Author: VMcMahan

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Get to Know the Team of Bakers Behind Our Handmade Granola

Little Red Wagon Granola team of bakers; handmade granola specialists

At Little Red Wagon, we think granola making is a true craft. And, like any craftsmen, we’re passionate about what we create and want to share it with the world. The team of bakers behind our handmade granola are the heart and soul of our company. They truly embrace our values of healthy people, planet, and food. In this blog, we’re introducing you to the team behind every bake! 

Granola Made With Our Hands and Hearts

From our humble origins at the Chapel Hill Farmers’ Market to today, our artisanal, handmade granola is never manufactured and always delicious. We hold ourselves—and our ingredients—to the highest standards and opt for locally sourced whenever possible. Each bag that goes out the door is thoughtfully baked by a passionate human and made with the best intentions and best practices.  

Meet Our Handmade Granola Bakers and Magic Makers 

We’re a family-owned and operated business, and the people we work with become part of that family. Our handmade granola makers are true craftsmen and women in the kitchen and make us proud of every bag that goes out the door. 

Katrina 

Katrina has been baking for a total of 13 years and has been on the LRWG team for the past seven months. Her favorite part of the job is helping a local business grow and creating new recipes. When asked about her favorite way to eat our handmade granola, she said she prefers Original granola with almond milk and fresh blueberries. When not in the LRWG kitchen, she loves to garden and decorate cakes for friends. 

Essence 

Essence’s love for baking began when she was about seven years old. She’s been an essential (pun intended) part of the LRWG team for two years and is motivated by creating delicious granola alongside a great team. Her favorite way to eat LRWG granola is straight from the bag, but she occasionally mixes it up with ice cream, yogurt, and other baked goods. You can find her reading, gardening, or traveling when not at work.  

Bassim

Bassim is another one of our expert handmade granola bakers and an integral part of the team. He’s been baking as long as he’s been part of the team (two and a half years) and brings raw talent to the mix. His favorite things about the job are the baking time and smelling fresh granola all day. Bassim’s go-to LRWG flavors are the always-satisfying Mocha and Cosmopolitan. 

Lisa

Lisa has been baking for six years and served as the LRWG Bakery and Packaging Lead for the last two years. Her favorite parts of the job are the hours and her co-workers; for her, it’s like working with family. Although she can’t enjoy the granola herself due to a nut allergy, Lisa takes great pride in ensuring product safety and quality for all our customers.  

Stock Up On Your Handmade Granola Favorites! 

We truly wouldn’t be where we are today without our dedicated bakers whipping up artisanal, handmade granola for our customers. And the next time you open a bag of LRWG, we hope you think of the experts behind each cluster! If all this talk about granola has made you hungry or realize you have to stock up, shop here. 

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Recipes

Crunchy Monkey Granola Parfait

We hope the summer weather is treating you well. As schools start letting out for the summer, vacations begin, and the weather starts to warm up we could all use some simplicity in our day. Parfaits, like this Crunchy Monkey Granola Parfait, are a simple treat that can be a quick breakfast, an afternoon snack to cool off from the hot weather, or a light refreshing after-dinner dessert.

A parfait can’t be beaten for its simplicity, but also offers infinite variations to satisfy the pickiest of eaters. You can adjust the protein level, flavor profile, and sweetness level based on the yogurt you choose. Parfaits are also a great opportunity to use in-season fruit or whatever you have in the house. My favorite Little Red Wagon Granola is Crunchy Monkey, so I’ve used it here, but feel free to make the parfait your own using your favorite granola flavor.

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup vanilla yogurt
  • 1 small banana, sliced, strawberries and blueberries or other fruit of choice
  • ½ cup Chunky monkey granola or your favorite Little Red Wagon Granola
  • Options: fruit jams or peanut butter

Directions:

  • Pull together fresh fruit, your favorite Little Red Wagon Granola and vanilla yogurt.
  • Dice fruit of choice into bite size pieces
  • In a mason jar or clear glass, spoon half of the yogurt into the bottom of the jar or glass. Top with half of the banana slices and chopped granola. Then, repeat by adding a layer of yogurt then fruit and granola.
  • Options: parfaits are versatile, feel free to jazz up the parfait by adding a fruit jam or peanut butter as a part of the layers of the parfait or drizzle on top of the parfait.
  • Serve parfait immediately to keep granola crunchy.  If you need to make the parfait ahead, only add granola to the top layer.
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Recipes

Cosmopolitan Cream Puff Recipe

cream puff recipe using cosmo granola

I don’t know about where you live, but the weather has certainly gotten warmer for us!  Even if it’s not the official start of summer, Memorial Day weekend always seems to be the informal start of summer.  We hope you have special plans to honor the fallen heroes that have served our country well. If you are looking for a quick and refreshing treat to share with loved ones or friends this holiday weekend, try our cosmopolitan cream puff recipe! The orange cream is particularly refreshing on a warm summer evening and the cosmopolitan granola adds a nice crunch. Whether you are planning to travel or just taking a break from your routine, we hope this summer brings you special memories!

Ingredients:

  • 1 package of puff pastry shells or puff pastry sheets
  • 2 cups of heavy cream
  • ¼ to 1/2 cup of sugar, adjust based on your preference for sweetness
  • 2 tsp orange oil or extract
  • 1 cup fresh berries such as blueberries or strawberries
  • Cosmopolitan granola, chopped for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Bake the puff pastry shells or pastry sheets according to the directions on the package. If you are using pastry sheets rather than shells, cut the pastry sheet into 2” squares or circles. To turn your pastry sheet into a shell, lightly score/perforate a circle across the shell. 
  2. While the puff pastry is baking, whip together heaving cream, sugar, and orange oil/extract for 5 minutes on high or until stiff peaks form with either a hand mixer or stand mixer.
  3. Once the puff pastry is cooled, remove the extra pastry in the center of the shell or sheet to create a well for the cream filling.  
  4. Pipe or scoop whipped orange cream into a puff pastry shell or sheet.
  5. Garnish with Cosmopolitan granola and fresh fruit.
  6. Enjoy!

This cream puff recipe works great as a make-ahead dessert if you store the pastry cream in your fridge and then add it to freshly baked puff pastries the day of. 

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With All These Granola Flavors, The Possibilities are Endless

little red wagon granola flavors

Variety is the spice of life. While it’s always great to have dependable favorites, there’s something wonderful about mixing it up—particularly when it comes to your breakfast options. Some days you really need those cozy, warm flavors. On other days, it’s the bright, citrusy zing that puts a spring in your step. At Little Red Wagon Granola, we give our customers year-round variety with four consistent granola flavors and occasional seasonal blends to enjoy. 

Our Year-Round Granola Flavors 

Granola is one of those breakfast foods that ticks all the boxes. It’s easy to prepare, great to take on the go, full of nutrients, and did we mention; it’s delicious! These classic granola flavors are available year-round, so you can grab a handful whenever hunger strikes.

Original 

The blend that started it all—our Original granola flavor has been a favorite ever since we started selling our granola at farmer’s markets back in 2004. It has everything you need in a cozy, flavorful blend. With warm notes of cinnamon and brown sugar and tons of pecans and almonds, this blend is filling and satisfying when mixed with your favorite milk or milk alternative. It also pairs perfectly alongside your favorite cup of coffee or tea.

Want to mix up your breakfast? Try out this Overnight Chia Seed and Granola Pudding.  

Cosmopolitan

Looking for something with a bit of tang? Then you’ll love Cosmopolitan. This blend features cranberries and orange oil for a zesty citrus boost. Because of its bright flavor profile, Cosmopolitan is an ideal blend to add as a topping to your yogurt, pancakes, or even ice cream. 

Try your hand at some baking with this Oatmeal Cranberry Cookie Recipe, featuring our Cosmopolitan blend. 

Crunchy Monkey

Crunchy Monkey (one of our favorites) is our twist on the classic chocolate-banana flavor. This blend is rich and satisfying with dried banana bits and chocolate chips. It’s also packed full of pecans and almonds to add healthy fats and a bit of protein. 

We love to use Crunchy Monkey in our baking recipes like this Banana Cream Pie (talk about banana overload—Yum!) 

Mocha

Finally, our fourth year-round granola flavor was made especially for chocolate lovers. If you’re a fan of mocha lattes or chocolate cake, you’ll love this granola flavor. Mocha is a rich blend of dark chocolate, almonds, and just a hint of coffee. Try this flavor with vanilla ice cream, crumbled over the top of brownies or fudge, or on its own when you’re craving that chocolaty goodness. 

You can also bake it into delicious cookies with our Coconut Mocha Granola Macaroons recipe.  

Seasonal Granola Flavors to Enjoy Before They’re Gone 

Alongside our year-round granola flavors, we also offer unique seasonal flavors that take advantage of the best ingredients from each time of the year. These seasonal batches include Lemon Drop, Big Apple, and Pumpkin Patch flavors. These limited-time flavors are made in smaller batches, so once they’re gone, they’re gone until next year. So grab them while they’re here!

Snag Your Favorite Granola Flavors, or Try Them All Out

Suddenly have a craving for our delicious granola after reading about our different flavors? With nutritious whole grain oats and protein-packed nuts, there’s no reason to refuse your cravings. 

You can pick up a bag online today or build a variety pack to try out some of our year-round favorites and the occasional seasonal flavor. 

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Recipes

Carrot Granola Crumble Cupcakes

Spring is officially upon us. And with it comes a new season and all the change this season brings. We hope you are enjoying the extra sunshine and all that is blooming. We can’t think of the Easter bunny without thinking about carrots. Our carrot granola crumble takes a new spin on a traditional dessert. We think the Easter bunny would approve and hope you do too 😊.

Ingredients:

Cupcake:

4 oz butter
1 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp clove
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
8 oz sour cream
1 cups all purpose flour
1 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped original granola

Streusel topping
2 oz butter
½ cup brown or coconut sugar
1/4 cup flour
¼ cup Original Granola
½ tsp cinnamon

Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/8 cup heavy cream
½ tsp vanilla

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line 12 count muffin pan with liners 

2. Prepare batter by creaming butter, sugars, spices, baking soda and salt in a standing mixer or with a hand mixer.

3. Add eggs slowly and scrape down the bowl.

4. Add sour cream slowly and scrape again. 

5. Add flour roll and mix until just combined.

6. Add raisins, chopped granola, and carrots and mix until just combined.

7. Scoop batter into lined muffin pan.

8. In a separate bowl combine streusel ingredients and combine by hand or with a pastry blender or fork until crumble forms.

9. Top cupcakes with crumble.

10. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

11. In a small bowl combine glaze ingredients and mix until well incorporated with a spoon or fork.

12.  When cupcakes have lightly cooled take a spoon or fork and drizzle glaze on cupcakes.

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News

3 Reasons to Choose Little Red Wagon Granola as Your Wholesale Granola Supplier

image showing little red wagon granola as a wholesale granola supplier, with a supply truck and tons of granola

With over 165 million Americans eating healthy snacks like granola and fruit each year, demand for wholesome recipes and flavor variety is stronger than ever. Since our start selling granola at farmers’ markets, we’ve always known that carefully-developed, wholesome recipes are the key to keeping customers satisfied and coming back for more. Want to feature delicious, healthy granola that’s good for your customers and the planet alike? Then choose Little Red Wagon Granola as your wholesale granola supplier. 

Handmade, Natural Granola

Care is at the heart of our business, which is why our granola has always been handmade. Instead of giant manufacturing plants full of over processed oats and artificial flavors and colorants, our recipes are batch-made by expert bakers in the kitchen. We only work with high-quality ingredients like whole-grain oats, dried fruits, nuts, and seeds. This helps us create flavorful blends that feed the body and the soul. From sourcing to baking to packaging and shipping, our team is there to ensure your customers only get the best. 

Flavor Varieties and Seasonal Specials

As a lean operation, large-scale manufacturing schedules don’t constrain us. That means we get to work with different ingredients to create delicious flavor combinations for customers to relish. Our year-round batches offer dependable flavors that can be enjoyed anytime on their own or baked into one of our many creative recipes. We also work with Mother Nature, offering seasonal specials with the freshest ingredients, like crunchy fall apples and lemony spring goodness. 

Healthy Food, Healthy People, Healthy Planet

Our three pillars showcase our desire to create mouthwatering granola that’s good for people and the planet. That’s why we only source from suppliers who share our commitment to high-quality, sustainable ingredients. Our in-house, batch-baked blends are sustainably packaged in Eco-Friendly materials. Our recipes also encourage a healthy balance of nutrient-dense ingredients with a little bit of sweetness to satisfy the soul. 

Share Our Flavorful Granola Goodness With Your Customers Today

As a family and women-owned company, we’re here to help satisfy your customers’ growing desire for high-quality, healthy snacking options. With delicious flavors and a focus on sustainable practices, you won’t regret choosing Little Red Wagon Granola as your wholesale granola supplier. 

Apply to be a wholesale partner today,  or check us out on Tundra for easy wholesale purchasing.

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News

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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Discover more recipes here and check out our Little Red Wagon Granola flavors here !

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News

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? 

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Looking for more delicious inspiration? Explore our full recipe collection here and discover your favorite Little Red Wagon Granola flavors ! Your next favorite granola creation is just a click away.

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Recipes

Big Apple Granola Muffins

big apple granola muffins

It is always a great time to check in on your goals or re-evaluate where you stand with respect to your priorities.  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 sugar without sacrificing taste. Nutritious and delicious, that’s a winning combo that will help you conquer your day and your goals for the rest of the 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.