By Laura Cipullo, RD, CDE, Author of The Diabetes Comfort Food Diet Book
I’m excited to be sharing another recipe from my book, The Diabetes Comfort Food Diet Book! This is an easy, and tasty granola recipe that you can make ahead for the week, for breakfast, snacks and on-the-go!
1. Preheat oven to 350F and spray large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine oats, millet, cranberries, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, maple syrup, cinnamon, and cardamom. Stir well to combine.
3. Spread evenly onto prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes or until golden brown, stirring carefully once or twice. Remove from the oven and break up any large pieces of granola while it’s still warm.
4. Cool completely before sorting into airtight containers. You can store at room temperature for up to 1 week. Enjoy!
By Laura Cipullo RD, CDE and Laura Cipullo Whole Nutrition Services Team
From ready-made breakfasts to kids’ camp snacks, granola bars are a go-to choice for on-the-go moms and dads. What better way to enjoy granola bars, than making them yourself? They’re also a great way to get your kids involved in the kitchen!
Time: 30 minutes cooking, 15 minutes cooling
Yields: 10 bars
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups oats
1 cup almonds
1 cup shredded coconut
½ cup honey
¼ cup nut butter
½ cup dried fruits (raisins, craisins, dried cherries)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Toast oats on baking pan for about 5 minutes, shake or stir the oats on the pan once or twice. Pour into a bowl and set aside.
3. Coarsely chop the almonds and place onto the pan with the shredded coconut and place in oven for about 8 minutes, the coconut will start to turn golden and have a light aroma.
4. While the nuts and coconut are in the oven, pour the honey and nut butter (I used creamy almond butter) into a small sauce pan on medium-low heat, stir occasionally. Simmer the mixture for 3-5 minutes until it is a medium golden.
5. Remove honey and nut butter mix from heat and stir in oats, almonds and coconut. The mixture may seem dry, but should be evenly coated.
6. Sprinkle in dried fruits (I used a mix of raisins, dried cherries and cranberries) at the end of mixing.
7. Pour whole mix onto parchment lined baking pan or 8 x 12 cake pan and spread evenly.
8. Compress the granola mix so that there are not any spaces (this will prevent your bars from falling apart when you cut them). You can use the bottom of another pan covered in parchment paper to flatten out the mix.
9. Wait about 10-15 minutes for mixture to cool before cutting into 1 x 4in bars.
10. Store in air tight container and enjoy!
Fun Adaptation: This recipe also makes a yummy granola! Just crumble the mix after it cools or chop into smaller pieces for a fun yogurt topping!
Sipping a cup of coffee on the way out the door while making sure everyone’s shoes are on the right feet is how many busy moms may be starting their morning. Or maybe you grab a cup on your way to work, or even prefer to meet up with a friend for coffee and catching up! Regardless of how you take your coffee, you’re not alone in getting your caffeine fix—nearly 90% of the adult US population consumes caffeine, and 98% of that caffeine comes from coffee![1] While we may (almost) all be drinking coffee daily, there are still a few controversies even the most devoted coffee drinkers might not have the answers to, including a list of some of the best coffee shops to try in NYC!
Does the Brew Method Affect Caffeine Content?
Yes and no. An 8oz cup of drip coffee will have marginally more caffeine than instant coffee and about 2-3 times as much caffeine as a 1oz shot of espresso.[2] But your barista has the final say in deciding how much caffeine you’ll have in your order. While the variation from day-to-day likely depends on the training regimen and reputation and goals of the coffee shop, it can be significant. A study in Maryland followed coffee shops over a six-day period to find they served up the same drink order but it was measured to have a wide range of caffeine presence, from 58-259mg. (For reference, moderate intake of caffeine is considered three cups a day and averaged to be 300mg.[2])
Might Coffee Irritate Me If I’m Gluten Intolerant/Have Celiac Disease?
It could! Instant coffee is often contaminated with traces of gluten that could irritate someone with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease.[4]However, drinking pure coffee should not cause problems for someone with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease.[4]
My child wants to try coffee…
Children are grouped into a sensitive subpopulation, along with pregnant women in terms of a having a cap on caffeine consumption, under 300mg/day to reduce risk of adverse affects.[2] More specific recommendations for children, based on age and weight, suggest that no more than 45mg/day for a 1-5year old and no more than 125mg/day for a 10-14 year old.[2] Considering other sources of caffeine that may be in your child’s diet (chocolate, teas, soft drinks) just a half cup to a cup of coffee could exceed the child’s daily recommendation.
Where to get the best cup?
Here are our favorites coffee shops around Manhattan and some we’re excited to try!
Serving specialty coffee and their signature cold brew for the summer months, Stumptown offers a laidback and inviting environment to enjoy any weekend morning. Optional (but limited) outdoor seating and prime West Village location makes it easy to bring along the stroller or kids on your way to Washington Square Park!
Location:
30 W 8th Street, New York, NY 10011
Ace Hotel, 18 W 29th Street, New York, NY 10001
Breakfast at Bluestone Lane Collective Cafe by Brenna O’Malley
With locations across Manhattan, it’s hard to find an excuse to not pop into this charming coffee shop for a drink or their West Village location for some “brekkie”. They are known for their avocado toasts and uniquely named coffees, like the “magic”. Also offers indoor and outdoor seating and is a popular weekend brunch spot!
Location: 55 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10014 (Collective Café)
The perfect spot after Soul Cycle in Noho, or a break from shopping in Soho. These airy cafés are welcoming and filled with light, if you don’t get a seat, we promise, their iced coffee is just as good, to-go.
With one Midtown location, this is a great spot to grab a quality coffee between meetings or on your way to the office. With very similar vibes to Bluestone Lane’s Collective Café in West Village, Little Collins slows down the busy pace of a midtown weekday with their own Australian brews.
Location:
667 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10022
Happy coffee-shopping!
[1]Fulgoni, V., Keast, D., & Lieberman, H. (2015). Trends in intake and sources of caffeine in the diets of US adults: 2001-2010. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1091-1087.
[2]Hogan, E., Hornick, B., & Bouchoux, A (n.d.). Communicating the Message: Clarifying the Controversies About Caffeine. Nutrition Today, 28-35.
[3]Mccusker, R., Goldberger, B., & Cone, E. (n.d.). Caffeine Content of Specialty Coffees. Journal of Analytical Toxicology, 520-522.
[4]Vojdani, A., & Tarash, I. (n.d.). Cross-Reaction between Gliadin and Different Food and Tissue Antigens. Food and Nutrition Sciences FNS, 20-32.
With Spring officially here, we’ve been looking for ways to spruce up our lunches and on-the-go meals. Soon there will be sports practices to go to, play dates, and afternoon excursions to the park, so we wanted to host a giveaway to give our readers a chance to win some awesome items that will help you pack meals and snacks on-the-go. So keep reading to learn how to enter to win these great prizes:
