Shopping Spree

I’m one of the few girls I know that prefers shopping for groceries over clothes. I get to eat what I buy right away; no washing and drying before trying out my purchases! Even better, nobody ever complains that their butter doesn’t come in more colors or asks, “Does this milk carton make my butt look fat?”

 

But the last time I drove to the store for cereal, I went a little overboard. I looked like a teenage girl on a $1000 shopping spree as I dumped box after box into my cart. When the cashier asked if I was carbo-loading, I simply smiled sweetly and replied, “No, I just love my cereal.”  

 

And of course, I had to open every box to take a taste as soon as I got home. When I realized that all four boxes I ripped open would quickly stale, I grabbed some pans and started mixing up my favorite snack instead—granola.

 

 

 

4-Cereal Granola

makes around 5 cups

I add ¼ tsp of maple extract to bump up the maple flavor, but feel free to use vanilla or omit the extract altogether if you prefer. Serve over yogurt, with milk, or much on plain as a snack!

2 c. old-fashioned oats

1 c. rice krispies

1 c. fiber cereal (I bought Safeway’s Eating Right Fiber Bran)

½ c. Grape Nuts

1 tbsp cinnamon

¼ c. dark brown sugar

½ c. water

¼ c. maple syrup (use the real stuff for a better maple flavor)

1 tbsp oil

1 tbsp molasses

1 tsp cinnamon

½ c. raisins

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Lightly coat a 13×9” baking pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
2. Mix the oats through 1 tbsp cinnamon together in a large bowl. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar through 1 tsp cinnamon. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to boil. Reduce the heat if it threatens to boil over, and continue stirring for another 2-3 minutes.
4. Pour the syrup over the cereal, and stir with a spatula until all of the cereal is coated. Pour the sticky granola into the prepared pan. Bake at 375° for 20 min, then break up the granola with a spoon. Bake for another 15 min, then stir again. Bake one final set of 10 min or until the granola reaches the desired crunchiness. Cool in the pan, and after 5 min, break up any large clumps. Sprinkle the raisins on top. Store in a jar or airtight container for up to 2-3 weeks.