Ok, confession. I don’t think I actually understand the Whole30 rules. The grocery list of can-and-can’t items makes perfect sense, but I’m having a hard time with understanding what Whole30 refers to as psychologically unhealthy foods.
Psychologically unhealthy foods include things like pancakes made with compliant ingredients like eggs and bananas or chia pudding. The idea is we eat these items to replace the real thing and our brain doesn’t know the difference. This is a problem when you’re trying to change your eating habits at their core.
My conflict with that idea is this: What if I’m not replacing pudding with chia pudding? What if I just like chia pudding and can create a balanced meal with it using compliant ingredients?
The same is true with this cereal, which came about when I had a craving for ice-cold coconut milk poured over something crunchy that I could eat with a spoon. I haven’t had a bowl of cereal in years. It isn’t something I consider a regular part of my diet. But if you check out any Whole30 forum and search whether or not cereal is compliant, the answer is always, ‘no.’ And the reason is that it too closely resembles a western diet staple.
So while I can’t confidently claim that this cereal is Whole30 compliant, I can say you’ll be enjoying crunchy nuts and nutrient-dense fruit soaked in rich coconut milk. Yay!
I was inspired by this amazing recipe from Miss Allies Kitchen Coconut Flake & Roasted Sweet Potato Cereal. Her recipe includes thick flakes of coconut and roasted sweet potatoes. It is wholesome and downright delicious. For this recipe I wanted to try to add a few more nut varieties and grind them down in my blender to get a finer texture.
The actual amount of nuts in each serving doesn’t seem like a lot, but when paired with chunks of fruit, it ends being fully satisfying. And you can use any combination you like. The nuts listed below are just what I had in the cupboard, but you could totally swap them. The recipe listed will make about 3-4 servings.
Grain Free Cereal with Coconut, Cashews, and Pecans
Recipe inspired by Miss Allies Kitchen Coconut Flake & Roasted Sweet Potato Cereal
Makes 3-4 Servings
- 1/4 Cup Raisins
- 1/2 Cup Coconut Flakes (Unsweetened)
- 1/4 Cup Slivered Almonds
- 1/4 Cup Cashews
- 1/4 Cup Pumpkin Seeds
- 1/4 Cup Pecans
- For Individual Servings
- Half of a Banana, sliced
- Handful of Strawberries
- Handful of Blueberries
- Milk (I’m using coconut, but any kind will work)
In a blender or food processor, add the raisins and pulse until broken up. Add the coconut flakes, cashews, pumpkin seeds, and pecans and continue to pulse until you’ve reached a nice, crumbly texture. Pour a third or quarter of the mixture in a bowl and top with banana, strawberries, blueberries and milk. Serve and enjoy!
