For years I have struggled to find a packed lunch that JR would eat. More often than not, sandwiches came home with only a few bites missing. I tried to pack his favorite dish, macaroni and cheese, in a thermos but even that came back half-empty at best. When I asked him why, he answered that it wasn’t very good at room temperature — something I can readily believe. (So much for the thermos.)
It got to the point that I was certain he was running on empty by the end of school. Lately, however, I have hit upon a lunch that he seems to want to eat, one that has enough protein to keep him going until the 3-o-clock bell: a yogurt parfait. In an insulated lunch box, stuffed with an ice pack, I slip a container of flavored yogurt, usually vanilla, a small container of granola, and some fruit. The only thing that comes back are empty containers. Finally!
I always insist that the granola I pack for him is nut-free. While JR does not have a nut allergy, Zuzu does. So I tend not to keep too many products with nuts in the house. Moreover, with the prevalence and seriousness of nut allergies today, I believe it is the right thing to do to send my child to school with a nut-free lunch.
There are many nut-free granolas on the market, but I enjoy making my own. Homemade granola is an easy DIY project and allows a home cook to customize the ingredients and modify the amount and kind of sweeteners used. And I am certain it is less expensive than store-bought varieties.
Granola is such a versatile ingredient. It makes a wonderful breakfast with a splash of milk or mixed into yogurt. Eaten out of hand, granola is a perfect on-the-go snack. You can even use it as a healthy topping for ice cream or frozen yogurt. And there are so many different add-ins and flavorings for homemade granola that you can easily ward off boredom just by changing the recipe each time you make it.
I rely on brown rice cereal to add an extra element of crunch to my nut-free granola. Then I customize my mix with different dried fruits, sweeteners and spices. I am actually going to post two different nut-free granolas this week to demonstrate how easy is to make your own blend.
This first blend, Cranberry Ginger Granola, is sweetened with agave nectar, making it vegan, and features dried cranberries and candied ginger for a warm, slightly spicy flavor. (If you don’t have agave on hand, feel free to substitute honey or maple syrup. That’s the beauty of homemade granola – the recipe is quite loose.) Cranberry Ginger Granola is a favorite with Zuzu who is mad for dried cranberries in any form.
Have you ever tried making your own granola? If you are not usually a DIY person, I encourage you to start with homemade granola, one of the easiest and most rewarding DIY projects there is.
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1½ cups puffed brown rice cereal
- ½ cup candied ginger, chopped fine
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp dried ginger
- Salt to taste
- ¼ cup neutral oil
- ¼ cup agave nectar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- Preheat the oven to 325 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, rice cereal, candied ginger, cinnamon, dried ginger and salt and mix well.
- Pour the oil, agave nectar and vanilla extract over the mixture and toss to combine.
- Spread the mixture in an even layer on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes, tossing once halfway through.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and mix in the dried cranberries.
- Return to the oven for two to three additional minutes.
- Allow tray to cool completely before removing granola.
- Pack into plastic containers or a quart-sized Mason jar.
