Benefits of Turmeric & Toasted Turmeric Orange Almond Super Seed Granola

Turmeric has been trending for some time but this medicinal super root (part of the ginger fam) deserves to be a staple in our diet. The key compound in turmeric, curcumin, hosts a long list of benefits for your body and mind but it’s most known for being a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. 

This potent, super-concentrated and nutrient-rich food is known to increase overall health — boosting the immune system and lowering inflammation. Inflammation contributes to weight gain and lowered immune system, but if inflammation becomes chronic it makes us more susceptible to autoimmune disease and cancer. Which is why it’s important to have a variety of anti-inflammatory foods in your kitchen that you can reach for at any given time. 

Consider turmeric a dietary supplement in your medicine cabinet that can be added to both savory and sweet dishes. It’s functional food at it’s finest because it acts as a preventative measure and even has a few added benefits like clearing skin issues such as eczema, improving brain function, treating depression, and even delaying aging. 

There are many ways to incorporate turmeric into your dishes; add powdered turmeric to sauces, smoothies, dips, and boil water with fresh turmeric to make immunity tonics and teas. I especially tend to reach for this spice in the cooler fall and winter months when I’m craving warming foods and spices such as soups, stews and curry dishes. Just don’t overdo it because a little goes a long way. 

When I was thinking of an unconventional way to add turmeric to a breakfast dish, I wanted to develop a recipe that was going to make the turmeric really stand out. I’ve been on a big granola kick lately so naturally it made sense but granola ended up being the perfect vehicle as the mild flavor of the oat base picks up notes from other ingredients very nicely. As with most granola recipes, the formula is pretty much the same — choose your nuts, seeds, oil, sweetener and spices. 

Almonds are my nut of choice for this recipe but walnuts would be really good here too. Choose a seed or add a variety like I did (sesame, chia, flax and hemp hearts); you can’t go wrong with any seed combo. My go-to oil for granola is unrefined coconut oil, unrefined being key because it doesn’t undergo the bleaching process that refined coconut oil goes through. The coconut flavor is a bit stronger than the refined version and is great for baking. And always always, when it comes to sweeter opt for natural sugar such as honey or maple syrup. I went for maple syrup which has less sodium than honey. I love the addition of orange zest for a fresh, citrusy kick to complement the zesty ginger and cinnamon spices. 

What you get is a flavor bomb of toasty, nutty, zesty yet sweet turmeric granola that can be added to yogurt or milk, topped on smoothies or just eaten straight out of the jar. Lasts for about 1-2 weeks in an airtight container. 

P.S. Add a dash of black pepper to any dish you add  turmeric, as piperine in pepper enhances curcumin absorption in the body by up to 2000% percent. 

Don’t forget to check out this summer Spotify playlist I’ve curated for your cooking experience. Make sure to tag #neuereveal so I can see your beautiful creations if you make this dish! Have fun in the kitchen xo

Ingredients

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 c sliced almonds

1/2 c whole almonds

1 tbs sesame seeds

1 tbs chia seeds

2 tbs flax seeds

2 tbs hemp hearts

1/2 c maple syrup

1/2 c melted coconut oil

1 tsp turmeric powder + pinch black pepper

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp La Boit N.10 sweet floral & ginger cinnamon spice blend

1 tbs orange zest

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch sea salt 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In large mixing bowl, combine the oats, almonds, seeds, spices and salt. Stir until well mixed.

3. Pour in the liquids — maple syrup, melted coconut oil and vanilla extract — and mix until the granola is well-coated.

4. Transfer granola mixture to the baking sheet and spread evenly, using the back of spatula to press the granola down.

5. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown, then set aside and let cool completely for about an hour.

6. Break up the granola using your hands and pour into an airtight container at room temperature. Will last about two weeks.

7. Serve with yogurt and fruit or your favorite milk or top your smoothies with this delicious granola and enjoy! I especially love this recipe served with honey-cinnamon greek yogurt, crunchy almond butter swirl, sliced banana and fresh orange zest.