Cinnamon Toast Crunch & Cinnamon Raisin Bran~ Gluten Free

Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Did you ever eat those sugary Kellogs Cereals? Maybe you still do? I know growing up we were only allowed to eat Rice Krispies, Shredded Wheat, Corn Flakes, Cheerios and Raisin Bran. If we got lucky charms it was a HUGE treat. And I was caught picking out all of the marshmallows a few times! When I look back the more 'wholesome' choices (or lesser of evils) my mom made us eat, I'm grateful.

However, when living a 'clean' life, eating clean foods,  processed cereals with added sugar, chemical 'crispers', anti-caking agents and milled to death grains do not fit in. You don't have to go raw to have healthier options (think oatmeal/homemade granola/bran and quinoa flakes). But I do have a few raw (well, truly raw if you leave out the maple syrup/extract-but who's keeping score? Still leaps and bounds from frosted flakes). recipes to share. You can bake them though! Trust me, you or whoever you share this with will not know it's homemade or raw. It's that good. Gluten free and EASY, easy, easy.

First off, if you've only had buckwheat in pancakes, or have never had it at all, you have got to explore this amazing 'grain!' It's actually a fruit seed.

It's higher in fiber (per gram) than oatmeal, high in manganese, high in plant lignans and super versatile. The amazing list of benefits here. I think it's the next 'superfood.' I find myself using it more than any other sprouted grain in my arsenal. You will too!

I soak my buckwheat overnight. Then rinse well 3-4 times. and rinse often. Buckwheat is slimy when you soak it.. so you want to rinse well so it will dehydrate fully and get ultra crisp. Here is more info on sprouting/using raw buckwheat. You can let it sprouts until the little tails are just peeking out. After they get longer than that, I find the taste notably 'green,' and not as palatable. 

Going truly clean to some people means no sugar entirely. This can make you feel deprived and less likely to WANT to eat clean, possibly relapsing to processed sugars. It takes practice and over time as your body detoxes of sugar, it does become easier, craving less often. Especially when you ween off with natural sugars. At least, in my personal experience. Maple Syrup is a processed sweetener. I use it for flavor and because I read this. If you want to go ultra clean, sub apple juice as a sweetener or date syrup in any of these recipes, or omit sugar entirely.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch
3 C Sprouted Buckwheat
1/2 C Maple Syrup (or whatever you choose)
2 tsp Vanilla (or 1 vanilla bean scraped)
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon (or to taste.. easy to over do)

Process all ingredients in food processor until pasty. (alternatively, you can just stir it all together.. no need to break up the groats really). It won't take long and will be rather wet.

Spread this mixture out onto dehydrator trays (or baking tray). If you spread it thin, you can break it up into flakes later. I like to check after 1-2 hours (at 112) and break it up/pinch it into little clumps. Then dehydrate at 104F overnight. I've never baked this.. but I don't see why not. Try 350F for 5 minutes and keep checking. Maybe scoring/clumping up as you go.

No, it's not going to taste just like cinnamon toast crunch, which I believe is sweetened, flavored corn, but it is delicious!

Macaroon Crunch

Macaroon Crunch
1 batch Cinnamon Toast Crunch ingredients
Add:
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1/2 C Shredded Coconut
1/4-1/2 C slivered/chopped almonds

Follow the same instructions.



The following recipe is one of the first cereals I attempted to recreate (although never a huge fan of the real thing) when I first started raw foods. I posted it on Vegweb.com. It's pretty dang good! In my original recipe I added wheat germ and ground flax. I no longer do that.

Cacao Puffs

Cocoa Puffs
3 C Sprouted Buckwheat
3 Tbs Sweetener (optional)
1 1/2 Tbs Cacao (plain cocoa works)
Pinch of Salt

Follow the same instructions! Can be made in clumps or 'flakes.' Process until super smooth for flakes.

This next recipe is not your childhood raisin bran, although I do have a recipe for that to post. It is delicious and a bit spicy from all the cinnamon. VERY crunchy! I make mine on thick side. They double as amazing breakfast crackers for nut butter or fresh fruit. You can spread this thin, make granola clumps, or bake it. Try adding chopped apples, raisins, nutmeg, allspice and cutting back on the cinnamon for an apple cake variation.

Adjust the raisins/cinnamon to your preference.

Cinnamon Raisin Bran

Cinnamon Raisin Bran
2 C Almond Pulp (or ground fine dry almonds)
1/2 C Sweetener
1/2-1 tsp Vanilla
1-2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 C Raisins

Process all ingredients except raisins.  Pulse in raisins so you get largish chunks. Spread thick onto dehydrator sheet.. D at 104F for 1-2 hours. Score with a pizza cutter. Or make clumps. Then D overnight at 115F. Follow the remaining instructions as above.

For a more traditional bran taste, cut back on the cinnamon, add 1/4 C moistened bran and pinch of salt.

Top these cereals, or an invention of your own with fresh fruit, chia seed etc. and your favorite milk!

Enjoy!!!

Spring Cabbage Slaw

Picnic Anastasia Island

While I was in Florida, I indulged in fresh produce allll day long. Florida Bananas, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Blueberries, Strawberries, Peaches, Tangerines, Grapefruit, Kale, Squash, etc. etc. Oh my gosh, the list goes on. I ate SO much fruit. It was heaven. I browsed the Farmer's market listening to live music for well over an hour shopping.

This tangerine tree to the left is at my Aunt's house. I even brought some grapefruits from her trees home with me. MMMmm.  Well, now I'm back in Alaska and produce is a little harder to get. Much less LOCAL produce. So, my diet comes back to a lot of root veggies and greens. Which is great, yes. But I do miss the fresh fruits in a bad way. All of our berries are frozen, our bananas are the conventional gassed kind, and watermelon.. basically doesn't exist. We do get a lot of produce from Washington (Full Circle Farms) and California. We can get greens from the neighboring farm (or from our own once they are ready). This area is definitely bountiful in berries during summer. Looking forward to that! It was much easier to keep a raw food diet in Florida though. Now I'm eating sprouted grain tortilla's and eggs again (loaded with raw veggies) when I'm feeling slack. I definitely rely on more dehydrated raw foods here. I definitely feel the difference in my energy. I ate 5 various citrus fruits alone yesterday. Which are $2.77 lb here. So, that was rather indulgent. It's so much more expensive to eat produce here. :(
Last night I made a delicious Red Cabbage Slaw. I generally avoid all sugar not found in fruits/dates etc. But I did use a bit of Agave in this. I found some very interesting (and disheartening) info on Agave and how your body metabolizes it similar to HFCS. Who knows. For now, until I have time to research it more, I'm cutting it out.

Delicious and Beautiful!

Spring Cabbage Slaw
1/2 Red Cabbage sliced into thin shred
1 Carrot Shred
1/8 cup Raisins (soaked)
1 Leaf Kale Shred
1/4 cup Cubed Cucumber

Dressing:
2 Tbs Red Wine Vinegar (or ACV)
1 Drizzle of Olive Oil (or sesame if your feeling like asian slaw)
2 Tbs Onion Chopped
1 Clove Garlic
1/4 Tsp Celery Seed or Salt
3-4 Cranks of Ground Blk Pepper
1/8 Tsp of salt (or more to taste)
1 squirt of Agave Nectar (could use honey)

Process all dressing ingredients until onion is tiny.

Mix all veggies in a bowl, add dressing, stir. Let sit for 10 minutes at least in fridge. Enjoy!