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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

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. 
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Why High Fiber Snacks (Like Granola!) Are Essential For Your Resolutions

After the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, January brings fresh energy and a chance to tackle your New Year’s resolutions. Big goals require the right fuel, and Little Red Wagon Granola is here to power your day. High fiber snacks, like our granola, are the perfect way to keep you feeling nourished, satisfied, and ready to take on anything!

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!

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Recipes

Crunchy Monkey Granola Pancakes

With fall in full swing, 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 or something to change up your routine, our Crunchy Monkey Granola Pancakes are a great way to start the day.  

As the year starts to wind down, 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!  With the holiday season coming up quickly, we wish you fun, laughter, and great food shared with family and friends.  

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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Recipes

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.
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3 Fall Activities To Do While Munching On Our Crunchy Granola

little boys smiling in apple orchard, crunchy granola blog

The weather’s cooler, the days are shorter, and the streets are filled with the sound of crunching leaves and happy kids returning home from school. We’ve even spotted a pumpkin or two in the shops. That’s right; fall is officially here! Fall is arguably our favorite season at Little Red Wagon Granola. It’s a special time filled with family, friends, and lots of outdoor activities. Today, we thought we’d share some of our favorite ways to take advantage of the season while enjoying some delicious, crunchy granola along the way. 

Hunt for Apples, Then Enjoy Your Spoils 

If there’s one activity that encompasses the joy of fall, it has to be apple picking.

Spending time with the family outside in the orchards is a great way to take advantage of the fall weather. Plus, it gives kids space to play and learn more about where their food comes from. And it’s a great way to get supplies for some much-needed fall recipes.

There are all kinds of ways to incorporate our delicious, crunchy granola into your fall apple recipes. We particularly love these granola caramel apples, especially with some of our seasonal granola options like Big Apple!  

So, why not load up the car with a picnic basket, lots of blankets, and the whole family, and head out to the orchard this weekend? 

Scavenge for Fall Foliage and Create Some Decor  

We love taking advantage of the leaves changing by bringing some warm fall colors into the home.

Just bundle up and head outside with the family for a scavenger hunt. Along the way, pick up leaves, pine cones, and any other foliage you find around the neighborhood—of course, remaining respectful of the natural surroundings. Then, if you’re feeling extra adventurous, head out to the closest hiking trail to search. Just don’t forget to pack some granola to munch on while you’re hiking! 

Once you and the kids are sufficiently tuckered out, head back home and use the goodies you found along the way to create some festive decorations. This DIY leaf wreath is a great way to invite some warmth into the home.

Enjoy a Spooky Movie Night In

Fall festivities would not be complete without a spooky movie night. It doesn’t matter if you’re tuning in for TV Halloween marathons like Freeforms 31 Nights of Halloween or hunting down all the scary movies on your favorite streaming site—all we know is that at-home movie snacks are a must! 

Our tasty granola blends are the perfect addition to provide an option with some healthy fats and a good dose of fiber. Mix it in with your popcorn, add chocolate candies like M&M’s, or even get extra festive by mixing in candy corn! The possibilities are endless.

Little Red Wagon Granola—The Perfect Treat For Fall Activities 

No matter what you decide to do, we hope you spend the season enjoying time with family and friends and indulging in life’s little treats. So, what activities are you most looking forward to this fall? And which flavor of our seasonal, crunchy granola will help fuel your adventures?  

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Recipes

Pumpkin Cookies with Pumpkin Patch Granola

pumpkin truffle cookies

Where has the year gone? With October comes cooler weather and beautiful fall foliage. We hope you are able to make the most of fall and Halloween festivities whether it’s going for a hike, enjoying a fall or harvest festival, or checking out a haunted house.  The fall is also a great time to bake up all the things you’ve picked up at the harvest festival, farmer’s market, or your neighborhood grocery store. When you don’t feel like leaving the house, whip up our pumpkin cookies with Pumpkin Patch Granola 😉.  They are a nice treat to usher the smells and tastes of fall to your home. 

Ingredients:

Cookie:

  • 2 cups Little Red Wagon Pumpkin Patch Granola
  • 1 tbsp ground flax
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ cup canned pumpkin
  • ¼ cup creamy almond butter
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Truffle Coating:

  • 4 ounces Greek-style yogurt or vanilla Greek-style yogurt
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 3 cups organic powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla (if using plain Greek-style yogurt)
  • 1/2 tsp gelatin fully dissolved in tbsp of water

Optional:

  • Festive sprinkles

Directions:

  1. Strain yogurt using a fine sieve, coffee filter, or cheesecloth overnight or for at least 6 hours.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
  3. Pulse granola in a blender (nut and cranberry pieces may remain depending on your blender; that’s okay!).
  4. Mix pulsed granola and all other cookie ingredients.
  5. Take a heaping tablespoon, roll into a ball, and continue with the rest of the granola mixture.
  6. Place balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  7. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the ball.
  8. Let the pumpkin cookies cool completely. 
  9. Mix yogurt, cooled butter, and powdered sugar.  Add in fully dissolved gelatin and blend for about two minutes with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy.
  10.  Dip/roll balls into yogurt mixture once they are cool. 
  11.  Line balls onto a tray or dish, add your favorite fall sprinkles (optional, but recommended!), and let cool in the fridge for at least 2 hours. 
  12.  Keep chilled until ready to be enjoyed.