Today is the close of my first week teaching. I promise every recipe I make with my students won’t have such cutesy names, but I thought it might be fun to start with one. It’s fitting though– as adults raid the leftovers I hear plenty of, “oooh, these are gooey.” (Referring to the granola.) These granola balls are not just for kids either. I made a test batch the weekend before I started and D ate them up.
This week’s exploration was cinnamon and orange zest. I had some initial “granola bars are supposed to have chocolate” and, “I don’t eat bananas.” Both were met with final approval, students clearing the plate and my, “so I guess granola doesn’t always need chocolate” and, “seems we like bananas afterall.” Teacher 2- Kids 0. (Or maybe that’s win-win, 2-2.) I even had a parent come in this week just “having to meet the teacher who uses bee pollen in a recipe.”
Only 3 injuries (okay, Friday isn’t over yet)– note to self: kindergarten might be too young for microplanes. They were all tough and not one tear was shed. (One was close until I pointed out how brave another was and how equally brave he was– fear of having a class of K-1st graders break out crying gripped me for a second.)
We’ll work on our plating in future weeks, but really who doesn’t love a healthy dose of cinnamon?!
Ooey Gooey Granola Balls
Makes about 24 2-tablespoon balls.2 ripe bananas (aprox. 1/2 cup mashed)
1/2 cup raw honey
1 teaspoon orange zest (use an organic orange so there is no pesticide)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup ground flax seed (or sesame seed)
1/4 cup bee pollen*
1/4 cup unsweetened dried fruit (raisins, apple chunks, goji berries, apricots, etc)
2-1/2 cups raw oatmeal (recommended: Bob’s Red Mill 5 Grain Rolled Hot Cereal)
Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Use a potato masher to smush the bananas in a medium mixing bowl. Mash in honey, orange zest, cinnamon and ground flax until well combined. Add bee pollen, dried fruit and oatmeal. Stir until evenly combined. With wet hands, scoop and roll golfball size spoonfuls (2 tablespoons) between your hands forming balls. Arrange on cookie sheet. Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving. (While waiting, make fruit salad.)
NOTE: When I make this at home I cut the amount of banana and honey and replace it with peanut butter. Also, as long as your batter remains moist and gooey you can stir in more goodies—chopped nuts, toasted seeds, coconut flakes, chocolate chip. Add ingredients at 1/4 cup intervals. Be creative and have fun!* Bee Pollen is a natural way to address and relieve seasonal pollen allergies. Look for NYS pollen, as the flowers are more likely to be what we encounter in the city. Bee pollen is also high in protein, amino acids, and vitamins like B-complex and folic acid. (It’s the bee’s energy and food source through the winter!) It is also thought to contain antibiotic properties, helping us fend off sickness (like seasonal flu).
Zesty Yogurt-Fruit Salad
4 servings2 cups plain yogurt
1 apple, cut into bite-sized pieces (aprox 3/4 cup)
1 pear, cut into bite-sized pieces (aprox 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup seedless grapes, sliced in half
1 teaspoon orange zest (use an organic orange)
1 orange, juiced
1 teaspoon cinnamon plus some for dustingMix ingredients to combine.
NOTE: Use whatever fruit you like– whatever is in season!








