We’ve been back to school for 2 months and I’m already running out of ideas for healthy snacks. The go to are granola bars and fruit. They are easy and always in stock in the house. I knew I needed to add something a little different and I then I remembered my kids LOVE granola. I used to make granola A LOT a couple of years ago so maybe I should start again.
This time Shae helped me with a Peanut Butter Granola recipe. It’s as simple as dump the ingredients in a bowl, stir, bake, eat.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of peanut butter (i use creamy, if you use chunky you’ll have to increase oil)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 6 cups of old fashioned oatmeal
- 1 cup chopped nuts of choice
- 1 cup shredded coconut (optional)
- 1 cup dried fruit (optional)
Directions
Preheat your oven to 275°.
In a LARGE microwave proof bowl combine peanut butter, sugar, honey and oil. Place in microwave for 2-3 minutes on medium occasionally stirring and wiping down bowl.
Your mixture should be melty but not completely liquid. Add vanilla, salt, oats and nuts and quickly stir together to coat all of the oatmeal. This is where the muscles come in handy. Shae did all the stirring with a little help from her big brother.
Pour the granola mixture on a large baking sheet. If you prefer 2 pans that is fine too, I’d rather not make any more dirty dishes.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, gently stirring at 10 minute intervals. When it has gotten to a golden brown remove it from the oven and stir in additional ingredients. If you decide on chocolate chips they will melt and you’ll get more of a drizzle effect. Let this cool completely before eating, it will get crisp as it cools.
This stores easily in a container with a tight fitting lid and will last about a week. This works perfectly over yogurt, ice cream or by itself.
Did you have fun in the “kitchen” this week? Did you try a new food or a new kid friendly restaurant? Did your littlest ones use their snacks to count to 10? We invite you to share your experiences, photos, stories or recipes that include your #kidsinthekitchen.
Come join me and my co-hosts, Sarah of Play to Learn with Sarah Paula at Frosted Fingers and Sara at Sensibly Sara, each week linking up a post, new or old, that feature the theme Kids in the Kitchen. It doesn’t matter what you are doing as long as you are doing it together, enjoying it and learning something along the way.
- preparing healthy snacks
- having a tea party
- counting skills with m&ms
- pouring from measuring cups
- discovering a local restaurant that your kids love
- creating new family friendly recipes
Don’t have a blog? Share an instagram photo or Facebook update.
