This paleo grainless granola is bursting with notes of orange, cardamom, and cinnamon. Lightly sweetened with maple syrup and held together with egg white, the nut and seed mixture makes clusters just begging to top off your morning breakfast bowl.
It all started because of a zester. Well, really it was the lack of a zester, since I only had a box grater. But you make the best of what you have, and I invested in a zester before the next time I needed a citrusy zing in my life.
Owning a zester makes me feel way more sophisticated, as though I suddenly belong in an upscale restaurant, sprinkling bright pieces of lemon and lime and orange on artfully plated food before it’s served. I wonder if there’s an actual position for that. People can be sommeliers, but I think it’d be cool to circulate and offer guests their choice of zest, advising them on which flavor pairs with their dish. Who knows, maybe it’ll be a food trend of 2019. Just remember, you heard it here first.
Who really declares food trends anyway? It could be that I’m just not old enough to know how long they’ve dictated our preferences, but I can’t remember hearing so much about the new culinary trends until a couple of years ago.
A few months ago an Australian magazine, called Restaurant and Catering, published an article answering this question. Food trends seem like the result of a dialogue between chefs and eaters, namely all of us. People love to experiment with new ingredients and combinations, pushing the boundaries of conventional dining. Add that to globalization’s impact on the spread of ideas, and you’ve basically found the source.
Man, I sound like one of my marketing professors. Please, pardon the buzzword-dropping, although I feel another one coming up…
Anyway, the author also pointed out social media’s influence on dietary choices, quoting a Mintel study (if only my professors could hear me now) that said 62% of millennials (that’s me!) find food trends there. Take Instagram for instance. I see hundreds of photos of edible works of art every day, leaving me to wonder how much time each rainbow bowl takes to compose. It’s already hard enough for me to wait to take a picture before digging in, let alone trying to perfectly place each seed.
Regardless what the trends say, though, I feel like I’ve been on a breakfast kick lately. An all-out love affair between me and a bowl of homemade granola, like here and here. In light of experimenting with ingredients, I took a grainless approach with this batch. If there were ever a poster child for ‘fat is phat,’ it would be this, and not just because it’s terrific. Each batch is a powerhouse of healthy fats that satiate you for hours and curb sugar cravings. That’s what I call a recipe for success, if I ever saw one.
Frankly, I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of seeing a jar of Orange Spice Grainless Granola chilling on my shelf. In fact, it’s drawing more of my attention than the Super Bowl is. And yes, I am very seriously writing this while ‘watching’ the game. After all, the commercials are the real reason I’m here. Oh, those and my friend’s brother’s dog, who keeps taking my seat on the couch every time I stand up.
Whoever wins the game, you’ll be first place when you add a handful of Orange Spice Grainless Granola to your day. Happy munching!
If you try this recipe, I’d love your feedback. Leave a comment below, save it on Pinterest, or tag #lensesandlentils on Instagram so that I can see your creations!
- 1 cup cashews
- 1 cup walnuts
- ½ cup almonds
- ½ cup pistachios
- ¼ cup shredded coconut
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tsp cardamom
- ¾ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp coarse sea salt
- zest of 1 orange, about 3 tbsp
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 tbsp orange juice
- 1 egg white
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- First, pulse the nuts in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Don't worry about getting all of them chopped; the varying sizes adds to the texture of the granola. Mix with the seeds in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whip the egg white for about 5 minutes, until foamy. Then, whisk with the oil, maple syrup, spices, and orange zest. Pour over the nut and seed mixture, mixing to coat everything evenly.
- Spread out in one layer on the pan, then bake for 20-23 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before stirring or breaking up the granola, allowing it to form clusters.
- Store in an airtight container.
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