FitSugar

Food Review: MixMyGranola

FitSugar — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:00:00 -0800

I've been hearing a lot of buzz around MixMyGranola (starting at $5 for 16 oz.). Stylist Rachel Zoe and granola lovin' Whitney Port are among its fans, and it was recently mentioned in the New York Times. MixMyGranola allows customers to create their own granola or muesli mix via its website. You start with one of the six granola bases like lowfat, cinnamon, or organic gluten free, and from there add any of the 79 different ingredients to your base. The ingredient choices include dried fruit like blueberries and goji berries, nuts and seeds like almonds and flaxseeds, nutritional power boosts like acai powder and bee pollen, and extras like sesame sticks and coconut flakes.

To hear what mix I made and how it tasted, read more.

When making my mix I settled on these ingredients: lowfat granola, dried strawberries, dried blackberries, dried Bing cherries, organic flaxseeds, oatbran flakes, and organic pomegranate powder. I admit that I went a little overboard with ingredients, which greatly affects the cost - $12 in total. But you can easily get a granola mix that has a bunch of different ingredients for about $8, or even as low as $5 if you want something more basic. The package is pretty big, too, so I felt like I got a lot of granola in the end.

As far as taste goes, it was great. The granola was crispy and had just the right amount of sweetness, and I especially loved the puffed rice that was used with the rolled oats. The dried fruit was plump and it tasted like actual fruit, not super sugary gummi candy like a lot of dried fruit can taste. Although my mix was a bit pricey, it was fun to be able to make my own blend, and I think this would make a great gift idea. My mix was also low in fat and calories - check out MixMyGranola's nutrition label below.

If you're not feeling creative, the company also offers 20 pre-mixes like the Runner's, Help Haiti, and Super Duper Detox mixes. The pre-mixes range in price from $6.99 to $10.99.

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Healthy Recipe: Low Cal Chai Spiced Granola

FitSugar — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 07:00:43 -0800

I love a little granola in the morning. It naturally sweetens my bowl of Greek yogurt, a breakfast staple loaded with protein but a bit on the sour side. Problem is, my favorite granola is packed with calories and fat. I decided to create my own recipe using a bunch of spices to add flavor without calories while omitting the oil which adds fat. I added warming spices, many of which can be found in chai tea: cinnamon (a granola must in my opinion), nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves. My kitchen smelled divine as the granola baked, and I definitely cut a significant number of calories of the total calorie tally, as well as halving the grams of fat.

Check out the recipe when you read more.

Low Calorie Chai Spiced Granola
Adapted from Everybody Likes Sandwiches

Ingredients

3 cups organic oats (not instant)
1/4 cup uncooked millet
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/8 cup flax seeds
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup diced dried sour cherries
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup orange juice

Directions

Heat oven to 300F. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients except dried fruit. Drizzle in the maple syrup, stir well. Add orange juice stirring so all ingredients are coated. If mixture seems too dry add in some more maple syrup and/or orange juice.
Spread the mix out onto a large, low rimmed baking dish and bake for 30 minutes, stirring checking about every 10 minutes so nothing burns. Add in the raisins and cranberries and bake until the granola turns golden and crisp, about five to seven minutes.
Remove from oven and cool completely. Store in an airtight container. Serve with fresh fruit and yogurt.

Makes 8 half cup servings.

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The Mister wanted me to name the homemade cereal Goa Granola, in honor of the cardamom. Cute, no? Make it and let me know if you come up with a catchy name. If you have a tasty, cleaned-up recipe be sure to add it to our Healthy Recipe Group.

Cherry Walnut Granola

nancita — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 22:26:29 -0800

My boyfriend and I decided to try our hands at homemade granola as a holiday gift instead of baked goods or sweets. I was really happy with how it turned out; in fact, I'd like to make homemade granola more often.

We used rolled oats, dried cherries, coconut, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and other assorted ingredients.

The Truth About Granola Bars

emilyplayscello — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 22:50:23 -0700

This post is inspired by something I found in my cabinet today: a Nature's Valley Strawberry Yogurt granola bar. I don't eat granola bars (for the reasons you'll read later in this post) but I picked the thing up just to read the label for kicks. Most people think granola bars are the prime example of a healthy snack. However, the packaged, over-processed, foil-wrapped concoctions that we are munching on are far from healthy.

In this seemingly innocent snack labeled a "chewy granola bar with a naturally flavored yogurt coating," not to mention an "excellent source of calcium" and "good source of whole grain," was a number of nutritional nightmares. After reading the ingredient list, I found sugar listed nine times in the form of sugar, high fructose corn syrup, high maltose corn syrup, and fructose. Most of us know that high fructose corn syrup is the most poisonous of sweeteners and should be avoided at all costs (much like trans fats, or hydrogenated oils). High fructose corn syrup is listed as an ingredient numerous times in addition to the other sweeteners. This tiny bar packs in 13 grams of sugar and a number of preservatives and chemicals. It only has one measly gram of fiber.

What about healthier granola bars? The ones that are truly "natural" or "organic"? Well, I picked up some nutritional info on a Clif bar, a popular choice for the more health-conscious granola-eater.

Now, Clif bars can boast that they don't contain any high fructose corn syrup and that a form of sugar only appears four times in the ingredient list (as brown rice syrup, malt extract, evaporated cane juice, and organic evaporated cane juice). However, when you look at the nutrition facts, you'll see that one bar still contains a whopping 21 grams of sugar. It does have 5 grams of fiber, however, it's 230 calories which is pretty hefty for a granola bar.

I've yet to find a granola bar that isn't full of sugar or overprocessed and full of chemicals and preservatives. The moral of the story? Be smart about your packaged food. Read the label. Avoid high fructose corn syrup, and when a number of sugar synonyms are a recurring theme in the ingredient list, put it back.

If you need a healthy, quick snack, plain nuts or seeds provide protein. A fresh piece of fruit is a much wiser choice than dried fruit. Dried fruit loses beneficial water content and is much higher in sugar than a piece of fresh fruit.

Read the label,
Emily

Baked Pears with Vanilla Yogurt and Granola

3ADay — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 07:31:16 -0700

Makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 35 min

Ingredients

* 2 medium pears (Bartlett or D'Anjou pears)
* 1/2 cup apple juice
* 1 cup water
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 3 (6-ounce) containers low-fat vanilla yogurt
* 1/2 cup low-fat granola
* mint leaves, optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut pears in half lengthwise and remove core with a melon baller or small spoon. Place pears, cut side down, in a shallow baking dish just large enough to hold them.

Pour apple juice and water over pears; drizzle with honey. Cover pan loosely with foil and bake about 35 minutes or until tender. While pears are baking, place granola in a shallow baking pan or pie plate and toast in oven 10 minutes; set aside.

When pears are done, pour baking liquid into a small saucepan and reduce over medium heat until about 1/4 cup of syrup remains; set aside to cool.

Line a colander with paper towels and place over bowl to catch drips. Pour yogurt into colander and allow to drain about 30 minutes. Divide yogurt among 4 shallow bowls. Place warm pear half, cut side up, over yogurt. Top with toasted granola and drizzle with syrup. Garnish with a mint leaf, if desired.

Yield: 1/2 pear plus 1/4 of yogurt mixture, per serving

Recipe created by 3-A-Day™ of Dairy
Nutritional Facts per serving for individual food recipe:
Calories: 240
Total Fat: 2.5 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 5 mg
Sodium: 115 mg
Calcium: 25% Daily Value
Protein: 8 g
Carbohydrates: 49 g
Dietary Fiber: 3 g

Baked Pears with Vanilla Yogurt and Granola

3ADay — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 07:41:15 -0700

Makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 35 min

Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon honey
* 3 (6-ounce) containers low-fat vanilla yogurt
* 1/2 cup low-fat granola
* mint leaves, optional

When pears are done, pour baking liquid into a small saucepan and reduce over medium heat until about 1/4 cup of syrup remains; set aside to cool.

Yield: 1/2 pear plus 1/4 of yogurt mixture, per serving

Cinnamon, Walnut Granola

FitSugar — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 19:23:29 -0800

Cinnamon, Walnut Granola
adapted from Everyday Food

What you need:
3 cups rolled oats
½ cup toasted wheat germ
¾ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup frozen apple juice concentrate (thawed)
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup dried cherries (chopped)
½ cup dried cranberries

What you do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray. Spread oats evenly on pan and bake for 15 minutes.
Add wheat germ and walnut to oats and cook for 10 more minutes.
In a small bowl, combine apple juice concentrate, sugar, oil, and cinnamon.
Pour mixture over oats and add dried fruit. Stir well to combine.
Increase heat of oven to 325 degrees and bake oat for another 20 to 30 minutes or until they are golden brown. Stir the mixture halfway through the cooking process.
Allow oats to cool in pan, about 25 minutes. Transfer to an air tight container. Granola will keep at room temperature for one month.

Easy 5 Minute Granola Bars

Kwhitlock — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:20:29 -0700

I impressed myself this weekend with easy-peasy 5 minute granola bars. A tiny bit sticky to make but I think they are worth it. I usually eat a granola bar on my way to bootcamp in the morning and these are a cheaper alternative. They are chewy (as opposed to crunchy), not supersweet and have a nutty flavor that I like. Store them in the refrigerator individually wrapped for easy grab and go snacks. All in all thumbs up. The recipe came from FANNEtastic Food. Check it out... Ingredients:1 & 3/4 C rolled oats 1 C crisp puffed brown rice cereal (I used Kashi)3/4 C seeds (I used 1/4 C each of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and chia seeds) 1/4 C finely ground flaxseed 1/4 C unsweetened coconut 1/2 C brown rice syrup 1/3 C creamy peanut butter 1 tsp. vanilla extract * I also added 2 T of mini chocolate chips and am thinking craisins might be a nice addition too. Add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl. Mix them together. In a separate (microwave safe) bowl, mix together the wet ingredients, then microwave them for about 20 to 30 seconds. This will make it easier to mix and add to the dry ingredients since it’s really sticky!Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix! Keep mixing until the wet binding ingredients are as well distributed as possible. Put some muscle into it! Then, put the mixture into a shallow pan and flatten it down. Refrigerate. Done and done!

Healthy Dessert: Baked Pears With Maple Greek Yogurt and Granola

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:00:59 -0700

Spring is coming soon, but for many of us, we still have some cold nights ahead of us. This time of year I always try to make my favorite cold weather foods like soups, breads, and warm treats before Spring officially blows in. Here's one my family loves that's easy to make, tastes oh-so decadent, but is a great source of fiber and protein. Make it to enjoy for breakfast or an after-dinner dessert.

Check out this simple recipe when you read more.

Baked Pears with Maple Greek Yogurt and Granola
Modified from recipe found in Snack Attack Group

Ingredients

2 firm pears (Bartlett or Anjou)
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon honey
16 ounce container plain Greek yogurt
4 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 cup granola
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Cut the pears in half lengthwise, and remove cores with a spoon. Place in an 8x8-inch baking pan, cut-sides down.
Pour apple juice and water over pears, and drizzle with honey. Cover pan loosely with foil and bake about 35 minutes or until tender.
When pears are done, pour the leftover baking liquid into a small saucepan and reduce over medium heat until about 1/4 cup of syrup remains; set aside to cool.
Open the container of Greek yogurt and stir in the maple syrup. Divide yogurt into four bowls. Place a half of the warm pear in each bowl, cut side up. Top with granola and walnuts, and drizzle with syrup you set aside.

Makes four servings.

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I also like serving this dish for brunch. If you have a tasty and healthy recipe to share, post it in the Healthy Recipe Group. I am always looking for new ones to try.

Healthy Dessert: Baked Pears With Maple Greek Yogurt and Granola

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:00:59 -0700

Check out this simple recipe when you read more.

Baked Pears with Maple Greek Yogurt and Granola
Modified from recipe found in Snack Attack Group

Ingredients

2 firm pears (Bartlett or Anjou)
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon honey
16 ounce container plain Greek yogurt
4 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 cup granola
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Cut the pears in half lengthwise, and remove cores with a spoon. Place in an 8x8-inch baking pan, cut-sides down.
Pour apple juice and water over pears, and drizzle with honey. Cover pan loosely with foil and bake about 35 minutes or until tender.
When pears are done, pour the leftover baking liquid into a small saucepan and reduce over medium heat until about 1/4 cup of syrup remains; set aside to cool.
Open the container of Greek yogurt and stir in the maple syrup. Divide yogurt into four bowls. Place a half of the warm pear in each bowl, cut side up. Top with granola and walnuts, and drizzle with syrup you set aside.

Makes four servings.

Print recipe with images | without images

I also like serving this dish for brunch. If you have a tasty and healthy recipe to share, post it in the Healthy Recipe Group. I am always looking for new ones to try.