Cereal

August 2015: Cheerios

Hello, it’s me.

Attempting to channel my inner Adele… anyways, it’s been awhile, hasn’t it? I do apologize for my rather lengthy hiatus. Fall of senior years is never what you expect; you never know exactly what you’re in for uni you’re in it. But I’m back and I’m back for good. I’m going to try to make up for lost time over these next few weeks… and before we know it, it’ll be the New Year!

Moving on, I don’t know if this resonates with any of you, but before I was diagnosed with Celiac, Cheerios was one of my childhood favorites. It’s a classic cereal. I can’t quite articulate why I chose that adjective but it just feels right. Originally made from whole grain oats that were contaminated by wheat, rye, and barley grains (remember, oat in and of itself is gluten-free, however is often times contaminated in production by gluten-containing ingredients), Cheerios has now officially GLUTEN-FREE having removed these contaminants. I was almost leaping with joy when I heard this news! For those of you who have been eating gluten-free Cheerios for a little awhile like me, you know why I’m raving about this. For those of you who are just learning about this, this warrants a trip to the grocery store.

My brother attests to the fact that the taste has not changed– its the same old, great Cheerios just gluten-free so we, gluten-free foodies, can enjoy too! I personally enjoy the taste of original Cheerios– it certainly beats Glutino’s Apple Cinnamon Rings and all other wannabe Cheerios. However, I do like to jazz up my Cherrios: topped with Craisins in vanilla almond milk is a delicious way to start the day. You can also top with  bananas, blueberries, strawberries, chopped pecans, walnuts, and brown sugar. Or add your Cheerios to your favorite yogurt. Or even make a trail mix with Cheerios, raisins, cashews, and chocolate pieces. Pick up a box in the local grocery store and share in the comments how you are eating your (gluten-free) Cheerios! Welcome back to your childhood!

Cheers,

Anika

July 2015: Chex Honey Nut Granola Mix

“Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.” -Buddha

Each day is a new day. A chance to meet someone new or try something new. An opportunity to tackle a problem or accomplish a goal. A new beginning to make a change. To make the most of each precious day, you need to start off your day right. And we’ve all read the magazine articles, seen it all over the internet, and heard it from our friends and family: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And lucky for us, the most important meal is also the trickiest meal for those of us who steer clear from gluten.

I have always struggled to find good gluten-free breakfast options. Let me rephrase that, I have always struggled to find healthy and tasty gluten-free breakfast options. Yes, there are some decent cinnamon and chocolate gluten-free donuts in the freezer aisle, but as far as truly delicious cereals and granolas that are good for you? Oh, please! That is until just a few weeks ago I discovered Chex Honey Nut Granola– I’ve been eating it every morning since with 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk. This granola has a great nutty texture with Chex squares, almonds, and nut clusters and just a bit of honey to sweeten it up, making a truly a satisfying breakfast. I was immediately reminded of my childhood eating Honey Bunches of Oats every morning– something I have not been able to indulge in since I was diagnosed with Celiac. I do like the Chocolate and Cinnamon Chex cereals as well, however, this is by far the best gluten-free granola I’ve had! And no cholesterol and only 1 gram of saturated fat! And if you’re not a fan of the Honey Nut Chex cereal (like me), do try this granola, you won’t regret it! There’s also a Mixed Berry Almond variety of this granola that I haven’t been able to get my hands on, but do comment and let me know if you have!

What are your favorite gluten-free granolas and cereal? Comment below!

Cheers,

Anika