Morning Glory Granola

Enjoy this delicious and oil-free rendition of my favorite breakfast cereal combination containing whole grains, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. Best served with non-dairy milk and fresh fruit.

Good morning!!!

It’s a beautiful summer morning and I’m enjoying delicious granola accompanied by a splash of almond milk. And you know, sometimes simple truly is best.

What did you have for breakfast today?

I’ll be the first to tell you that you should have whatever you want for breakfast. That’s the beauty of adulthood, right? We can do whatever we want. But just because we can, doesn’t always mean we should….

When I was younger, my brothers and I listed to Bill Cosby Himself on a record album over and over again. One of his comedy routines was entitled, “Chocolate Cake for Breakfast“. The mantra was “Dad is Great! Give us Chocolate Cake!!” Seriously, after that, I always wanted chocolate cake for breakfast.

Fortunately for me, my mother was very wise and I didn’t get any chocolate cake for breakfast until I became a grown up. And that’s when it happened. I learned one of life’s many disappointing but valuable lessons. Sadly, chocolate cake is not an adequate breakfast food. Bummer. Isn’t that the way it is though? I learned early on in my life that I feel better when I eat healthy foods – although that doesn’t necessarily mean I always choose to eat healthy food – I just know I feel better when I do.

Have you ever considered that breakfast can technically take place any time of the day, even though it naturally occurs in the morning hours after we’ve enjoyed some restful slumber? I ask since breakfast literally means break the fast. There’s been a lot of hype surrounding intermittent fasting and this is one of the things emphasized – the timing isn’t as important as the quality of the food consumed when you break your fast.

So really, whether you eat breakfast in the morning, after noon, or around midnight, the time itself doesn’t necessarily matter. Instead, since breakfast is often touted as the most important meal of the day, it is paramount that you fuel your body well. After all, food is the fuel we use to power our bodies. If we fill it with junk, it can’t function properly.

If you are looking for a fast, convenient, delicious, and wholesome breakfast fuel, Morning Summit Lightly Sweetened Maple Berry Blend Cereal is all of these and more. I love it. This blend boasts 15 grams of fiber per serving, contains whole ingredients, is low in sodium, and tastes really really good.

What I don’t love is the price tag. I can buy a box at Costco for $14, Instacart for $15, eBay for $19, and Walmart sells it for $46.99 online… yes, Walmart. Though I do like sharing good sea stories, this is not an exaggeration. I included the link to make it even easier – and a screenshot. The price may be outrageous but it is a legitimate representation.

So, yes, this cereal blend tastes good and is good for you… It’s been featured in newspaper articles because General Mills hit this healthy cereal blend out of the park. But it is way too expensive for me to buy on a recurring basis since my husband can easily eat this in less than one week. (Technically, one box contains 18 servings and should last close to three weeks.)

Morning Summit contains: Almonds, Whole Grain Wheat, Organic Maple Syrup, Whole Grain Oats, Sugar, Dried Coconut, Pumpkin Seeds, Organic Coconut Oil, Dried Sweetened Cranberries (cranberries, sugar, glycerin), Dried Sweetened Cherries (cherries, sugar, glycerin), Corn Bran, Brown Sugar Syrup, Vanilla Extract, Salt, Vitamin E (Mixed Tocopherois) added to preserve freshness.

Morning Summit Foods

After reviewing this list of very wholesome ingredients, I figured I could easily replicate this cereal myself. After all, my pantry conveniently possesses all of the ingredients necessary for my copycat version.

The results are why I’m super excited to share this Morning Glory Granola recipe with you this morning. It is delicious, wholesome, nutritious and GLORIOUS!! What’s more is that it is still very fast and convenient once it’s made. It’s also more wholesome without any added salt or oils (though you can include them if you want).

Did I tell you that it is just as satisfying and delicious?! Just checking. And let’s be honest, Morning Glory Granola is much easier to say than “Morning Summit Lightly Sweetened Maple Berry Blend Cereal“. Not that you asked. (But you know I’m right.)

This Morning Glory Granola medley is delicious doused with chilled Oat + Nut Milk.  But it’s also perfect nestled with fresh fruit and coconut yogurt, sprinkled atop Nice Cream, a smoothie bowl, or my creamy Chocolate Avocado Pudding Bowl. The possibilities are endless!

Ingredients

• 2 cups rolled oats (gluten-free if needed)
• 1 cup rolled quinoa (or oats)
• ½ cup dried shredded cocounut
• ½ cup hemp hearts
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ½ cup applesauce
• 1-2 Tbsp melted coconut oil (optional)
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• ½-1 tsp salt (optional)
• 1 cup whole almonds
• ½ cup sliced almonds
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds
• 3 cups bran flakes (or gluten free cereal flakes)
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ½ cup dried cherries

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.  
2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, quinoa, shredded coconut, hemp hearts.
3. Pour in the maple syrup, apple sauce, vanilla, and salt (if using).
4. Stir together well to incorporate the liquids and the grains.
5. Add in the almonds and pumpkin seeds.
6. Stir gently to combine.

1. Spread mixture evenly on a lined baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring once after 15 minutes.  The granola should be lightly golden. 
2. Remove the cereal mixture from the oven and allow to cool.

1. Once completely cool, add the bran flakes and dried fruit.
2.  Fold together gently to combine.
3. Store the granola in an air-tight container or bag in a cool dry place for up to 2 weeks.  This granola can be frozen up to 3 months.

Notes

This recipe makes approximately 12 cups of delicious granola and keeps very well stored in an air-tight container.

To make this gluten-free, ensure the oats used are certified gluten free. Also use a gluten-free cereal flake instead of bran flakes.

I do not add any salt or oil to this granola but they are both included as an option if you choose. The oil will encourage the smaller seeds and flakes to adhere to the cereal and nuts better and the salt enhances the flavor.