although it gave negative results in tests using bacteria. One study in community residents reported increases in blood markers of chromosomal damage (micronuclei) after glyphosate formulations were sprayed nearby."

The best way to avoid Glyphosate is to follow an organic diet as much as possible. Cereal is a convenience food that is often a staple breakfast item in many homes and is widely perceived as a quick and healthy breakfast option. One of the ways to avoid Glyphosate is to make your own hot and cold cereals. In our house we eat a lot of homemade oatmeal or oat bran during the colder months and granola cereal or muesli, when it is warmer. There are also times I buy organic cereal to have some variety as well.

I am going to share with you my homemade granola cereal recipe. Feel free to exchange any ingredients to tailor it to your tastes.

First, Start off with Organic Rolled Oats! We do not want to make our homemade cereal with GMO oats! Then add whatever nuts you prefer. I usually add walnuts and sliced almonds to mine. Next I add in sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. I also add ground cinnamon but you can add nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice; whatever you like!

Next, I combine maple syrup (my favorite is Grade A dark amber) and vanilla extract and mix it in with the oats and nuts. You can change the flavor by adding honey instead of maple syrup or use almond extract also. When those ingredients are all mixed together I preheat the oven to 250 degrees and line two baking pans with parchment paper for easy cleanup.

Then, divide the granola mixture among the two pan making sure to spread the granola mixture evenly into an even layer. When the oven reaches 250 degrees place the pans in the oven and set a timer for 30 minutes. When the timer rings, shuffle the granola around in the pan and rotate the pans to brown evenly and set the timer for another 30 minutes. Repeat shuffles of granola and rotate the pans again and set timer for the last 30 minutes. The granola should be lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool.

When the granola is cool, place it in a large bowl and add organic raisins and dried cranberries or whatever dried fruit you wish. For added nutrition I also add ground flax seeds. Mix together well and spoon into quart-sized mason jars. The granola should be eaten with in 3-4 weeks for optimal flavor and texture. I often double the recipe in the summer months since we eat so much of it. My recipe below makes a little more than 2 quart sized mason jarfuls. The granola goes great with plain yogurt and fresh fruit or can be eaten like regular cereal with milk. When eating the granola as a cereal with milk I often add a handful of Grape Nuts cereal for added fiber and nutrients since it is GMO free. It gives it a nice added crunch.

Willow Mama's Homemade Granola Cereal Yield: Roughly a little more than 2 dry quarts (can easily be doubled for a larger batch)

Printable Recipe

5 cups Organic Rolled Oats (not instant)

1/4 cup Walnuts, chopped

1/4 cup Sliced Almonds

3 tbsp Raw Sunflower Seeds or Pumpkin Seeds

1/4 cup Organic Raisins

1/4 cup Dried Cranberries

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1 tbsp Ground Flax Seeds

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Step 1: Preheat oven to 250 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 2: Combine the oats, nuts, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon and mix well. In a glass measuring cup, measure out maple syrup and add vanilla extract. Stir until combined and then add to oat mixture. Stir mixture until evenly coated.

Step 3: Divide oat mixture among the prepared baking pans and spread in an even layer.

Step 4: Place baking sheets in preheated oven and set a timer for 30 minutes. Shuffle granola, rotate pans, and set timer for another 30 minutes. Shuffle granola, rotate pans again, and set timer for another 30 minutes. (total baking time is about 90 minutes altogether).

Step 5: When granola is toasted to your liking, remove from oven and let cool. Add the dried fruit and flax seeds and mix well. Store in quart mason jars and eat within a few weeks for best quality. You can serve with yogurt or just add milk and eat it like regular cereal.

Notes: For added nutrition and fiber, when serving I like to mix my granola with a handful of Grape Nuts Cereal. It also gives it an extra crunch. Grape Nuts is also GMO free! You can add whatever you like and make different flavors. You can add pumpkin pie spice or almond extract. You can add any type of nuts or dried fruits you like. The flavor combinations are endless!

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