Creative Uses for Grape Nuts Cereal

I was raised on Grape-Nuts cereal. As a child I loved a big bowl of those nutty nuggets layered with sliced fresh fruit and milk. I still do. It's been around since 1897, which proves its staying power. It was invented by Charles William Post and he named it so oddly because he claimed it had a nutty taste (which it does) and the original recipe used grape sugar. Grape Nuts is one of the few cereals on the market today with only six ingredients, and all of them are natural. They are whole grain wheat flour, wheat flour, malted barley flour, salt, and dried yeast. Here are some creative ways to include Grape-Nuts in your healthy diet.

Add Grape-Nuts to baked goods. They have a very crunchy, nutty texture which mellows out somewhat when married with wet ingredients. Stir them into muffin batter with sliced fresh peaches or nectarines. Top your favorite banana bread with Grape-nuts and drizzle buttermilk over top for a nice crunchy crust. Sprinkle a teaspoon over whole-grain pancake batter and throw on some fresh blueberries for good measure. Ever had Grape-Nuts waffles with dried cranberries? Try them drizzled with some pure New England Maple Syrup.

Grape Nuts ice cream is a New England tradition. Grape Nuts are stirred into vanilla custard for a nutty, sweet ice cream treat. You can do it yourself in any part of the country and make it lighter by using vanilla frozen yogurt or lowfat vanilla ice cream. Or go crazy and use chocolate, Bing cherry, or whatever your favorite flavor. Dip your cone into some Grape Nuts or stir it into the softened confection. If you have an ice cream maker you can just add them to the custard before freezing.

Puree Grape Nuts in your food processor and add some sugar and melted butter to make a pie crust. You could also add some toasted almonds or walnuts to the mix for some added taste and texture. Bake and fill the crust with a light cheesecake, a key lime pie filling, or with fresh strawberries and light whipped topping for a deliciously decadent, yet healthy dessert.

You can also use those same pureed Grape Nuts as a substitute for bread crumbs or flour. They add a nutty and distinct flavor to foods. Use in meatloaf, meatballs, crabcakes, on top of mac and cheese, or anywhere else you would use traditional bread crumbs.

Grape Nuts aren't just for breakfast anymore! Although they are delicious just in their purest form as a simple cereal, they have many other uses that make the most of their signature crunch and taste.