It’s Whole Grain Sampling Day and I’m sharing a recipe for Whole Wheat Granola Cookies, plus an awesome Whole Grain Prize Pack Giveaway for one lucky Home Cooking Memories reader.
Whole Grain Sampling Day is held every year on the first Wednesday of April, to bring awareness to whole grains. This year, I was invited back to be a Whole Grain Ambassador for Whole Grain Sampling Day and I happily accepted.
For the last few years, my family has been incorporating more and more whole grains into our diet and I feel that it has made a difference in our lives. I’ve spoken before about the health benefits of whole grains. A few of the reasons that are personally important to us are that whole grains can help with weight loss (they make you feel fuller longer) and reducing body fat. They can also reduce the risk of asthma and type 2 diabetes (both of which has affected my husband) and whole grains can lower the risk of heart disease. But even with all of these health benefits, we have grown to love them taste of them too.
Now, if you are like how our family used to be, and you don’t eat whole grains very often, I totally understand that whole grains can seem like a hassle. Or maybe you know that your kids will complain about them. I know, I’ve been there.
For our family, making small changes was the key. For example, use whole grain pasta in your homemade macaroni and cheese, coat chicken tenders in whole grain breadcrumbs, and serve whole grain crackers with hummus or other dips for a snack. Over time, I shifted to whole grains for most of our meals and now I don’t hear the kids fussing about them. For more tips, read this article on easy ways to enjoy whole grains.
The Whole Grain Council sent me a huge box of whole grain products to try out. The two I dug into right after taking these photos was the Skeeter Snacks and Upfront Foods, which are one of my favorites. But everything in the box is being enjoyed – – my oldest son loving the Late July chips, others devouring the Real McCoy’s Rice Puffs and cereal from Attune Foods and Barbara’s Bakery. My husband in love with the Pamela’s Whenever Bars.
Of course, getting so many great products had me wanting to cook and bake with them too. One of the first things we made was these Whole Wheat Granola Cookies with Bob’s Red Mill Granola.
Now, sure, they are a cookie, so I won’t pretend that they are health food, but the use of white whole wheat flour and whole grain granola does give them a nudge to the healthier side of things. Here’s the complete recipe:
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Whole Wheat Granola Cookies
Description
It’s Whole Grain Sampling Day and I’m sharing a recipe for Whole Wheat Granola Cookies, plus an awesome Whole Grain Prize Pack Giveaway for one lucky Home Cooking Memories reader.
Ingredients
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup butter (softened)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 egg
- 2 cups granola (large clusters chopped)
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds (or other nuts of your choice)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small-medium sized bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large sized bowl, beat together sugars, butter, vanilla and egg until well combined. Stir flour mixture into sugar mixture until combined. Stir in granola and almonds. Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into balls and place on baking sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until light brown (centers will be soft). Allow to cool for for a couple minutes on baking sheet before removing to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Notes
–Adapted from Gold Medal Flour
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Now who’s ready for a healthy, whole grain giveaway?
I absolutely love the big box of whole grain goodies that the Whole Grain Council sent me, so guess what?? I’ve arranged with them to send one VERY lucky Home Cooking Memories reader a prize pack full of these delicious products too (as seen above – basket not included – substitutions or changes may occur as necessary).
For your chance to win, enter on the rafflecoper below:
Thank you to the Whole Grains Council for inviting me to be a brand ambassador again — and thank you to all of the following brands: Among Friends, Attune Foods, Barbara’s Bakery, Bob’s Red Mill, Carl Brandt/Mestemacher, ConAgra Mills, Dr. Kracker, Engine 2 Foods, Freekehlicious, Goose Valley Natural Foods, HomeFree Treats, Jovial Foods, Late July, Lotus Foods, Mary’s Gone Crackers, Mondelez, Pamela’s Products, Panos/Sesmark, Real McCoy’s Snax, Roman Meal, Rhythm Superfoods, Skeeter Snacks, Upfront Foods and War Eagle Mill.
Zenetta says
My favorite grain is oat.
Claire says
oatmeal
John Hutchens says
Quinoa is my favorite whole grain
Amanda H says
I love oats!
Jhanelle says
My fav is oatmeal…I have it nearly everyday!
Jennifer says
I love quinoa! My absolute fav!
Sky Evans says
I like wild rice.
Leah Shumack says
My favorite whole grain is oats!
Allison S. says
Oats are my favorite whole grain.
Corey Olomon says
I like Rye.
Rachel G says
I love quinoa!
Kelley H says
oats
brittani adams says
Got to love those oats!!
Alison lord says
I like the Quinoa the best
Whitney Butler says
Barley, Corn, Rice, and Rye are my favorites!
Denise Davis says
Our favorite whole grain is barley, and oats.
Angela P. says
My favorites are barley, wheat, oats, corn, faro, and buckwheat!
Karen D says
Barley is one, brown rice, whole wheat, oats, whole rye, quinoa, amaranth. So many that I use regularly!
Carly says
Barley is my favorite whole grain because it rhymes with my name 😉
Haha, just kidding. My favorites are wheat and oats!
Tina W says
My favorite is quinoa.
sa collins says
Farro has to be my favorite go to grain. Thank you for the awesome giveaway.
Rod Jackson says
I love the oats myself or bran.
Hezzi-D says
Quinoa
shelly leatham says
Corn is my favorite whole grain
Deborah Gardner says
Oats are my favorite whole grain, I love oatmeal.
Gwen says
My favorite is oats and I try to bake with it whenever I can. Great giveaway!
Julie says
I like oats the best thanks for the giveaway
Leslie Dauer-Creek says
My fave whole grain is brown rice (esp. sprouted), with oats a close second. I will be trying farro this weekend.
Madeline says
I adore oats! I eat oatmeal almost every day.
Brynn says
Oats! Thanks for the giveaway
Laura Kathleen says
Oats and buckwheat! Thanks for the giveaway!
Alex T says
I love oats, quinoa, and buckwheat! Thanks for the giveaway!
rachel says
I love barley in soup and quinoa on salad!
Vunda V says
i love oats!
Vera K says
My favorite whole grain is quinoa.
Susan Christy says
Rice is my favorite
Brittany Koelmel says
i love quinoa!
Angela Saver says
I love quinoa! We eat a lot of it!
[email protected]
stacy says
Rice and corn.
Christy H says
Corn, oats and rice! I haven’t experimented with the others much yet.
Colleen Cole says
Quinoa is our favourite. It’s so versatile!
Vicki G. says
These sound wonderful!
Sandy Headtke says
I am learning to cook with Farro, not the family favorite yet but had found some new recipes that are really good. The current favorite is the old stand by oatmeal.
Christina says
These sound yummy! My new favorite is spelt flour.
latanya says
I like whole grain bread
David says
Corn is my favorite whole grain
The Peace Patch says
Quinoa is my fave. 🙂
Melissa says
oats for sure are my favorite
Sandra says
Wheat
gary says
I love oatmeal
miranda says
I love farro
Kelly D says
My favorite whole grain is Quinoa.
Margot C says
I love brown rice; I make it every week (many times twice a week).
Jeffrey says
I favorite whole grain is oats but I also enjoy quinoa and teff.
gala says
Buckwheat is my number one choice — hot, cold , as an ingredient — the best ever