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Granola cereal is one of my favorite foods to eat. You can have it with nut milk or coconut milk for breakfast, sprinkle it on top of a smoothie bowl for lunch, eat it by the handful, or use it as a topping for your yogurt as a snack. It’s hearty, satiating, energizing, packed with nutrition, and downright satisfying.
But, that’s not always the case, most commercially made granolas or cereal are loaded with sugar. My goal for this recipe was to make it without any sugar. I used fresh fruit, which still has natural sugar in it but perhaps the lesser of sugar evils?! The key to using fresh fruit as a sweetener is to make sure that the fruit is RIPE. So be sure to give them a taste test before using them.
Another thing that I love about granola/cereal is the crunch factor! The texture of food plays a significant role in our eating experience. Don’t confuse this with eating with your mouth open. Lol, That’s not the experience I am seeking. This whole crunch craving factor sprung me into research mode. There had to be a logical reason why we all gravitate to crunchy food. Low and behold, Google did not disappoint!
According to neuroscience, what you hear when while eating plays an essential role in your experience and enjoyment of food. I can relate to that. It turns out that crispness and pleasantness are highly correlated when it comes to our rating of foods. They refer to crispiness a flavor quality. It has been shown that by synchronizing eating sounds with the act of consumption, one can change a person’s experience of what they think that they are eating.
This “crunch factor” makes total sense to me when you read how marketers promote foods. Next time you are the grocery store, pay attention to the adjectives they put on cereal boxes. Taglines like “extra crunch”, “exceptionally crunchy,” “Listen to the snap, crackle, and pop of a Rice Krispies bowl”, “Stays crunchy even in milk”, or “The crunchy way to say, ‘I love you”. What do you think? Do you ever crave crunchy foods?
So are you ready to give my Gingerly Pear Granola a try? Before you do, I must explain why I did a play on words with the word ginger. The recipe contains ginger, but one must use it “gingerly.” If you don’t use enough, it won’t be detected. If you use TOO much, it can cause your taste buds to clam right up. If you don’t know what your pleasure limits are, use the “less is more” technique. Then give it a taste test to see if you want more. Just a suggestion. Well, I hope you enjoy this recipe and have a blessed day, amie sue
Ingredients:yields 2 trays – in freezer
