Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It is also the most difficult meal of the day to fit into a busy schedule. One great idea for breakfast is make ahead treats that are full of whole grains and can be grabbed and enjoyed on the way out the door. They are perfect for multitasking. Enjoy them for a break during a day on the slopes or out hiking, biking or kayaking. Cinnamon and cranberry crunch bars are simple snacks that make sense for breakfast and beyond.
On those days when you have the luxury of sitting down to breakfast, a favorite way to enjoy these delectable bites is by topping them with fresh plain yogurt. Yogurt adds calcium, protein and a delicious creamy texture that works so well with the crunch in our cinnamon treats. Elizabeth Jones, a fellow Examiner from Nashville, TN has a fantastically easy recipe for yogurt that is short on time and budget friendly.
Cinnamon Crunch Bars
- 3 cups Cinnamon Chex
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup craisins
- 2 tbsp flax seeds
- 3 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)
- 1 cups chopped walnuts
- 1 cup butter
- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup local honey
- 1 tsp Russian Mulling Spice
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan. In a bowl toss chex, craisins, walnuts, seeds and oats. Arrange the mixture in a single layer to cover the bottom of the pan. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar, honey, butter and Russian Mulling Spice. Cook stirring constantly until the mixture begins to boil. Continue to boil the syrup for 3 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and pour over crackers. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until bubbly and slightly darker around the edges. Cool completely in the pan, a couple hours, overnight is better. Cut or break into pieces and store in an airtight container at room temperature.
The ingredients for this recipe can be found locally at Stop & Shop and Big Y. Cinnamon Chex is now gluten free and on presently sale at Big Y for $1.99, regularly $3.59. Big Y offers there own brand of Chex style cereals that are also gluten free. They are regularly priced between $2.95 and $3.35, depending on the flavor you purchase. While rolled oats can be found at most stores, Bobs Red Mill offers a gluten free variety which is available at Big Y and can often be found at Ocean State Job lot for a very competitive price.
For your yogurt cultures, Stonyfield Farm, made from locally raised cows milk, is a good option. They have organic varieties as well. Their stand full fat yogurt is always a great choice, full of active cultures and with a creaminess you can't beat.
Coupons to save some "Moo-la" for Stonyfield products can be found on their web site and used at local stores.
Photo Credit: Terra Americana
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Comments
Hi Julie,
My little one is going to love these! You are right they would go well with yogurt or just as they are for a quick out the door, running to the car breakfast...can you tell we do that a lot? Great recipe!
Tweeting
Cheers!
Beth
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