maybe it's just me, but macadamia nuts just have a way elevating the everyday nut situation. where most nuts are creamy and delicious, macadamias come in a take that lusciousness to the next level. besides munching on macadamias, i never had them in any form until this past summer when me and my husband were in LA. we were walking around venice, and searching for any restaurant/cafe/bakery we could find to get an iced coffee and get out of the heat for a few minutes. we happened upon gjelina - not really known for their coffee, but rather for their delicious fare - we ordered up some iced coffees: frank, black; and me, with almond milk. the man behind the counter went on about how they hand-made their almond-macadamia milk, but not really caring (because all i wanted was my cold coffee on this super hot day), i yessed him to death and went along with the whole thing. in the end, i'm glad he gave me that long spiel, and took the time to tell me about their super special milk, because honestly, it has changed the nut-milk game in my eyes! while i love almond milk on its own, the macadamias add a super rich, creamy texture (close to a coconut milk or whole dairy milk) that when consumed just provides an extra velvety hug - which is totally necessary when the thought of colder months comes creeping in : / i've been using it up in the mornings with coffee, oatmeal, porridge, and granola; and i'm super eager to test it out in baked goods and perhaps some savory dishes!
but before we go, this granola! when my brother was in town a couple of weeks ago, we were at the table eating breakfast, he asked what kind of granola i was eating. very articulately, i told him that it's delicious, and basically made from every friggin' nut, grain and seed in my pantry. he took a bite and agreed, and when my brother tells me something is good, i listen. and it's why this recipe is even here. the granola is super clumpy and crunchy, lightly sweetened with maple syrup, with layers of texture from all the nut, seed + grain action going on here - it's basically my superfood breakfast dream! perhaps it's yours too :)
have a good one, friends! xo
superfood granola w/ homemade almond-macadamia milk (v + gf)
i've dubbed this "superfood granola" basically because it incorporates a large amount of nuts, seeds and grains that have high nutritional integrity including minerals, amino acids, anti-oxidants, and vitamins. however, i understand that some ingredients are not readily available to all, so feel free to substitute or swap some seeds, nuts or grains for what you have on hand. puffed millet can be found in the cereal section of most grocery stores, but can substituted with puffed quinoa, puffed amaranth, or puffed brown rice (just make sure they don't contain any added sweeteners). and if you can't find quinoa flakes, just use cooked quinoa in its place. additionally, the almond-macadamia milk can be sweetened with pitted dates, honey, maple syrup, etc. *if using pitted dates, soak overnight with the nuts.
ingredients
almond-macadamia milk | makes about 4 cups/1 quart |
- 1/2 cup blanched almonds
- 1/2 cup raw macadamia nuts
- 4 cups filtered water
- 1 vanilla bean, scraped (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
- pinch of fine grain salt
superfood granola | makes about 5 cups |
- 1 cup (gluten free) rolled oats
- 1 cup quinoa flakes
- 1 cup puffed millet
- 1 cup raw nuts (i used equal parts almonds, walnuts + pecans)
- 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 1.4 cup hemp seeds
- 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon fine ground sea salt
- 1/3 cup grade b maple syrup
- 1/4 cup unrefined coconut oil
toppings (optional)
- sliced pear or apples
- toasted coconut flakes
- fresh berries
- goji berries
instructions
almond-macadamia milk
- combine nuts in a large bowl and cover with water. cover with fitted lid, or with plastic wrap, and let them soak overnight. drain nuts and transfer them to a high speed blender, add the filtered water, salt, and scraped vanilla bean; blend about one minute. line a fine mesh sieve with a nut milk bag, or 3 layers of cheesecloth (you could also use a large dish towel), and place over a large bowl; pour nut milk mixture into the nut bag; gather the sides of the bag/cheesecloth and wring out as much liquid as possible
- place nut meal aside, and transfer milk to container/s with a lid and store in the refrigerator. (you can reserve nut meal for baking purposes or it can be dehydrated and made into flour.)
- shake before serving
superfood granola
- preheat oven to 300° and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment
- in a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients thoroughly. warm the maple syrup on the stovetop or in a microwave and add the coconut oil to melt it. give it a stir to ensure the oil has melted fully, then pour over nut, grain and seed mix. mix for about 1 minute; transfer granola to prepared baking sheet and spread into an even layer
- bake granola for 40-45 minutes, rotating halfway through. remove from oven and let cool completely. store in an airtight container at room temp
enjoy!