homemade cereal: matcha cocoa sesame clusters + macadamia milk
I have a thing for cereal. Actually, I guess I should say I recently rediscovered my thing for cereal. Back in my office working days, I used to keep a box of cereal in the office kitchen, and some milk in the office fridge. I ate corn flakes with sliced banana every single morning and it was a breakfast that I loved and fully satisfied me until lunchtime.
When I left my office job, I also left behind a lot of not-so-great food habits such as dairy at every single meal, and many processed foods. I found that I no longer needed the convenience so much, but I also learned that processed stuff (like certain breakfast cereals) can be fine once in a while, but less so as a daily habit. I exchanged my cereal for things like oatmeal and smoothies, and started making my own nuts milks, and never looked back. Well, that is until recently when I got a craving for my old friend cereal and milk.
In a quest to satisfy this craving, I wanted to experiement with a homemade cereal. I have experimented with homemade cereal before, last year, when I made homemade puffed rice (which is basically like homemade rice crispies). I love homemade puffed rice cereal so much, but I do not love how much time it takes to make. So, this time around I wanted to make a delicious homemade cereal that didn’t require as much time and patience. Something that I could make and keep around, even if I were hypothetically still in an office job and convenience was more of a priority.
I am happy to say, I found my new favorite cereal, and it checks all the boxes. A crunchy, satisfying breakfast with lots of healthy ingredients, and even a mini matcha caffeine jolt .... if that’s how you’d like to roll. It can basically can be made with 2, or 1, dirty dishes, about 5 minutes of prep, and 30 minutes of cook time. You can even make a double or triple batch, store it in an airtight container, and munch on it all week long.
This cereal was also made to celebrate a very special arrival ….. Cynthia of Two Red Bowls is expecting a third bowl, and we are throwing her a virtual baby shower to celebrate their arrival! Cynthia is one of the most talented photographers and recipe creators, and her new little one is so lucky to have Cynthia as mom. Congrats to you both! So happy for you! To check out the all of the other delicious recipes to celebrate Cynthia's arrival, head to Steph's (i am a food blog) or Alan's (fix feast flair) for a full list!
homemade cereal: matcha cocoa sesame clusters + macadamia milk
MAKES | about 2-4 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 cup of quick cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup of oat flour
1/4 cup of white sesame seeds
1/4 cup of black sesame seeds
3 tablespoons of cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of matcha powder (optional)
1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
1 egg white, beaten until fluffy
3 tablespoons of maple syrup
2 tablespoons of sunflower oil (or another neutral oil)
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
METHOD
For the homemade macadamia nut milk, follow these instructions using macadamia nuts. It will keep for about 3 days, in an air-tight container in the fridge.
For the homemade cereal:
- Pre-heat the oven to 300ºF.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl (or directly onto a baking sheet if you want one less bowl to clean). Combine the wet ingredients in a separate, small, bowl. Add the wet ingredient to the dry and stir until combined.
- Spread the mixture out to an even layer small the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, until everything is crisp and toasted.
- Wait until it has completely cooled (this is important if you want to get larger clusters!) and then gently break apart the mixture into clusters using your hands. Enjoy immediately with a splash of nut milk, and any other fruit or toppings that you like, or transfer to an airtight jar/container to store to enjoy later. It should keep for about a week.