Author: VMcMahan

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Coconut Mocha Granola Macaroons

Coconut Mocha Granola Macaroons

 

What a crazy year 2022 has been so far!  We hope you have fared well through the Ides of March.  When you are looking for a quick treat, check out our Coconut mocha granola macaroons recipe.  They are a quick and delicious treat for a busy weekend!  The mocha granola adds a refreshing twist to the traditional macaroon flavor.  This recipe uses an egg white base and unsweetened coconut flakes which lightens up the recipe so you don’t need to have guilt over enjoying dessert 😊.  

Macaroon Ingredients:

  • 3 egg whites
  • 1/3 cup of white sugar or sugar alternative
  • 1 tablespoon instant coffee
  • 2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1/2 cup Mocha granola with any clusters broken up

Drizzle:

  • 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate
  • 2 tablespoons canola or coconut oil

Instructions:

1. Separate the whites from the yolk.  Save the yoke for another recipe. 

2. Whip egg whites, sugar, and coffee until well incorporated and stiff peaks form.  It should take approximately 5 minutes in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer.

2. Gently fold in the granola and coconut flakes. 

3. Scoop onto a parchment-lined tray with either a 1 tbsp scoop or 1/8 cup scoop depending on how big you want your cookies.  Bake at 325°F for about 12 minutes until edges turn golden for smaller cookies and about 15 minutes for the larger cookies.  Do not overbake as macaroons should be crispy on the outside, but chewy on the inside.

4. In a microwave-safe bowl, add semi-sweet chocolate chips and oil.  Microwave in 20-second intervals and stir with a spatula and return to the microwave until mostly melted.  Once the chocolate chips are close to fully melted, remove them from the microwave and mix until the mixture is fully incorporated. Do not over microwave or chocolate will thicken. 

5. Drizzle chocolate on macaroons with a fork or piping bag.

6. Serve when cookies and drizzle are cool.

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Natural Granola Ingredients We Love to Use in our Recipes

natural granola ingredients like almonds

Take one scroll through the recipes on our blog and you’ll know that we take food seriously. Especially when that food includes natural, healthy ingredients that keep us fuller longer and satisfy our taste buds (even that finicky sweet tooth!). At Little Red Wagon Granola, you can find delicious, natural granola ingredients in every bag. 

Natural granola ingredients make all the difference 

Like most of our customers, we love a good snack. But when it comes to snacks (or breakfast or, really, any food), we go for those that keep us full and are full of flavor. That’s why we made it our mission from the beginning to use natural granola ingredients. And choosing natural ingredients means we can also fulfill our goals of sustainability, sourcing local, and honoring our farmer’s market roots. 

If we had to narrow it down, these ingredients make all the difference in our granolas. 

Healthy fats

Whether you like the richness of Mocha or the citrus-zing from Cosmopolitan, you’ll notice that each granola flavor we offer includes nuts like almonds and pecans. This is because the unsaturated fats and Omega-3 fatty acids found in nuts are the “good” heart-healthy ones that can do things like lower cholesterol, reduce inflammation, and improve the lining of your arteries. In other words, nuts are nature’s little heart helpers.   

Recipe to try: These Red Velvet Overnight Oats contain Mocha granola and hidden veggies. 

Natural sweeteners

Our granolas get their sweetness from fruits like apples, bananas, cranberries, and oranges. So the next time you finish a bowl of Crunchy Monkey or sneak a few handfuls of Big Apple, know that you’re getting the added benefits of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. 

Recipe to try: Big Apple Granola and unsweetened applesauce make these Big Apple Granola Muffins the perfect way to satisfy a sweet craving. 

Flavorful spices 

What’s the point of good-for-you food if it doesn’t also taste good? Our natural granola packs a punch in the flavor department due to delicious ingredients and flavorful spices like our go-to: cinnamon. Besides adding that extra special something to our bags cinnamon is loaded with antioxidants, is anti-inflammatory, and can lower blood sugar levels. 

Recipe to try: These Magic Bars made with our Original granola are truly, well, magical. 

Add a little something extra with our natural granola 

With healthy fats, natural sweeteners, and flavorful spices, it’s no wonder that our granola is a go-to for so many—and satisfies those cravings! So, the next time you’re looking for a snack, the perfect topping, or that oh-so-special addition to a recipe, look no further than our natural granola. 

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Recipes

Overnight Chia Seed and Granola Pudding

overnight chia seed and granola pudding

We hope the year is going well for you and you are still conquering your New Year’s resolutions. This month I am sharing one of my favorite powerhouse breakfasts—overnight chia seed and granola pudding!

Chia seeds and oats make for a power pairing. I like to mix chia seeds and Little Red Wagon granola with milk and yogurt to make a quick breakfast with serious nutrition and staying power. This simple breakfast packs in omega-3s, beta glucen, fiber, protein, antioxidants, and whole grains. Who knew you could get so much nutrition in one meal?

I like to prep this overnight to allow the chia seeds to “sprout” which in turn increases the amount of nutrients your body can absorb. If you are in a crunch, you can still whip up the ingredients in the morning in a snap. I hope this nutritious and filling breakfast starts your day on a good note and helps you conquer your day!

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup Granola of your favorite Little Red Wagon Granola, I like to use Crunchy Monkey, my favorite 😉
  • 1 tablespoon whole chia seeds
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1-2 tbsp sweetener of choice

Instructions:

  1. Add Greek yogurt, almond milk, sweetener to taste, and chia seeds into a medium Tupperware container and stir to combine.
  2. If you like a more oatmeal consistency go ahead and add in the granola and stir lightly to mix it in.  If you prefer to have a bit of crunch in the pudding, add the granola in the morning before serving rather than at night.
  3. Refrigerate overnight.
  4. In the morning pull the pudding from the refrigerator.  Stir the pudding and transfer into a bowl as desired.  If you didn’t add the granola in step 2, add now. 
  5. Top with fresh fruit and enjoy!

** If the pudding is too thick for your liking, feel free to add more milk

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3 Valentine’s Day Treats Using Our Healthy, Delicious Granola

a strawberry yogurt valentines day treat

It’s February, which means love is in the air. And while the holiday is stereotypically reserved for couples, we think Valentine’s Day is an excellent opportunity to celebrate all different forms of love. So, why not shower your kids, family, friends, and even neighbors with some extra love this year? With these unique Valentine’s Day treats, you can create something special to share that tastes amazing but still offers some health benefits.

A Classic Berry Valentine’s Day Treat Topped with Chocolate and Granola  

First up is a classic: chocolate-covered strawberries. Strawberries have long been associated with love and are now a staple Valentine’s Day treat, along with candy hearts and chocolate roses. 

This recipe from Taste of Home shows you how to DIY this treat at home. They recommend covering the berries with chopped nuts, but we think a little bit of our Mocha granola would work even better! The warm dark chocolate and mocha flavors are a perfect balance against the tart strawberries. 

Easy Crunchy Clusters to Share with Friends and Neighbors

As we mentioned before, Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to only be about our partners. You can share the love with friends and neighbors by dropping a treat off at their house. But, Instead of choosing some store-bought dessert, try these make-at-home clusters from Wilton. 

Simply grab your favorite ingredients, like granola, nuts, raisins, crispy rice cereal, and whatever else you’d like, and marry the ingredients together with some melted chocolate. To make the recipe even easier, use one of our flavorful granola mixes as your base. Then all you need to do is melt and pour some chocolate and add sprinkles! Easy peasy. 

A Festive (and Secretly Healthy) Start to the Day 

Part of the joy of celebrating Valentine’s Day is seeing the excitement from your kids while they share their homemade cards and giggle about their crushes during breakfast before school. 

To make their morning just that much more special, make some super simple and surprisingly healthy red velvet overnight oats. Not only is this recipe super festive, but it will also fill the kids up and keep them full longer, so they’re less likely to overindulge in candy throughout the school day.

Share A Little Extra Love This Valentine’s Day with Little Red Wagon Granola

No matter how you choose to celebrate this February 14th, we hope you enjoy the time with loved ones. These Valentine’s Day treats are sure to help brighten your day while providing essential nutrients and hunger-busting fiber. So which recipe will you try next? 

Happy Valentine’s Day! 

 

Shop our selection of delicious granola blends today. 

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Recipes

Big Apple Granola Muffins

big apple granola muffins

Happy New Year! We hope 2022 is off to a great start for you. The New Year holds so much potential and so many possibilities. It is always a great time to check in on your goals or re-evaluate where you stand with respect to your priorities. Healthy food is one of our key values and we know eating healthy is a big part of starting the New Year right. Since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, we have a great recipe to help you start the day on a great note! Our Big Apple Granola muffins are filled with heart-healthy oats and nuts. The flavor boost from the applesauce helps to cut back on the sugar without sacrificing taste. Nutritious and delicious, that’s a winning combo that will help you conquer your day and your goals for the New Year!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups Big Apple Granola, divided into 1 ½ cups and ½ cup reserved for garnish
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar or coconut sugar
  • ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce (we love this one) 
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

  1. Heat oven to 350°F and either line a 12 tin muffin pan with muffin liners or spray with cooking spray.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix 1 ½ cups granola (you’ll use the rest later), flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Blend dry mixture with a fork.
  3. In a large bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, buttermilk, apple sauce, and vanilla with a fork until well combined.  
  4. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
  5. Divide the batter amongst the 12 muffin tins, approximately ¼ cup of batter per tin.
  6. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of Big Apple Granola on top of the muffin cups.
  7. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  8. Remove the Big Apple granola muffins from pans and allow them to cool prior to serving.
  9. Optional: serve with a dollop of fresh whip cream or your favorite yogurt. 
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Why High Fiber Snacks (Like Granola!) Are Essential For Your Resolutions

the high-fiber snack, granola, overlays the caption "Happy new year! 2022"

After a busy holiday season, it’s finally the new year! January is a time filled with renewed excitement as you start working on your resolutions. But you need the right fuel to achieve big goals, like committing to a new workout class or learning a new skill. High-fiber snacks like granola are an ideal choice, offering health benefits, nourishment, and a full, happy belly.

High Fiber Snacks Help You Stay Full Longer

When you add goals to your to-do list in the new year, you disrupt your normal schedule—making it easy to find yourself skipping meals. Unfortunately, this lack of fuel leaves you in a slump all day, decreasing your chances of achieving those goals. 

Luckily, if you manage to fit in a high fiber breakfast, like our delicious granola, you’ll be ready to tackle the day. High fiber foods, like granola, keep you feeling full longer because they take longer to digest. So when you’re working out or focusing on that new hobby, you won’t be distracted by a grumbly stomach.

Our Fiber-Rich Granola is Packed with Nutrients 

One of the big topics people make resolutions around is a desire to look and feel better than they did in the previous years. They want to feel more energetic and look more youthful and exuberant. Amazingly, our high fiber granola can help you with that as well! 

Little Red Wagon Granola features fruits, nuts, berries, and other nutrient-rich foods. Take our classic Cosmopolitan, for example. This delicious blend features cranberries, almonds, pecans, and orange oil. Cranberries are a great source of Vitamin C, and pecans and almonds are packed with healthy fats. Both of these nutrients help your skin glow!

Fiber-Rich Foods Help Balance Blood Sugar Levels

After a particularly tough workout or a busy morning, it’s normal for blood sugar levels to decrease. This can cause fatigue and a lack of focus, which puts a damper on your day. 

Luckily, the oats we use in our granola are high in beta-glucan, a type of soluble fiber. This fiber has been linked to several health benefits, including managing blood sugar and cholesterol levels. So, enjoying a small bowl of granola at lunch or after a workout can be a great way to avoid the afternoon slump.

Achieve Your Resolutions this Year with the Help of Little Red Wagon Granola

At Little Red Wagon Granola, we’re always striving to help our customers look and feel their best. And we believe that with a bit of hard work, and some healthy, fiber-rich fuel, you can achieve even your most challenging resolutions. We’re here with you every step of the way. 

Happy New Year!

Shop our delicious recipes today.

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Recipes

Crunchy Monkey Granola Pancakes

As fall transitions to winter, cool mornings call for a hearty breakfast.  Chocolate, bananas and oats, are a trio made in heaven.  If you are looking for a special breakfast for Christmas morning or something to change up your routine, our Crunchy Monkey Granola Pancakes are a great way to start the day.  

As the year comes to a close, we hope that you have enjoyed having our granola as a part of your day.  We are grateful to have the opportunity to make it for you!  As one year ends and another one starts, we wish you fun, laughter, and great food shared with family and friends.  Best wishes for health, happiness, and prosperity in the coming year! 

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Crunchy Monkey Granola
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ cup chocolate chips
  • 2 ripe bananas 
  • 1 ½ cup of milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp oil

Optional: warm maple syrup, fresh fruit, chocolate chips. whipped cream for serving

Instructions:

  1. Pour cup of Crunchy Monkey Granola into a medium bowl.  Pull out banana chips and reserve for serving.
  2. Add flour, baking powder, salt and chocolate chips.  Blend dry mixture with a fork.
  3. Peel ripe bananas and place in a separate medium bowl.  Mash bananas with a fork.
  4. Add milk, egg, and oil into bananas and stir well to incorporate.
  5. Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients until incorporated.
  6. Let mixture set for 15 minutes to make a fluffier pancake.
  7. Cook pancakes for approximately 1 minute each side over medium to medium-low heat.  If you are using very ripe bananas, the heat will need to be lower to prevent burning. 
  8. Serve warm with warm maple syrup, banana chips, and any other toppings that sound delicious!
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How to Dress Up Your Granola for Holiday Activities

Holiday themed granola—perfect for all your holiday activities

There are so many wonderful ways to enjoy the holiday season. Some prefer holiday activities involving getting together with family or friends, while others enjoy taking time away to unwind and reconnect. But one thing’s for sure—the best holiday activities usually involve great food. We wanted to share a few delicious granola treats you can spruce up and share or enjoy on your own this holiday season. 

A Bake-Ahead Breakfast for Holiday Hosting

For a hearty, fiber-rich breakfast option, try our easy baked oatmeal recipe. This breakfast is an excellent option for holiday hosts. You can batch-make a big tray to share with a large group. If you’re feeling particularly festive, add in a few holiday sprinkles or swap out the Crunchy Monkey granola for a different flavor like Original or Big Apple. You could also add in some dried cranberries or any other dried fruit or berry you enjoy. 

A Tasty Snack for the Outdoorsy Types  

Some of our favorite holiday memories are days spent playing outside making snowmen, skiing, or hunting for a Christmas tree. If you also find yourself spending a lot of time outdoors for holiday activities, these Magic Bars are a fabulous make-ahead option to bring along. To add a little festive cheer, you can swap out the butterscotch chips for some peppermint chips and add a drizzle of chocolate on top. 

Two Delicious Desserts to Enjoy One-on-One or in a Group

To round out the chilly winter evenings, you can try our Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies or our delicious Apple Dumplings. The cranberry cookies are a great option to bring to a holiday party. They also pair well with a glass of milk (or milk substitute), hot chocolate, or even your favorite decaf tea or coffee. You can even use them in place of sugar cookies for the kids to decorate and leave out for Santa. 

The apple dumplings, on the other hand, make the ideal cozy dessert. You can share them with your partner or enjoy them alone. They’re the perfect treat to devour while snuggling up next to a warm fire and watching a festive holiday movie. 

Delectable Granola Makes Holiday Activities a Delight

At Little Red Wagon Granola, we believe great food brings us together and keeps us connected. Whether your holidays are filled with tons of dinner parties or a simple at-home celebration, we hope this season brings you happiness, love, and a ton of delicious granola treats. 

Shop our collection of unique and healthy granola today. 

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How Women-Owned Businesses Are Leading The Sustainability Charge

women-owned businesses, Ven at Little Red Wagon Granola

Women-owned businesses now represent 42 percent of all businesses in the U.S, and they’re shaping the future of sustainability and best business practices. Little Red Wagon Granola is proud to have had female leaders who’ve made it their mission to provide delicious granola with a purpose. Since the beginning, we’ve kept our business women and family-owned with an emphasis on sustainability.

Little Red Wagon has always been in the ranks of women-owned businesses 

Yolanda Bravo began selling her delicious, homemade granola at the Chapel Hill Farmers’ Market in North Carolina in 2004. Over the following years, Yolanda and her husband Hank expanded their business along the East Coast and into SE Canada keeping the simple, local ingredients that had granola fans coming back for more. 

When we purchased Little Red Wagon from its founder in early 2020, we knew we had big shoes to fill. Women-owned businesses like Yolanda’s are usually scrappy and innovative and we knew we had something special with this granola company. We stayed committed to Yolanda’s vision, kept women at the helm, stayed family-owned, and continued to create delicious, balanced homemade granola. 

Little Red Wagon Granola’s sustainability goals 

According to the 2020 BNP Paribas Global Entrepreneur Report, 54 percent of female leaders say that “beyond financial returns, reducing their carbon footprint is their top measure of success…compared to just 41 percent of men.”  As a family and women owned granola company, we’re committed to making sustainable choices now that leave the planet better for the next generations which is why “healthy earth” is one of our key values. 

One of the big ways we focus on ensuring a healthy planet is with sustainable packaging. Unfortunately, only 10% of the world’s plastic packaging gets recycled. Which leaves the rest accumulating in landfills, oceans, or in the environment. Our current bags are fully recyclable and from a manufacturer committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and uses non-toxic ink. We hope you will join us in this journey to minimize the use of single-use plastics. 

Supporting women-owned businesses is a double-win 

When you buy from women-owned businesses like Little Red Wagon, you’re getting so much more than a quality product. You’re supporting brands that are passionate, committed, and dedicated to customers. Delicious granola and strong values? We call that a double-win.

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No Bake Pumpkin Pie with Granola Crust

no bake pumpkin pie with granola crust

In this season of Thanksgiving, we are so thankful for the opportunity to share our granola with you all. We hope this year has given you many things to be thankful for and you get to share the holiday with those near and dear to you. You can’t host a Thanksgiving celebration without pie! If you are looking for a lighter option than traditional pumpkin pie or if oven space is a commodity, try our no bake pumpkin pie with granola crust. It’s a great make-ahead dessert for the big day and the light, creamy pie will hit the spot after turkey and fixings.  

Ingredients:

Crust:

Filling:

  • 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 cup of milk & 1 tbsp milk (divided)
  • 8 oz whipped topping (thawed)
  • 15 oz pure pumpkin puree 
  • 2 pkg (~3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ginger
  • ¼ tsp cloves

Optional: ½ tsp gelatin fully dissolved in 1 tbsp water 

Directions:

  1. In a food processor or high-powered blender, pulse granola until it’s finely blended. Add in melted butter and pulse to incorporate.
  2. Press granola mixture into a 9-inch pie plate and around the edges. Come back with a flat-bottomed measuring cup or flat metal utensil. Press granola to pack in firmly to prevent a crumbly crust.
  3. Freeze crust while prepping filling.
  4. In a stand mixer (or hand mixer) beat cream cheese, sugar, and 1 tbsp milk with a whisk attachment until blended. Add in half of the whipped topping and blend until incorporated.
  5. Spread whipped cream mixture evenly onto granola pie crust.
  6. Clean stand mixer bowl or swap bowls. Whisk pumpkin, dry pudding mixes, spices, and 1 cup of milk. Mix for approximately 2 minutes or until pudding mix thickens.
  7. Spread pumpkin mixture over cream cheese mixture and level.
  8. Refrigerate pie for 12 hours or overnight.
  9. Dollop remaining whipped topping on the no bake pumpkin pie or pipe decorations as preferred right before serving.  
  10.  Optional: If you prefer to pipe, stabilizing the whipped cream with gelatin will help the whipped cream hold its shape.