Sometimes I feel like taking a break from writing about fruits and vegetables, so from time to time I peek into the garden's pantry, and almost always a pleasant surprise awaits me there. This week I wanted to diversify, I peeked into the pantry and was struck – I saw the wonderful granola series by Eliezer and Rose from Shorshei Zion Farm. I immediately knew what my next breakfast was going to be and of course, I immediately knew what I would dedicate my weekly column to.
So what exactly is granola? I assume you have encountered the concept, but what is in this healthy and delicious mixture, and how and why did it come into the world?
So, there are several claimants to the crown, but the one who immortalized granola and gave it its name was an American doctor named James Caleb Jackson who ran a type of health resort in New York State.
In 1863, Dr. Jackson began serving guests and patients at his sanatorium a mixture of oats and nuts. The mixture underwent light roasting that made it crunchy, and very quickly it gained many fans and left the confines of Jackson's sanatorium for the wider world.
Yes, you could say that granola was born as health food. Very quickly, many versions were created that included mixtures of different nuts and later dried fruits or chocolate. But the principle is the same: oats and nuts, and then mix with milk (or milk substitute) or yogurt, and it is really delicious.
What about the question of sweetening? Well, I will maintain ambiguity on this issue, I will only note that if you feel like adding a spoon of Silan or honey to your granola mixture, I will not issue a restraining order against you.
Befitting 'health food', granola has quite a few health benefits: granola is rich in dietary fiber that helps the digestive system, as well as vitamins and minerals. Studies indicate that granola with whole oats is also effective in lowering bad cholesterol levels.
There are probably a million recipes and types of granola; I certainly have not tasted them all – but among the dozens I have tasted, the granolas by Eliezer and Rose from Shorshei Zion definitely stand on the podium.
This is a place for a small clarification: if you remember, Jackson roasted his granola. But there is an approach that argues it is a shame to put this healthy mixture in the oven and it is better to settle for sun drying and avoid direct high temperature that damages the health values of granola. The wonderful granolas from Shorshei Zion belong to this category, which is often known as: muesli.
The pride of Eliezer and Rose from Shorshei Zion is that all their products belong to the Raw food categories; they are all based on organic raw ingredients and they are wonderful. The entire series is based on crunchy sprouted buckwheat and includes Super Berry (with forest fruits), Date and Walnut Granola, and Cocoa and Hazelnut Granola.
