~ raw, vegan, gluten-free ~
Honey Graham Cracker Bran Cereal is hardy, holds its stature when confronted with nut milk, and has a delicious hint of graham cracker.
When you take a bite of this cereal you will find it firm but not crunchy, chewy but doesn’t stick to your teeth, sweet but in an earthy way, grounding, and very filling. That is the best way I can describe it. :)
It especially pairs well with sliced bananas on top. The hint of graham cracker reminded me of Golden Graham cereal. Are any of you old enough to be familiar with this commercial ~ Honey Golden Grahams When I watched this I was sucked back into a time-warp of memories. That darn jingle was stuck in my head the rest of the day. haha
Commercially made Golden Grahams include:
Wheat Whole Grain, Sugar, Corn Meal, Sugar Brown Syrup, Corn Starch-Modified, Canola and/or, Rice Bran Oil, Honey, Salt, Baking Soda, Calcium Carbonate, Dextrose, Trisodium Phosphate, Zinc, Iron, Sodium Ascorbate (Vitamin C), Niacinamide (Vitamin aB), Flavor(s) Artificial, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (HCL), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Vitamin A Palmitate, Folic Acid (Vitamin aB), Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, BHT
Ok, I think we can look at the ingredients used to make Golden Grahams and decide quickly, that it is not a cereal made of whole foods. I don’t want to break this complete ingredient list down, but I pulled a few out and to take a closer look at what they were.
Flavor(s) Artificial ~ Under the Code of Federal Regulation, natural flavor is defined as any substance, the function of which is to impart flavor, which is not derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof. Any ingredient that does not meet the natural flavoring standards of the Federal Drug Administration is considered artificial.
A flavorist who blends chemicals to create an artificial flavoring uses the same chemicals found in a natural flavoring, but the chemicals are produced synthetically. Synthetic alternatives are cheaper to use since the pure natural chemical is essentially identical to the artificial flavoring, just not found naturally. Such synthetic chemicals though unnatural are acceptable for consumption in all restrictive diets ranging from vegan to kosher because they are neither animal nor vegetable. Our bodies do not recognize both artificial and natural flavors, so they are not metabolized by our digestive systems.
Code of Federal Regulations Title 21 of the Us. Food and Drug Administration. Title 21. Volume 2. Revised 1 April 2010.
The second ingredient up for grab is BHT, what the heck is that? BHT ~ Butylated Hydroxy Toulene (BHT) is used as an antioxidant to retard the rancidity of oil and fats in foods. With emulsifying and stabilizing agents, BHT is a preservative to help maintain the appearance of freshness and consistency of food. BHT is a fat-soluble white crystalline solid that was approved as a food additive and preservative by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1954. There is no taste to the additive. It is a Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) additive and with no scientific data proving its carcinogenicity, whether it causes cancer. “Bioassay of Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) for Possible Carcinogenicity.” National Institutes of Health 150 (1979). Print.
I am not a scientist nor do I pretend to be one, though I do have a lab coat, a white wig that stands on end, and black horn-rimmed glasses… I just wanted to point out a few things that I have learned. We need to take the time to remind ourselves of just how important it is that we take control of what we put into our bodies. The Honey Graham Cracker Bran Cereal recipe that I came up doesn’t taste exactly like Golden Graham Cereal, but it is a much, much healthier option. One that you can feel good about. :)
Yields 4 cups = 8 (1/2 cup) servings
Dry Ingredients:
Wet Ingredients:
Add in last:
I’m going to try the graham cereal recipe as graham crackers! Wonderful! Thank you!
Good morning Christine,
They would taste wonderful but keep in mind that they won’t be really crispy… keep me posted! amie sue
Ok so this one will require a dehydrator. I’ve given Santa oh so many hints of wanting one for Christmas. I hope I’ve been good enough for it :)
I am sending raw vibes to Santa for you too! hehe
Is there any way to make this without a dehydrator? I don’t have one but would love to experiment with this recipe :)
Hi Meg….
I haven’t tried baking it in the oven so I am not sure how it would turn out. It would be an experiment if you tried it. When done in the oven, it also won’t be raw anymore. But if you try this method… I would place the cereal on parchment paper that covers a cookie sheet, set the temp on the oven to the lowest setting and keep the door cracked a tiny bit if possible and then watch it with an eagle eye. :)
Amie Sue,
I have to tell you, I love your recipes! Not only are they delicious, but fairly easy to make. Thank you so much! My 16 year old daughter and I are both trying to eat as much raw as possible (and the rest of the family is gradually coming onboard) and it is hard to keep coming up with inventive ideas to please a teenager.
Thank you Gayle, what a blessing to hear that! I appreciate you sharing that. Have a blessed weekend. amie sue
You’ve done it again Amie Sue! This looks amazing! We don’t have Honey Golden Grahams sold here in Australia but your version sounds delicious! I used to eat cereal breakfast, lunch and dinner…now I can do that once again the healthy, raw way! … now to buy a dehydrator!
Hi Sam… thank you. This cereal did turn out great, I must say. You will find having a dehydrator to be so much fun. Have a wonderful weekend. amie sue
I love raw and vegan cereal, escpicially when it’s made out of whole foods;) your raw cereal looks so delicious and I bet it smells yummy, too;) I will make this once I get a dehydrator. Your photos are stunning!
Thank you Miliany,
I hope you try it and make it! I would love to hear what you think. You will love having a dehydrator. I did my first year of 100% raw without a dehydrator which was fine but once I got it, it opened a whole new world to me. Have a blessed weekend and I hope you play in the kitchen. Blessings, amie sue
what an interesting post! Can’t wait to try this. For years I have avoided cereals but the truth is, I love a bowl now and again. This seems like a good healthy choice. Thanks
Hi Annie, I was in the same boat as you. I missed cereals so much. My mom is here visiting and she has been eating my raw cereals for breakfast each morning. She LOVES them, which just tickles me. We all want to please our momas. hehe Have a blessed day! amie sue
Omg! I am making this tomorrow for my boys! Do you think I can use agave instead of coconut crystals?
Hi Dee…. you could try it. You are replacing a dry ingredient with a wet one so watch and see if you need to add anymore almond flour to it as you are mixing it. Have a wonderful weekend! amie sue
I just shared this on Facebook. You are a genius!!!
Well not really Adrienne, but I like the way you think. haha
Superb flavor. It stayed softish though, despite being in the dehydrator for close to 30 hours. I’ve broken it (torn it is more like it) into shards that are in the fridge now. Hope that will firm it up more. But I wanted to check with you, that this recipe doesn’t get hard completely, right?
Thanks.
Scratch my earlier comment. I read your notes carefully & see you’ve addressed the issue of texture. Thanks.
Hi Ben… I am pretty sure it is the honey that prevents it from drying to a crisp… but I loved the end result and flavor. I hope you guys can still enjoy it. :) amie sue
Was there supposed to have been honey in the recipe? None was listed.
It does taste excellent–like a soft cookie. I used coconut sugar since I didn’t have the crystals.
Thanks.
Doh, no…. I was thinking of something else I had made. Nothing like confusing you huh? hehe Sorry about that!
I know this is not a new recipe on the site, but after making your Raw Shredded Coconut Biscuit Cereal, (which satisfied my longing to have cereal again), I went searching for all of your cereal recipes and just made this one. Wow. All I can say is thank you so much…a thousand times over for all of your hard work and dedication to teaching and sharing on your website for all of us! You have helped me so much in reaching my personal goals for meeting my nutritional needs and being able to share really great raw vegan foods with my family and friends! RenayB
Good morning Renay,
I woke up this morning to this message from you. You started my day off with a big ole’ smile… thank you for that. :) I have enjoyed your presence over time and it is a pleasure to share all that I am learning with you. We are here to support one another! You are amazing for taking control of your health and your families! Keep it up and reap the rewards. Have a blessed day, amie sue