Grape nuts? what are they and what can I substitute them with?

[snookhams]

I have just found a chicken recipe (via google) that I would really like to try but it has a grape nut crust - what is grape nut - this means nothing to me here in the UK, could I substitute something else - any help would be really appreciated

 

[Mandabella]

In the U.S., Grapenuts is a breakfast cereal made by Post.

One of the first ready-to-eat cereal products ever made available to the public, Grape-Nuts was first introduced in 1897. Made of wheat and malted barley, Grape-Nuts was so named because its inventor, Charles William Post, said that grape sugar was formed during the baking process and described the cereal as having a nutty flavor. Post was a pioneer in introducing and making popular cereal, a food product that today has become a standard breakfast staple.

from: http://www.kraft.com/100/innovations/grapenuts.html

 

[snookhams]

Thanks - I will do a search and see if I can find the equivelant here in the UK

 

[mtblujeans]

Grape nuts are hard to describe! They are a very hard, very small nugget-type morsel that almost seem like chewing on small rocks in texture! The first substitute that came to my mind would be a sunflower seed....in size. But Grape nuts are crunchier than a nut. More like a zweback (I know that is spelled wrong).

 

[Imzadi]

Maybe try crushed cashews. Grape Nuts are hard to describe as they are a nut & a grain at the same time.

 

[snookhams]

Thanks for the help I will try the recipe with some crushed nuts instead and let you know how it turns out.
Should we like it I will cook it in Florida in August during our visit - but I will buy grape nuts just to see what they are like.

 

[patchchild]

hmm... nope. I don't think there is anything else quite like GrapeNuts. They're an odd cereal but really grate heated up or poured over yogurt.

 

[kat3668]

make a great pudding too!

 

[piratesmate]

I had friends who used to put them in when the churned their own ice cream. The end result was a bit like butter almond ice cream - yummy!

 

[piratesmate]

OK - I was procrastinating on cleaning up my scrap mess from the holidays & did some searching for you. My personal opinion is that I'd stick with the nuts instead of going through all this, but here's a recipe to make your own Grape-Nuts cereal! (Isn't the Internet a wonderful thing?!?!? )

Honey Maple Grapenuts Cereal
makes about 2 pounds

3 cups whole wheat or graham flour (King Arthur brand white whole wheat flour is tasty in this recipe)
1/2 cup barley flour or rye flour
1/3 cup tapioca flour or oat flour
1/3 cup toasted wheat germ
1/2 cup dry milk powder
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon and nutmeg OPTIONAL
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons maple flavoring (may use vanilla, or almond or other nut flavor if making as a nut substitute)
1/4 cup warmed honey or maple syrup, brown rice syrup
1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk

Sift the dry ingredients together several times to blend thoroughly. Beat the liquid ingredients together, stir intothe dry ingredients. Mixture should be very fine, just like commercial Grape Nuts (not doughy). If too wet work in a little additional flour.

Spread on 2 or 3 baking sheets and bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 10-15 minutes. Stir to break up granules and bake 10 minutes longer, until fragrant and golden brown. Cool and store in air-tight container.

Good mixed with equal parts granola and flake cereal for a tasty crunchy breakfast blend. For a big iron boost, use organic blackstrap molasses. If you add any soy flour, make SURE it is roasted at least 15 minutes before adding. Raw soy flour isn't good for you and this doesn't bake long enough to cook it thoroughly.

http://www.ellenskitchen.com/pantry/home/grapenut.html In case you want to see its source.

 

[airplane]

GrapeNuts were on a show called Unwrapped on the Food Network on 12/29.
The show was about nuts but they ended the show w/ a discussion on Grape Nuts. It turns out, GrapeNuts are not nuts at all. Post (or whatever factory) toasts loaves of bread a couple of times and then they crush it and it becomes GrapeNuts. Alot of people use it as a topping on icecream.

 

[snookhams]

Thanks for all your help - will try the recipe for the grapenut substitue Piratesmate although I might be asking what some of the other ingredients are as we call them different things sometimes here in the UK. It has me intreagued though and will definatly be trying Grapenuts when we come to the States.

 

[Heva2015]

For us British people I noticed that my local Sainsbury's had Grape Nuts in...on the cereal aisle...might be worth checking out your Sainsbury's?