June 2021 - Little Red Wagon Granola

Summer is upon us and, with it, fun and adventures. And after the strains and pains of 2020, it seems a momentous time to escape the daily grind. We hope this summer provides you many opportunities to cultivate joy whether it’s visiting with friends and family or getting back to traveling. Above all, we hope they’re filled with joy, connection, and fun––and an Orange Cosmopolitan smoothie in hand!

In North Carolina, we have already hit the 90s and we assume temperatures are climbing where you live as well. Sometimes, you need a refreshing drink to cool off after adventuring or running errands. This Orange Cosmopolitan smoothie requires some planning (unless you have frozen oranges on hand), but is well worth it! The granola adds heartiness to the blend of fruit and milk. Plus, the frozen oranges mean you don’t need ice and you get a stronger citrus flavor. Try this refreshing smoothie on a hot summer day!

Ingredients

4 mandarin oranges or 2 large oranges (frozen)
1 cup milk of choice (we love this one!)
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/3 cup Cosmopolitan granola*
1 tablespoons honey or your desired sweetener
Optional: whipped cream and granola for garnish

Directions

Peel oranges and place them in the container of your choice in the freezer. Leaving it overnight is easiest, but a few hours should be sufficient.
Add frozen oranges and milk into a blender and blend at medium speed.
Add 1 tablespoon of vanilla and honey (or desired sweetener) and blend lightly.
Pour in Cosmo granola and blend at high speed until incorporated.
After that, serve immediately and garnish with additional granola or whipped cream.

*Note: The ability to blend in the cranberries and nuts from the granola will depend on your blender. Avoid adding nuts and cranberries if you think your blender may have a challenging time with those ingredients.

If you’ve been a long-time granola fan like us, you probably have a specific way you indulge in the crunchy treat. Are you a purist and only take your granola with cow’s milk? Or is yogurt and granola the only combination you’ll consider? At Little Red Wagon Granola, we love to mix up our snacking, so we’ve put together a “how to” eat granola with sweet tips from our team.

I know how to eat granola, don’t I?

It seems simple enough: pour granola into a bowl, top with milk or yogurt, enjoy. When it comes to how to eat granola, that’s about as classic as you can get. But once you add in the possibilities of dairy-free or plant-based milk or Icelandic versus Greek yogurt, even simple go-tos can become complicated.

If you’re ready to try something new in your granola routine, the following options are some of our team’s favorites.

Try it as a unique topping

Granola is known for its crunch, which makes it a great topping. But instead of sprinkling it over yogurt, try adding those crunchy clusters to ice cream, frozen yogurt, pudding, custard, or even fruit puree. We’re partial to the Cosmopolitan flavor over a citrus sorbet. On a hot summer evening, there’s almost nothing more refreshing.

Or as the crust to a cheesecake

These days, tart and cheesecake recipes are all over social media––and we’ve seen some pretty inventive ones! Secretly, we’re crust fans so why not add our favorite snack in the mix? Instead of making an Oreo or graham cracker crust, throw some granola (our favorite is Original, but go crazy!) into a food processor, mix in butter, and pat down into a tart dish or springform pan. From there, the flavor combinations are endless. A blueberry vegan cheesecake with Lemon Drop crust? Perfect. Or what about a chocolate peanut butter tart with Crunchy Monkey crust? You’ll be the envy of the picnic.

How about in a baked good?

With a few more ingredients and some imagination, you can transform granola into a baked good that will rival any bakery. The distinctive crunch in these clusters, with good-for-you nuts, makes them the perfect addition for baked favorites like granola cookie bars and baked oatmeal. Trust us, you may never go back to your milk-and-granola breakfast again after trying those.

Our favorite “how to” eat granola? On its own!

With all that said, you really can’t go wrong with snacking on our granola all by itself. We pride ourselves on unique and delicious flavors that will satisfy you on the go, on their own, or when you need to mix things up. Did our “how to eat granola” tips inspire you? Try all the flavors here!