I have enjoyed eating granola for a long time – even before moving to this “crunchy” and “granola” part of the country! But oats are a very questionable thing to eat on the gluten free diet. Oats themselves do not contain gluten, but they are almost always grown and processed right alongside wheat, so to be on the safe side, it’s best to avoid them. Fortunately, a few companies have recently come out with “gluten free oats” meaning that they are grown on dedicated oat farms, hauled in dedicated trucks and tractors, and processed in a dedicated facility to avoid cross contamination. Unfortunately, as you can imagine, they are quite expensive. One company offers a 2 lb. bag for $15.95! I can get the 2 lb. bag from Bob’s Red Mill here at several different stores for right under $10.00. Kayla loves to eat hot cereal for breakfast as well as granola, so we indulge in this purchase at times and make a few of our favorite treats!
This granola recipe is made by dry-roasting the ingredients in a skillet on the stove. It is inspired by a recipe from Mollie Katzen’s Sunlight Cafe cookbook. (Hers has several gluten containing ingredients which I omitted.) It contains no oil, honey, or syrup but is sweetened by adding a bit of brown sugar at the end of the roasting time. And it is full of nuts which make it a very satisfying breakfast or snack – especially on top of yogurt!
Pan-Roasted Granola
2 cups gluten free oats (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
1/2 cup chopped raw almonds
1/2 cup chopped raw pecans
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/3 cup brown sugar
In a large skillet, spread oats and cook over medium low heat stirring to roast evenly. (Use two skillets if you need to!) While oats are roasting, add chopped nuts and continue stirring and roasting until all ingredients are a light to medium brown – about 15-20 minutes. Add brown sugar and stir until sugar is melted and lightly and evenly coats the oat and nut mixture. Spread on a baking sheet to cool. Store in a quart sized mason jar. Keep in pantry – or freezer if storing longer.
And one more this week……
In an attempt to stop using those little Kool-Aid packages with their artificial colorings and preservatives, I came across a recipe for “real” lemonade somewhere – can’t quite remember where. Imagine that – real lemon juice, real water, and sugar – that’s it. May take the kids a few sips to get used to the “real” taste, but it’s sweet and more natural than the powdered stuff. Our recipe is taped to the inside of a kitchen cabinet, and the kids asked to make a batch by themselves this week prior to some of their friends coming over for a playdate. I added the peanut butter cookies and we had the perfect summer afternoon treat!
Homemade Lemonade
8 cups water
2 cups lemon juice – bottled or fresh squeezed
1 1/3 cups sugar
Stir until sugar is completely dissolved and enjoy!
(I haven’t tried substituting the sugar with something less processed, but I bet you could use some maple syrup or stevia or agave to lessen the white sugar content!)
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Granola and lemonade make everyone happy! I have some similar recipes, but will try yours in the future, Melanie. The large support group I belong to buys Gifts of Nature oats by the case and we get bags that are over 3 lbs for $7 a bag. They also give us free shipping I believe. A bargain! I really like their oats because they are certified by the GFCO (under GIG). http://www.giftsofnature.net/Products.asp I still have to limit my oat consumption. They can cause me some problems if I eat too much. I've read that it's believed their structure is similar to wheat and cause issues for some very sensitive folks.
Thanks, Melanie!
Shirley