This should come as no surprise to anyone by this point, but I have an obsession with tahini. The smooth and creamy paste (akin to nut butter) made from ground sesame seeds is truly one of my favorite things! I love baking with it and eating it in all the ways, any time of day- whether it’s in my tahini chocolate chip blondies or made into a simple salad dressing or spooned into medjool dates with chocolate, I am here for it!
No surprise then that I am a huge fan of Seed + Mill, a cute tahini and halva focused shop in New York City’s Chelsea Market. They make some of the best, smoothest, and creamiest tahini around (luckily you can order this online), and not to mention delicious halva as well! For those of you who don’t know, halva is a traditional Middle Eastern fudge-like confection made with tahini (sesame seed paste), sugar, spices and nuts. In fact, the Arabic word halva translates to “sweetness.” It’s sweet, but not obnoxiously so, and delightfully nutty, fluffy, and crumbly. Seed + Mill whips up some seriously delicious halva flavors at their store- Toasted coconut dark chocolate? Pistachio? Date walnut? Ginger? Yes please, my mouth is watering already! These are sold by the slab, so pick a few to take home and try out. You won’t be disappointed.
Perhaps even more exciting for me was the tahini soft serve ice cream that Seed + Mill churns out. It’s made with goat milk, so perhaps less irritating for those with lactose sensitivities, and oh so creamy and delicious! It’s finished with crumbles of halva and a generous drizzle of tahini – so heavenly I can hardly stand it! Now that I’m back in New York next week, I cannot wait to return soon to get my fix.
healthy nut & seed granola
Granola makes for a delicious breakfast or snack anytime of day, am I right? I’ve been known to enjoy it dry on its own, in a bowl with almond milk or Greek yogurt & fresh fruit, and even sprinkled on top of chia pudding or açaí bowls! And I have to say, it always hits the spot! Although it’s easy to buy granola pre-made, many store-bought versions are loaded with sugar and other unhealthy and unnecessary ingredients. At our house we tend to go through Costco-size bags of grain-free granola at a pretty rapid pace (it’s so addicting), and as I was finishing one off the other day, I decided to make some myself for a change!
This recipe is super adaptable, so feel free to swap out other nuts and seeds if you prefer, or use what you have on hand. But do make sure to use plenty of them since they are the star- and super important for that tasty crunch! No one in my household avoids grains, so I did include rolled oats as well, since they make such a good base for granola. If you’d like to keep things gluten free, just make sure your oats are certified GF! My healthy nut & seed granola boasts a pretty impressive nutritional profile thanks to superfoods like chia & flax seeds, fiber-rich oats, and an extra dose of healthy fats from coconut oil. Plus, it’s lightly sweetened with pure maple syrup, which is much lower on the glycemic index than regular sugar and corn syrup, so it won’t spike your blood sugar! I definitely recommend adding pure vanilla extract and ground cinnamon for some added depth of flavor, but feel free to skip these if you prefer. You can also toss in some dried or freeze dried fruit after baking, if that’s your jam, as well. The options are endless! Homemade granola is so easy y’all- I don’t know why I haven’t done this more often, but I definitely will going forward! Not to mention it leaves your house smelling oh so delicious and fragrant! Enjoy!
Healthy Nut & Seed Granola:
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (gluten free if preferred)
1/2 cup pistachios, rough chopped
1/2 cup hazelnuts, rough chopped
1 cup almonds, rough chopped (or slivered)
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes or shreds
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a half sheet pan or large cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, stir together oats, nuts, seeds, cinnamon and salt (keep coconut separate for now). Set aside. In a separate bowl, heat the coconut oil and maple syrup until melted. Stir in vanilla extract. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well until oat mixture is completely coated.
Spread the granola on the baking sheet in an even layer and press down evenly with a spatula. Bake for about 35 minutes, until golden brown. Sprinkle coconut flakes on top, and return to oven for a few more minutes, until just toasted. Granola should be nice and fragrant. Remove from the oven and allow the granola to cool on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes to set. Feel free to break it into clumps or clusters if you prefer. Transfer to an airtight container or large mason jar.
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