I’m always on the lookout for a better and healthier way to create a bowl of cereal.
Here are some ideas.
1. Remember to check the calories and serving size of your cereal portion. A good serving size is 3/4 to one cup and aim for about 200 calories and fewer than 5 grams of fat.
2. If you buy cereal, look for the words “100% whole grain” which includes wheat, oats, barley, brown rice, and rye.
3. Look for 5 grams or more of fiber per serving.
4. Watch for added sugar and power up your cereal with protein, aiming for 8-10 grams of protein.
5. You can top off your cereal with nuts for vitamin E and healthy fats, fresh fruit for vitamins C and A, and kefir (a liquid yogurt) for its immune boosting properties and bone-building calcium/vitamin D combo.
Here’s a recipe for homemade granola.
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup wheat bran cereal
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Combine oats, bran, wheat germ, almonds, and cinnamon in a bowl. Heat the honey and oil in a saucepan until small bubbles appear around the sides of the pan. Pour over dry mixture and toss until well combined.
Spread evenly in a foil-lined shallow baking pan. Bake 40-50 minutes or until golden brown. Stir every ten minutes. Add raisins. Cool and store in an air-tight container. This makes about 5 cups.
Enjoy!
