Crunchy Granola with Almonds + Turmeric
I haven’t made an enormous batch of granola for awhile. I had been missing it. Not so much the jarful on the shelf as the panful on the stove, nibbled from by the small handful over the course of the day.
And then I was reading up on turmeric, that brilliant yellow powder that gives curry blends its colour and which appears to be a thing these days – another ingredient people are beginning to recognize for its nutritional prowess and find new uses for – and it occurred to me it would be a good addition to my usual granola. In its powdered form, it’s easy to work with – although fresh turmeric, if you haven’t seen it, looks a lot like ginger – it’s a rhizome; in the same family, but slightly smaller and with brilliant orange flesh once you scrape away the ultra-thin skin – much like an intense carrot. It’s not as sinewy as ginger, and so easy to grate or chop into curries or soup or simmer into tea. Turmeric tea – made with fresh turmeric or a paste of honey and the powdered kind, stirred into warm milk or hot water with lemon and a grinding of black pepper that supposedly aids in its absorption – has been used for centuries in cultures around the world to aid all sorts of ailments. Nowadays it populates Pinterest with such titles as MORNING LEMON DETOX.
But. Back to the granola. With a relatively benign, earthy flavour, turmeric did very well paired with cinnamon and tossed with oats, roughly chopped nuts, coconut, sesame seeds, brown sugar and honey, with a handful of chewy dried cherries stirred in once it came out of the oven. It cools into crisp, almost glossy clumps, and is divine spooned over coconut yogurt.
Crunchy Granola with Almonds + Turmeric
AuthorJulie
Preheat the oven to 325F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
In a large bowl, mix the oats, nuts, coconut and seeds. In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the brown sugar, honey, oil, cinnamon, turmeric, vanilla and salt. Pour over the oat mixture and stir until well coated.
Spread out onto the baking sheet, making clumps by squeezing some of it together if you like. Bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring two or three times, until golden. Remove from the oven and stir in the dried fruit, if you’re using it.
Cool completely, then package in jars or sealed bags. Makes about 6 cups (1 1/2 L).
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
In a large bowl, mix the oats, nuts, coconut and seeds. In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the brown sugar, honey, oil, cinnamon, turmeric, vanilla and salt. Pour over the oat mixture and stir until well coated.
Spread out onto the baking sheet, making clumps by squeezing some of it together if you like. Bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring two or three times, until golden. Remove from the oven and stir in the dried fruit, if you’re using it.
Cool completely, then package in jars or sealed bags. Makes about 6 cups (1 1/2 L).
This sounds wonderful! I love when you make a granola that forms into clusters, and the warm colour that the turmeric lends is beautiful! I have heard about turmeric’s many great traits after I started using it, and just saw it as an added bonus really if it has any health benefits too 🙂 I have never seen fresh turmeric before though! x
this is brilliant!
I made a batch of one of your previous granola recipes and included small jars of it in my Christmas treat bags. It was a big hit. I will absolutely think about adding turmeric next time! Sounds lovely.
So great to hear it!
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to make it!! Another thing that caught my attention was your mention of coconut yogurt!!! Are you taking about coconut flavoured yogurt or yogurt made from coconut? I’ve been looking everywhere for the latter (yogurt made from coconut) and have not been able to find it anywhere!!
No – just coconut flavoured yogurt, like the stuff Liberte makes – not made from coconut! 🙂
Made it. Love it. Used coconut oil.
Good idea!!