A New Year, A Healthy Start to Every Day with Grain Free Granola and Stonyfield

One of the things that I've wanted to improve in the New Year, were the kids breakfast choices. We have a little rotation of breakfast options on their weekly calendar: toast, pancakes, cereal, waffles, yogurt and granola.

For a while Sophia was a huge egg-eater and would devour several scrambled eggs each morning, but somewhere after 18 months old she stopped liking eggs and Jack seems to have followed her lead, with more eggs ending up on the floor than in his mouth.

Often times after a breakfast of pancakes or cereal the kids are hungry an hour later; there's just not enough protein or fat to have any sticking power and so they are clamoring for a snack. They do love yogurt for breakfast, especially Stonyfield's Banilla yogurt so I wanted to devise a yogurt topper that was a little higher in fat and protein than a regular granola: enter the Grain-Free Granola. Made with nuts, seeds, coconut flakes and topped with a coconut oil and maple syrup mixture before roasting this granola has staying power. I also tossed in a few raisins to satisfy Mr. Jack (a raisin-fiend) and these two are happy campers after breakfast.

With a good breakfast in our bellies I know we are starting the day right and fueled up for whatever activities we have in store whether it's a day of school or sledding or hopefully once the snow melts hiking!

[Tweet "Start your morning strong with @stonyfield and #grainfree granola from @runfargirl"]

Grain Free Granola

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup almond meal

1 1/2 cups shredded coconut

1/4 cup Health Warrior Chia Seeds

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup of maple syrup

1 tsp cinnamon

dash of clove, nutmeg and ginger

1 cup raisins, add after roasting

1. Preheat oven to 300

2. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl.

3. On medium heat melt coconut oil, maple syrup and spices together.

4. Combine dry ingredients with wet and stir to coat. Transfer to a large baking sheet.

5. Bake at 300 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Stirring half way through. When finished roasting allow to cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes, mix in raisins and store in air tight containers or eat immediately over Stonyfield Banilla Yogurt.