Tag Archives: MedSave Family Pharmacy Bemidji

Watch your diet and still enjoy Peanut Butter Granola

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I’ve come up with a new “favorite” granola. I wrote about my new preferred breakfast food in my column last week. Unfortunately, there was not enough newspaper space to include nutritional information about the granola.

Registered Dietitian, Kristin Klinefelter, was so kind to do an analysis of what gets scooped up in one (1/2-cup) serving of Slow-Cooked Peanut Butter Granola.

I snapped this picture of Kristin when I took her Gluten-Free 101 class that she taught last November at MedSave Family Pharmacy and Wellness Center in Bemidji. I wrote about that class and shared my recipe for Gluten-Free Autumn Muffins in a blog post that you can get directly to by clicking here.

Read more about Slow-Cooked Peanut Butter Granola in my column by clicking here.

Slow-Cooked Peanut Butter Granola

  • 5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, uncooked
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds
  • 1/4 cup ground flax seeds
  • 1/4 cup coconut, toasted
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

In a slow cooker, stir together the oats, sesame seeds, ground flax seeds, toasted coconut and salt. In a microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan, blend honey, oil, peanut butter and brown sugar. Heat mixture and stir until peanut butter melts and mixture is smooth. Pour mixture over the ingredients in the slow cooker. Use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture until all of the oats are coated with the peanut butter mixture. Set slow cooker to low. Place the cover on top and wedge the handle of a wooden spoon or a chopstick under the lid to hold it open a bit to create a vent to allow steam to escape. Cook for about 3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. When the granola becomes a deep golden brown, turn it out onto a large baking sheet with sides to cool completely. Store cooled granola at room temperature in airtight container. Makes about 8 cups granola.

Tips from the cook

–Temperature settings on slow cookers do not seem to be universal. The low setting on my slow cooker is quite hot. I need to stir about every 15 minutes to avoid burned granola and it is ready to turn out of the crock after just two hours.

–Toast coconut in a small skillet on the stove over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until coconut begins to turn golden brown. Immediately dump the coconut into the slow cooker.

Kristin says, “This would be a good snack or breakfast with the breakdown of carb/pro/fat.  A person “watching their diet” could add it to 90-100 calories worth of yogurt or add low-fat milk for a meal under 500 calories. My kids will love it.”

Slow-Cooked Peanut Butter Granola

Nutritional Breakdown prepared by Nutrition Consultant, Kristin Klinefelter, MS, RD, LD

Serving Size: ½ cup

  • 343 calories
  • 51 grams carbohydrate (57% of calories)
  • 10 grams protein (12%)
  • 12 grams fat (31%)
  • 139mg sodium

What I learned in Gluten-Free 101 + Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Muffins

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Last week I attended a class at MedSave Family Pharmacy and Wellness Center in Bemidji. Registered Dietitian, Kristin Klinefelter, presented the class, Gluten-Free Diets 101,  to around 30 people that night. Some of the attendees were on gluten-free diets, but many, like me, were there to learn more about gluten, how gluten can affect people, and which foods are gluten-free.

Some things of interest presented by Klinefelter:

  • Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, triticale (a hybrid of wheat and rye) and barley
  • Gluten-free diets are the only treatment for Celiac Disease, Gluten Sensitivities, Dermatitis Herpetiformis. Some research is suggesting a gluten-free diet may help children with autism. Gluten-free diets have become a trendy fad, with many Hollywood stars touting how great they feel and how much weight they are losing by following a gluten-free diet.
  • According to statistics from the University of Chicago, 97% of people with Celiac Disease have not been diagnosed.
  • Grains and flours that are safe to eat on a gluten-free diet include rice, corn, soy, potato, tapioca, beans, garfava, sorghum, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, arrowroot, amaranth, teff, Montina and nut flours.
  • A helpful acronym: “BROW” — not allowed on gluten-free diet: Barley, Rye, Oats and Wheat
  • Those on a gluten-free diet must develop the habit of carefully reading ingredient listings on food labels. Gluten is hiding in places you may not expect, such as processed meats, baking powder, salad dressings, seasonings, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon cubes, candy, broth, marinades….and the list goes on.
  • Preparing for a gluten-free Thanksgiving can be tricky. Turkey may have additives — check the label. If you like stuffing, you’ll need to use gluten-free bread. To save money (gluten-free products can be quite expensive), Klinefelter suggests freezing heels of GF bread all year long. If using sausage in the stuffing, check the label. Rice or wild rice is a good ingredient to use in stuffing along with dates, veggies, nuts and dried fruits. If you like green bean casserole, be sure to leave off the crunchy fried onions on the top. Make your own cranberry sauce.
  • Things I wouldn’t even think about can be the cause of misery for those on a gluten-free diet, such as the glue on envelopes and body lotion.

It’s definitely not easy living gluten-free, but it is possible with constant attention and awareness. It’s a huge commitment. And, it can be costly. I’m thankful I have the option of eating whatever I choose, with gluten or without.

I’ve been doing some experimenting with gluten-free baking ever since a friend of mine in my Les Dames group, whose son has been on a gluten-free diet for over a year, gave me her recipe for a gluten-free baking mix that she uses.

I’ve developed a muffin that uses some fresh seasonal ingredients. One day I had an extra baked sweet potato in the refrigerator and incorporated that into my muffins along with a grated Bosc pear. Bosc pears are my favorite. Some grated raw carrots got stirred into my mixing bowl, too.

You can easily double this recipe. I’ve done that and just baked half of the batter, refrigerating the other half for a week before I finally got around to baking the rest of the batter. The muffins turned out just great.

These Autumn Muffins are moist, flavorful and gluten-free. They’ve been taste-tested by those living gluten-free and those who are not. Everyone gives them a thumbs-up.

I made a large batch of the baking mix and keep it in a jar, tightly sealed.

Alison’s Gluten-Free Baking Mix

  • 4, 2 or 1 cups brown rice flour
  • 4, 2 or 1 cups tapioca flour
  • 2, 1 or 1/2 cups potato starch (my friend suggests using Ener G brand pure potato starch flour)
  • 2, 1 or 1/2 cups arrowroot powder

Mix all ingredients thoroughly and keep in air-tight container. The full recipe makes 12 cups of baking mix.

Gluten-Free Autumn Muffins

  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup canola oil
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup Alison’s gluten-free baking mix
  • 1 cup quinoa flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 cup peeled, grated Bosc pear
  • 1 cup grated carrots
  • 1/2 cup coconut
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup chopped dates

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tins and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs with oil and sugar until well blended. Add mashed sweet potato and mix. Add vanilla.

Sift gluten-free baking mix together with quinoa flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir into mixture in bowl and blend well. Stir in pear, carrots, coconut, pecans and dates.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins, filling cups about 3/4 full. Bake for about 20 minutes or until tops of muffins spring back when touched lightly with your finger. Allow muffins to cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Depending on the size of your muffin cups, you will get about 2 dozen muffins.

Tips from the cook

  • If you prefer to bake with full gluten, replace the gluten-free baking mix and the quinoa flour with all-purpose flour.
  • Raisins or currants are nice alternatives for dates. Dates are my favorite in these muffins, though.