Homemade Granola using Jaggery

When it comes to toddler snacks, we always want to go in for a healthy option that are delectable for kids as well. Granola- is one such ideal healthy snacking option not just for kids, but adults as well.
Though not an Indian snack, it is off late gaining lot of popularity here for its healthy and nutritious contents.

This is a no bake recipe that can be so easily made on a stove top. This makes a great travel friendly snacking option for kids. My son loves this as he finds it crispy, crunchy and sweet :):)

You can make N number of combinations and varieties of Granola using the below key ingredients.

Preparation of Granola involves 5 Key ingredients

1. Whole grains - Rice crisps, Whole Wheat grains, Rolled Oats, Corn Flakes
2. Nuts - Walnut, Almonds, Pecan, Hazelnuts,Cashew Nuts
3. Seeds - Sesame, Pumpkin, Melon, Flaxseeds, Chia Seeds
4. Dry Fruits - Dried Cranberries, Blueberries, Raisins, chopped dates, dried apricots, dried strawberries
5. Natural Sweeteners - Dates Syrup, Raw Honey, Maple Syrup,Cane Sugar, Brown unrefined sugar, unsweetened chocolate syrup

You can make this as a Trail mix or as bars. I have chose to make them as a crispy crunch mix. Let's jump to the preparation. :)

Serves: 2 Cups

Ingredients

Whole Grains

• Rolled Oats - 1 cup

Seeds

• Melon Seeds - 2 tbsp
• Pumpkin Seeds - 2 tbsp

Seeds - Melon and Pumpkin Seeds

Nuts

• Cashew Nuts - 2 tbsp
• Walnuts - 2 tbsp

Nuts - Walnuts and Cashew Nuts

Dry Fruits

• Raisins - 2 tbsp
• Cranberries - 2 tbsp

Dry Fruits - Raisins and Cranberries

 

Sweeteners

• Honey - 2 tbsp
• Powdered Jaggery - 1/4 cup

Flavoring Ingredients

• Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp
• Cinnamon Powder - 1/2 tsp

Nuts,Seeds and Dry Fruits

Method

1. Dry Roast the seeds and nuts separately in a thick bottomed pan until they emit nice flavour. Keep it aside after roasting.

2. Dry Roast the oats in a thick bottomed pan on a low-medium flame until you start getting nice aroma of oats and keep it aside separately.

3. In the pan, add powdered jaggery, cinnamon powder and 2 tbsp of water to melt the jaggery. Ensure you melt it on full low flame.

4. Once the jaggery has melted, add all the dry roasted ingredients along with dry fruits and give it a nice mix.

5. To above, add Honey and vanilla essence and give it a nice stirring on low-medium flame so that all the ingredients are crunchy and crispy.

6. Remove the contents from the pan and transfer it to a large bowl.

7. Use both your hands to separate the contents from sticking to each other. Initially, it would be sticking to each other due to jaggery. However, as you keep repeating this process of separating them using your hands by breaking the lumps, it is easier for you to make crispy crunch Trail Mix.


Please note : Do it as soon as you remove the contents from pan. If you delay, it would be a little hard to break the lumps without breaking it.


8. Store it in an airtight container and it stays fresh for long :) Enjoy this delicious snacking.

Eggless Whole Wheat Almond Muffins using Flax Meal

As our kids enter toddlerhood, a major pressure or rather confusion befall on us 

(parents) - what healthy snacks can I give my child? 

My son brings back almost half of the snacks that I send him for school. However, he loves cakes, sweets and biscuits which are quite unhealthy. I thought why not make them at home with healthy ingredients so that we can give them without any guilt or fear. This is one such recipe which uses the goodness of whole wheat, Almond flour, flaxseed and butter. This makes a healthy wholesome delicious snack for kids any day.

This is one of my son's favorite snacks. He says Yummy yummy and eat it. That feeling you get when you know your kid is enjoying what you cook for him is such a state of bliss :)

This recipe is an adaptation of SharmisPassions-WholeWheat Almond Muffins. I have replaced the egg in original recipe with flax egg.

                        1 egg = 1 tbsp Flaxseed Powder dissolved in 3 tbsp of water

Yields 9 cup cakes

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

1. Whole Wheat flour - 3/4 cup
2. Almond Flour - 1/4 cup
3. Baking Soda - 1/4 tsp
4. Cane Sugar/Organic Jaggery - 1/2 cup
5. Cinnamon Powder - 1/2 tsp (Optional)

Wet Ingredients

1. Flax Egg - 1 tbsp Flaxseed Powder dissolved in 3 tbsp of water (rest for 15 mins)
2. Boiled Milk - 1/2 cup
3. Unsalted Butter - 1/4 cup
4. Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp

Method

1. Sift all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well.

2. Now add all the wet ingredients and mix well using a hand mixer or Blender until the wet ingredients and dry ingredients are combined well.

Cupcake batter ready

                              

3. Line a cupcake liner inside silicon moulds. Alternatively, you can use a muffins tray if it would fit inside your oven.

4. Fill each of the mould upto half of the volume as the batter would rise during baking process.

Batter filled in the moulds

                                 

5. Once filled, decorate them with your choice of sugar sprinklers as shown in the pic.

                          

6. Preheat the oven at 180 degrees celsius for 10 mins.

7. Place the cupcake tray inside the oven and bake for 30 mins at 180 degrees Celsius.

8. After 30 mins, remove the cup cake and allow it cool to room temperature.

9. Can be refrigerated in an airtight box for about a week.

10. Keep one daily for your toddler in his/her snack box and see them glee :)

Notes,Tips & Add-On's

1. Each oven temperature and heating capacity is different. My oven cooks only after 30 mins. However, I request you to keep checking on the cup cakes every 10 mins.
2. Gently press the top of the cake to see if it is firm, alternatively you can also use tooth pick to check if the cake is cooked in the center. The tooth pick has to come out clean.

Cup cake with icing done