We all would love to hope that the first days of summer break are filled with sunshine, but here in the southeast, rain has kicked off the summer. And not just some rain — lots of rain.
When we moved from Chicago to North Carolina four years ago, we noticed that it will go a long time without rain here, but when it does eventually rain, it rains! And rains! As of today, it has rained here for the past four days and we have more than 3 inches of rain collected in our kids’ pool that was empty before the rain began.
So what do you do with your kids when it rains for days on end? Play lots of games — including hide and seek, make marble tracks and fun snacks from the kitchen. But what do you make for the family that’s fun, wholesome, and everyone can eat? One of our favorite snacks that both kids and adults love is Chewy Trail Mix Granola from The Healing Kitchen. This recipe is fun and easy for kids to help make. It’s a hit every time, and it definitely helped bring a little cheer to our dreary, rainy days. However, I will warn you that I always double the recipe. It seems to disappear fast!
So whether you’re facing rainy summer days or just summer days with kids that have too much time on their hands, this is a great way to get them involved in the kitchen and give them a yummy snack. We hope you love it as much as we do!
CHEWY TRAIL MIX GRANOLA
The Healing Kitchen
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 cup plantain chips, roughly chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened dried mango, chopped
1/3 cup raisins
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Puree the coconut oil and banana in a blender. Alternately, mash by hand until smooth.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients. Spoon onto the prepared baking sheet and spread with a spatula into a layer about 3/4 inch thick.
- Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, depending on the desired texture. For a moist and chewy granola, bake for a shorter time. Let cool completely before serving.