Making Your Own Cereal

I don’t know about you, but there’s a certain satisfaction that I get by cooking from scratch. There’s nothing like something homemade, whether it be crackers, jam, almond milk or granola. You get to choose the ingredients, the cost is close to pennies, and really the best part is knowing that you made it  yourself.

I know how busy we all are these days, between work and families and the million other things we need to squeeze into a day, but sometimes just taking a few minutes at the end of the day to prepare something homemade is an awesome feeling. It really is.

I’ve been trying to do this more often myself lately. I keep a little running list of things I’d like to make during the week. Things that might easily get overlooked or left for another day (which may be months away). So my list this week had Kimchi and granola on it (and no, I’m not planning on eating them together; ). But these are all easy things to prepare ahead of time, that we get to enjoy during the week.

In case you’re wondering, the Kimchi recipe is on Everyday Dish. I now leave it in a covered bowl or container overnight before refrigerating. Kimchi makes a great side dish or condiment, and is super healthy as well as tasty too. It’s full of probiotics, is fat free and a great way to fit in another serving of vegetables. It’s also great mixed into a savory pancake batter to make little Korean-style pancakes.

As far as the granola goes, my all-time favorite recipe is in Vegan Diner. I am in love with that granola, and find myself multiplying the recipe by 3 or 4 to make a big glass crock full. My kids and husband love it for breakfast, whether sprinkled over yogurt or eaten with soymilk or So Delicious Coconut Milk. The only addition that I add to the recipe is millet. I’ll usually add about 1/4 cup uncooked milllet per recipe, along with the oats. It adds another dose of protein, vitamins and fiber to the mix, as well as a little extra crunch. It’s so, so good!

I know that it’s so easy to buy things like cereal at the store, but I promise you that you’ll be happy you made it yourself. Even if you only do it once. Now, go ahead and pat yourself on the back. It’s okay. You deserve it.