This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Quaker. All opinions are mine alone. #CollectiveBias #LoveMyCereal #QuakerUp
It’s that time of the year. Time when I resolve to make better-for-me food choices and change-up my breakfast, lunch and dinners a bit. I love to travel and I am determined to wear my swimsuit with pride the next time I step onto a beautiful, sandy, tropical beach.
My husband and I were just talking about where we would like to go for vacation this year and Mexico definitely came up high on the list. After all, Mexico is where my husband is from and where we were married. We’d love for our children to see beautiful Puerto Vallarta and fall in love with this breathtaking city just as much as we did the first time we visited, and see where Mommy and Daddy tied the knot.
One of my favorite food memories of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico is how plentiful the fruit was. The resort where we stayed had a beautiful fruit table with fresh fruits available for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I remember incorporating fruit into each and every meal and enjoying it so much. It was this memory that inspired today’s recipe of a Winter Renewal Berry Salad with Granola Croutons.
I call this fruit-filled salad a “Winter Renewal” salad because we are just now embarking on a new year and with the new year comes new goals, new adventures and new ideas. One of my newest ideas inspired me to put breakfast cereal on my salad. We all know that cereals, such as Quaker Life, Quaker Oatmeal Squares, Quaker Real Medleys and Quaker Simply Granola, are great go-to breakfast choices but why not look at these cereals in a new way and incorporate them into your lunch or dinner?
With my newly inspired idea I headed out to my local Walmart to shop for all of my ingredients.
I easily found several Quaker cereals to choose from before stopping by the produce section to pick up the last few items I needed. Once home, I began preparing my Winter Renewal Berry Salad with Granola Croutons.
I mixed the Quaker Simply Granola Oats, Honey and Almonds cereal with sunflower seeds, chia seeds, coconut oil and honey which I then baked in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
Once the granola croutons were baked and had a chance to cool, I cut them into small bite sized chunks and used them to garnish my salad which was filled with a wide variety of fresh berries.
To finish, I topped the salad with gorgonzola cheese and a light raspberry vinaigrette dressing. The result was a fresh, light salad that is perfect for breakfast, lunch or even dinner. I just can’t get enough of it.
Winter Renewal Berry Salad with Granola Croutons
Ingredients
- GRANOLA CROUTONS
- 2 cups Quaker Simply Granola Oats, Honey & Almonds cereal
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds salted (no in shell)
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Spread mixture to a 1/2-inch think on baking sheet either sprayed with baking spay or lined with parchment paper. Shape into log. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Once cooled cut into bite-sized chunks. Prepare a salad of mixed greens and berries of choice (I used blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and pomegranate seeds), add gorgonzola cheese and granola croutons. Top with your favorite fruity dressing (I chose raspberry vinaigrette). Serve.
Has travel inspired how you eat? What new ideas could you come up with to enjoy Quaker cereal for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Leave a comment and let me hear some of your great ideas.
Enjoy!
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Quaker. Follow the hashtags #LoveMyCereal #QuakerUp to see other great recipes and ideas from my fellow #CollectiveBias bloggers.
This post was written by food blogger Linda Arceo for Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps. All rights reserved.
Delicious idea, I love salad and never cross my mind to have a better for me croustones #client
That looks ridiculously delicious. Bookmarking and pinning!
Oh that looks delicious! Excellent, I need new salad recipes.
That sounds like the best salad idea ever! Yum!
What a smart idea! We love Quaker granola and square, but I never thought to add them to a salad! YUM!
YUM! What time is dinner? haha
I am on a salad kick now that the New Year is here. This sounds delicious. Pinned it.