Bob's Red Mill Pan-Baked Granola #sponsored

I have always had a bit of a love-hate relationship with granola. I love the concept of it--nuggets of seasoned oats and dried fruits held together with a bit of sweetness and fat--but have found that commercial granolas were usually too sweet, processed-tasting, or just boring. So once in a while I make a pan of it at home, adding just the right amount of maple syrup or brown sugar and coconut oil and seasoning it to my liking (which usually involves cardamom).

When Bob's Red Mill contacted me with an offer to send me flavors of their new Pan-Baked Granola, I agreed. In general, I really like their products and when given the choice between brands of this or that, I tend to choose Bob's Red Mill. I figured the granola was probably quite good, but still perhaps not what I was looking for in a breakfast cereal.

Damn, I was wrong. This pan-baked granola is GREAT. At least to my palate; as with everything, YMMV. It comes in four flavors: Maple Sea Salt; Coconut Spice; Lemon Blueberry; and Cranberry Almond. It's made just the way I would make it, in small batches, using maple syrup, brown sugar, and coconut oil, and the flavor combos are right up my alley. My favorites are the Lemon Blueberry (lemon flavor granola! It works!) and the Coconut Spice (I love all things coconut). I enjoyed eating the granola the traditional way, as a breakfast cereal with milk, but also sprinkled on yogurt and eaten straight from the bag. Ok, which is maybe the most "traditional" way of consuming granola.

Though we ate it before I could experiment further, I'm thinking this pan-baked granola would make a nice streusel-style topping for muffins or as an addition to an apple crisp. I'm going to re-stock my pantry and do some granola-based winter baking pretty soon. 

Thanks, Bob, for hooking me up with my new favorite cereal! 

* Any products in this post that are mentioned by name may have been provided to Minxeats by the manufacturer. However, all opinions belong to Minxeats. Amazon links earn me $! Please buy!

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Choice Bites 4.12.2013

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Posted on Minxeats.com.

Muesli

Although my Dad is not a particularly adventurous eater, he is usually willing to try something new if it doesn't involve sour cream, lamb, or sea critters. One day in the 70s, he brought home a box of cereal called Familia. Familia was a muesli, a breakfast or light supper dish comprising fruit, nuts, and raw grains like rolled oats. It was developed around 1900 by Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner as part of a nutritious diet for his patients.

I was never a fan of hot oatmeal because I hated its gummy quality, but muesli I quite liked. Because Familia was so expensive, we didn't buy it very often. Eventually I started making my own version at home with standard quick rolled oats and whatever dried fruits and nuts that were on hand.

One of my favorite variations involves chopped pecans, dried Montmorency cherries, and fresh raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries. And if there's almond milk in the house, all the better!

Muesli is best when it's left to soak overnight, making a thick porridge-like concoction, but sometimes I eat it right away, when it's still soupy.

Muesli

1/4 cup rolled oats

1 teaspoon wheat germ or flax seed or whatever extra nutritional stuff turns you on

1 tablespoon chopped nuts

1 tablespoon dried fruit (raisins, cherries, cranberries)

1 teaspoon honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar

1/2 cup almond milk

dash of cinnamon, if desired

Combine all ingredients in a lidded container. Refrigerate overnight. Serves 1.

Posted by theminx on Minxeats.com.

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