I have searched and searched and searched for a healthy breakfast cereal for the children. Your obvious kid’s choices are ridiculously laden with sugar, sugar, sugar and more often than not, wheat and consequently I avoid them at all costs. What appears to at first be a healthy choice is more than likely not. Even the really ‘healthy’, free-from type brands still tend to have high quantities of cane sugar, maple syrup, honey and such like. Whilst I don’t particularly advocate oats and cereal as the best every day choice for adults (particularly anyone who might be trying to lower or maintain their weight), due to the high carbohydrate and relatively low protein content, it’s not a bad start to the day for children or those who need the carbohydrates in their diet, such as those trying to gain weight or as a post workout breakfast. Oats are low in saturated fat and sodium and contain no cholesterol. They are packed full of minerals including calcium, potassium and magnesium, along with B-complex vitamins vital for a healthy nervous system, strong bones and teeth and healthy arterial walls.
Over the past few months I’ve been sampling some different varieties of homemade granola – all of which have been happily munched by the munchkins and grown ups alike! I operate a ‘better than’ approach with the children (and myself to some extent). Whilst there is no refined sugar in these options, 2 of them do use small amounts of honey, maple or agave – not such a problem if you have a balanced, low sugar diet in general. If, however, you’d rather avoid these altogether then opt for options 3 or 4. Whichever one you go for, you can be assured that they will be ‘better than’ the majority of shop bought cereals – and cheaper to boot! They are all so simple to make and experiment with and you can of course add whatever you want to your oats. Make a huge batch and store them in glass jars for optimal freshness.
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Oaty Breakfast Granola
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Instructions
Preheat your oven to about 170oC.
Mix your oats with the ingredients from your chosen option until the oats are all coated and spread them onto a lined baking sheet.
Bake the oats for roughly 20-40 mins (some of the options e.g. option 4 take a little longer than others) - I recommend checking your oats about every 10 minutes and giving them a little mix up to ensure even cooking.
Once nicely browned, remove from the oven and allow to cool, then simply mix with your chosen additional ingredients.
Enjoy your granola with some almond or hazelnut milk or some goats yoghurt and sliced berries.
