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Copycat Kashi Go Lean Crunch Cereal

Love Kashi cereals? Did you know that you can make your own Copy Cat Kashi Go Lean Crunch Cereal at home? It’s easier than you think!

a bowl of cereal with milk and a spoon.

I love cereal.  Like really love it.  A while back I fell in particular love with Kashi’s Go Lean Crunch Cereal.  Not only did it hit all the right notes: crunchy with just the right amount of sweet, but it was super healthy.  Whole grains! Protein! Fiber!  All the other good for you stuffs that you won’t find in a box of Cheerios. Then I realized:  if I could make granola from scratch, why couldn’t I do a Copycat Kashi Go Lean Crunch Cereal from scratch?! The answer: I can!

Ingredients Needed

agave, salt, eggs, cinnamon, oats, TVP, flax seed, chia on a counter.
  • Oats – Whole old fashioned or steal cut are best for this recipe. Instant aren’t quite right.
  • TVP – Total Vegetable Protein, also known as textured soy protein adds some great nutrition and another kind of texture and crunch to this copycat cereal.
  • Chia Seeds – These little powerhouse packed seeds are my favorite way to pack in some great nutrition to any recipe!
  • Flax Seed – You could use ground flax seeds or whole. Both are great.
  • Agave or Honey – Use your all natural sweetener of choice! Maple syrup is great too – although it does adjust the flavor a touch with a nice maple note.
  • Eggs – Just the whites! This is to help bind it all. Don’t throw away those egg yolks, though! Whip up some of your own Homemade Mayonnaise! To make it vegan, see our recipe notes for a vegan egg replacement option!
  • Almonds – Sliced is our preferred but you could also use whole and just give them a little chop – just be sure to use unsalted.
  • Cinnamon – We had a stick so we gave it a little fresh grate, but ground works just as fine, too.
  • Salt – Just a touch!
a bag of puffed barley.

Puffed Barley – The ingredient is really key to this cereal being different from granola and more like than Kashi cereal.

Step-by-Step Instructions

a bowl with cereal ingredients and then eggs and sweetener being poured in.

As with most of our copycat recipes, this Kashi Go Lean Crunch one is easier than you might think, and will make you wonder why you ever buy cereal from the store!

Step 1: Mix all of the dry ingredients in a bowl.

Step 2: Mix the egg whites and agave.

Step 3: Add them together and mix well!

a pan of unbaked cereal and a pan of it baked.

Then, just like homemade granola, it’s just a matter of baking it. This will help create those signature crunchy clumps!

a bowl of cereal with milk being poured in.

Done! Copycat Kashi Go Lean Cereal ready for your favorite milk! Or (I’m totally guilty of this) just to eat on its own!

a bowl of cereal with milk.

So crunchy. SO healthy!

a bowl of cereal with milk and a spoon.

FAQs

What is puffed barley?

Very simply, barley puffed up. It has a mild, slightly sweet, and nutty flavor and really is key to getting the right texture for a Kashi cereal. It’s packed full of fiber, protein, B complex vitamins, magnesium, potassium, and iron!

Do I have to use TVP?

Nope! This can be a tough one to find in the grocery store. While it adds a great amount of protein to this cereal and a unique texture, it can be omitted and you can use oats in its place.

Can I make this vegan?

Yes! For the egg whites, you can use ½ tbsp of ground flaxseed + 1 ½ tbsp water to replace one egg white. See the recipe card for instructions.

Can I make this sweeter?

Of course! Add closer to 1/3 or even up to 1/2 cup of agave for a much sweeter cereal.

Can I use another nut?

Totally. We’ve made this with pecans and hazelnuts, too. While it won’t be as similar to the Kashi cereal with a different nut, it’s still just as delicious!

Enjoy! As always, if you make this recipe or any of my others, I love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below, email me, or you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!

If you want to see more, be sure to sign up for my 5 Easy Ways to Start Cooking From Scratch!

milk being poured into a bowl of cereal.

Copycat Kashi Go Lean Crunch Cereal

Kashi’s healthy, crunchy, sweet cereal made at home!
5 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Diet: Low Fat, Vegetarian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 5 cups
Author: Tracy

Ingredients

  • 3 cups puffed barley
  • 1 cup oats whole old fashioned or steal cut
  • 1 cup TVP
  • 2 tablespoons flax seed whole or ground
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 1/2 cup sliced / whole unsalted almonds
  • 4 egg whites
  • 1/4 – 1/3 cup Agave
  • 1 – 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • pinch of kosher salt

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg whites and sweetener.
  • Add to dry ingredients and mix very well, ensuring all is coated with egg whites. The egg whites act as a binder which is what gives you the crispy nuggets of goodness.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add mixture in an even layer.
  • Bake in middle rack for 12 – 15 minutes (check for crispy level), then remove from oven and flip cereal. Here is where you’ll have large chunks – flip them but ensure that you rearrange so that it lies flat again to the baking pan.
  • Bake for another 10-13 minutes.
  • Cool and then store in an airtight container.

Notes

Nutritional value is approximate based upon 1 cup serving.
Storage
Store in an airtight container for 2-4 weeks. 
Substitutions
Oats:  Whole or steal cut are great for this recipe. 
Nuts:  Add your favorite (unsalted) nuts! 
TVP:  Can’t find it or don’t want to use it?  No problem, swap this out for more oats.
Agave: Use your favorite all-natural sweetener. 
Egg Whites:  Use 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed +6 tablespoons warm water. Stir it vigorously together and then let it rest for 5 minutes before using.  
Adjust the Sweetness
Use a little more of your natural sweetener or choice to add a little more sweetness to the cereal. We find that 1/4 of a cup is enough to mimic the boxed cereal, but if you want it sweeter, use as much as 1/3-1/2 cup.

Nutrition

Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 45mg | Potassium: 220mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 139mg | Iron: 4mg
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50 Comments

  1. This is one of my favorite cereals. So cool that you remade it – I’m super impressed! TVP is in the recipe? That has me scratching my head a bit (I’ve used it rehydrated as a meatless sub), but willing to try 🙂

    1. Ooh really?? I’d never used it before! It has a pretty neutral taste so I can see how it’ll be a great way to add protein to nearly anything; even cereal 😉

  2. I love Kashi cereal too. I can’t believe there is TVP in this! That’s sounds so crazy as usually it’s used to replace meat in vegan recipes. LOL. Very creative!

  3. The use of TVP is really interesting, but not too strange to me. The rehydrated stuff is pretty neutral so I can see using it in this application. Glad to learn about a new preparation.

5 from 6 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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