I don’t know about your budget, but groceries are ridiculously expensive for us right now.
Because I try to limit the amount of overly processed foods my family eats, it seems even more daunting. However, one thing that has helped me as I try to adapt to these new ever-climbing prices, is to focus on buying foods that will actually fill everyone up.
For example, while tasty and a cultural fave, chips and cereal are not necessarily filling. My kids can eat an entire bag or box and still be hungry in 30 minutes. That is due to many factors, one being the fact that these foods were designed to be hyper-palatable and to keep you eating more while never actually nourishing you on a fullness level. The other reason is that many of these processed foods are devoid of essential nutrients, and notably devoid of sufficient fiber.
Fiber is extremely satiating because it can slow down the blood sugar spike we get after eating refined carbohydrates. Fiber works as a prebiotic for our “gut buddies,” as I like to call them. It acts like a miracle grow so that the bacteria in our gut garden thrives to support proper hormone function and neurotransmitter support, among so many other vital functions.
So that brings me to granola. If I make my own granola, load it up with fiber from nuts and seeds, will that be filling enough for my kids for breakfast or a snack?
The answer – yes!
Ingredients:
- 3 cups oats (I love Bob’s Red Mill)
- 1 cup blend of nuts, seeds, or coconut flakes (I finely chop almonds and walnuts and mix with chia and flax)
- A LOT of cinnamon (at least 1 tsp)
- 1/4 cup cacao powder
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1/3 cup organic maple syrup
- Optional add-ins – ¼ cup nut butter, ¼ cup mini chocolate chips, pumpkin spice seasoning, ginger, cloves
Directions:
- Heat oven to 325°.
- Mix all together in a big bowl and lay out on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- If you’re using chocolate chips: after removing from the oven, sprinkle chocolate chips on top, let melt a little, then stir around.
- When it’s room temp, store in a container and serve however you like granola!
We like this with full fat plain Greek yogurt (hello protein), or with milk. This makes a pretty decent sized batch, it doesn’t take long to make, and definitely saves money compared to the price of granola and cereal these days! Enjoy!
