Homemade Granola Cereal

Homemade Granola Cereal

Dorcas Annette Walker

Growing up my breakfast was always a bowl of hot oatmeal- something that I absolutely positively hated with a passion. I was told many times how good it was for me, but I was never fully convinced. Some mornings my bowl of oatmeal seemed more like a form of punishment while eating under my father’s eagle eye to make sure that every bite was swallowed. Once we finished our bowl of oatmeal we could have some applesauce that sat tantalizing within sight. Today’s child psychologist would probably raise their hands in horror over such treatment saying that making a child eat something he didn’t want would scar him psychologically for life. All I knew was that once I was grown I would never ever eat another bowl of hot oatmeal. Guess what I now eat each morning for breakfast? Both my sister and I start out our day with a bowl of hot oatmeal- I like the instant fruit oatmeal packages. My father would be proud.

Unfortunately, with tight daily schedules I found it quicker and more convenient to give my children cold cereal for breakfast instead of cooking oatmeal convincing myself that with the vitamins added it was healthier for my kids. I even used cold cereal as a bedtime snack. I also found that cold cereal was a handy in-between meal snack when we were traveling- those were the days before trail mix. Thankfully both my kids survived their modern upbringing despite viewing eating hot oatmeal as a foreign practice from out of the dark ages. I was quite excited when a friend of mine told me she found a recipe for making homemade granola cereal. Here was a way to add oats to a diet that even the younger generation could not resist. I just wish I could have found this basic recipe when my kids were small. At least it’s not too late to educate my grandkids.

Instant or cold cereal is largely an American invention, but through popularity is marketed around the globe. The first breakfast cereal was invented in 1863 by James Jackson, who was a staunch vegetarian. Despite its high fiber content, his cereal was inconvenient as the bran nuggets had to be soaked overnight to make them tender enough to eat. In 1877, John Kellogg invented a ground-up wheat, oat, and cornmeal biscuit for patients suffering with bowel problems then by accident started using flaked cereals known as Wheat Flakes and Corn Flakes that instantly became popular. In 1897, C.W. Post introduced Grape-Nut’s soon followed by Raisin Bran. By the 1930’s puffed cereal was on the market. After World War II cereal companies began to target children using different mascots and advertising fortified cereal with vitamins. Today breakfast cereals are marketed to attract the attention of all ages.

The exciting thing about making a batch of Homemade Granola Cereal is that you can add or delete ingredients using the basic recipe to individualize your family’s preferred taste. The possibilities are endless. My Homemade Granola Cereal is filling and nutritious. Homemade Granola Cereal is easy to make and this recipe can be halved for a smaller amount or the extra cereal frozen until you need it. This recipe of Homemade Granola Cereal takes one hour and five minutes of preparation time and makes over a gallon of instant granola cereal.

Homemade Granola Cereal

1 (2 lb) box of Quick Oats
*Old Fashion Oats can be substituted for a coarser-type cereal.
½ lb shredded coconut
1 lb brown sugar
1 lb almonds
1 (12 oz) box/pkg raisins
*If you wait to add the raisins until after the cereal is baked they will be softer.
1 tb cinnamon
1 tsp salt

Mix ingredients in a large baking pan and then add:
4 tsp vanilla
1½ c cooking oil
1 c honey
Stir in liquid ingredients and bake at 350º for 1 hour- stirring every fifteen minutes. Use the top oven shelf for a toasted cereal. Stir frequently as the granola cereal cools- about a half an hour. When the granola cereal is cool, store it in an air-tight container. You can add dates, cranberries, or any other dried fruit to this recipe!

Weekly tip: Granola cereal can be used as a topping over apples when making Apple Crisp, eaten with yogurt and fruit, or munched dry by itself as a snack!

Dorcas Annette Walker is a published author, syndicated columnist, freelance magazine writer, and photographer from Jamestown, Tennessee. Contact her at: dorcaswalker@twlakes.net For more information check out: www.dorcasannettewalker.com