No Grain Granola

I mentioned in an earlier post that I once tried the Paleo Diet with success and that I would be filling this site with recipes that I used and continue to use. This is another one of those recipes. This is my cereal. I have not been diagnosed lactose intolerant, but I do feel sick after drinking milk. So I enjoy this granola with unsweetened almond milk. It is divine. And a very small serving is incredibly filling. And if you store the granola in an airtight container, it will keep for months. Even better.

The "flakes" are slivered almonds that have been combined with melted coconut oil, which after baking them for a while in the oven produces a very crispy flake-like consistency. The other nuts you may choose to use play the role of honeyed granola clusters. Combine it all with your favorite dried fruit and there you have it - your own perfectly customized cereal. You might not even go back to the boxed grain cereal variety after trying this.

I will list the ingredients I used. Feel free to follow this recipe word for word the first time. Next time, try  adding chopped or ground macadamia nuts to the slivered almonds and walnuts. Or, change out the dried cranberries for dried cherries or raisins. Pour in your imagination with each new batch.

Taste in Bloom Original Photo

Difficulty: Easy; Serves: 6; Prep time: 15 minutes + 1 hour baking time

Adapted from Paleo Parents
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds
• 1 cup chopped or ground walnuts
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup dates, diced 
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon

Preparation: 

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Combine nuts in medium mixing bowl.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together melted coconut oil, honey and cinnamon. Pour over the nuts and mix together well.

Spread the nut mixture evenly on the parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Check consistency before turning off the oven. If you wish for the nuts to be slightly browned, bake an additional 5-10 minutes. Much longer gives them a slightly burnt flavor. 

Remove cookie sheet from the oven and allow the nut mixture to cool. Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in the dried fruit. (Note: I do not include the dry fruit with the nut mixture in the baking process because they will harden like rocks. Mixing them with the nuts after the mixture has cooled keeps them chewy).

Store in an airtight container for up to several months.

Fried Apples

In 2011, my husband and I decided to try the Paleo Diet. We both enjoyed it and had great success. At first, it seemed like a daunting task to plan even one meal that is entirely grain-, dairy- and even sugar-free. But we stuck to it and did a lot of research online and used cookbooks specializing in the diet and managed to follow it, strictly, for six weeks. We both felt great as a result. Our friends still ask us for information on how they can get started.

Though we are no longer following the diet strictly, we still use many of the same recipes we found. I will be posting them here as I continue my food blog journey. This recipe is one of our all time favorites. It's incredibly simple and tasty. You can adjust the flavor of this dish from tart to sweet by the apples you choose to use. We started with Granny Smith, then started mixing in some Cortland apples. Now we are using Empire apples and it tastes like a dessert. Fried Apples are especially good as a side dish for pork. Each year, I make them as a side dish for Thanksgiving.

Taste in Bloom Original Photo

Difficulty: Easy; Serves: 4; Prep time: 10 minutes + approximately 18 minutes cooking time

Adapted from Paleo Diet Lifestyle
Ingredients:

• 4 apples (Granny Smith if you like tart; Empire, Cortland, Braeburn or Jonathan if you prefer sweet)
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Preparation:

Peel, core and slice apples evenly into 1/4" slices. 

Melt butter over medium heat in a large pan or skillet with a lid. Once the butter is hot, add the apple slices to the bottom of the pan, careful not to overlap the slices.

Sprinkle apples with cinnamon and nutmeg. Cover and reduce heat to low. Allow to cook for 18-20 minutes or until the apples are tender enough that a fork slides through them easily.

Perfect Roast Pork Tenderloin

In some ways, pork tenderloin is a weakness of mine. I have always loved the taste of a well seasoned pork tenderloin that just melts in your mouth. But I have never been able to replicate the experience in my own kitchen. Of course, not until now.

Several years ago, I came across a recipe for an earthy seasoning that gives pork a subtle kick. Perfect. However, it still lacked the melt-in-your-mouth texture that I so craved. When I found the preparation for this pork tenderloin recipe, I was skeptical at first but I had to try it. I am so glad I did. The roast comes out so... buttery soft. Just how I remembered tenderloin should be.

Taste in Bloom Original Photo

Marinade:
Adapted from APPLE A DAY

• 1 1/2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• 3/4 tsp dried sage
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin

Difficulty: Easy; Prep time: 5 minutes to prepare marinade, marinate at least 1 hour and roast for 1 hour, rest for 10 minutes

Preparation:
Adapted from Food.com

Before opening the wrapper to the pork tenderloin, make a note of the exact weight before you discard the wrapper.

Combine all seasonings in a small bowl. Pat dry the pork tenderloin with paper towels. Place the tenderloin on a sheet of plastic wrap that is large enough to wrap around the pork tenderloin. Rub seasonings over the entire tenderloin and wrap with the plastic wrap. Refrigerate the tenderloin for at least one hour or up to overnight.

Place the bottom rack in your oven on the bottom 1/3rd of the oven. Preheat oven to 550 degrees. (Note: If your oven is older and not well insulated, this roasting method may not cook the roast effectively as residual heat is the cooking medium in this recipe).

Place the tenderloin in an uncovered roasting pan and place the pan on the bottom oven rack. Roast for 5 1/2 minutes per pound of tenderloin. If your tenderloin is exactly 1 1/2 lbs, roast it for 8 minutes and 15 seconds. Trust me on this. Turn off the oven, but do not open it. Keep the oven door closed for one hour. When the hour is up, remove the roast from the oven and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

If you are using a meat thermometer, it should read 145-150 degrees. The tenderloin should be slightly pink in the center when sliced.