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

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