Ready to Rumble Apple Crumble Granola

A result of the crushing of Almonds, the edible seeds of the Prunus dulcis tree, this highly nutritious nut butter is a favorite among many. Almond butter has a fruity, marzipany, nutty flavor and lends a creamy texture when used as an ingredient in nutrition bars.

Almonds with their fruity, marzipany, nutty flavor are the edible seeds (often categorized as a nut) of the Prunus dulcis tree native to southwestern Asia, which also grows easily in Mediterranean climates as well as California.

Maple syrup is actually the "sweet-water sap" from the Sugar Maple Tree, a large hardwood tree native to North America. From the soapberry family of trees (Sapindacea). In early spring, the bark of the the “sugar bush” is tapped or cut, and a watery sap drains from the tree… this is not the circulating sap that is necessary for the health of the tree, by the way. The sweet-water sap is then boiled to remove the water and a sweet, syrup results with complex flavor notes of vanilla, molasses, and caramel.

A flavor cross between fennel, cumin, mint and citrus, Cardamom spice is made from Elettaria cardamomum seeds which are part of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae). Cardamon is considered one of the top three most valuable spices.

From tropical Indonesia, this aromatic spice is from the dried bark of the tropical trees from the genus Cinnamomum. A favorite in the spice world, cinnamon is sweet yet spicy.

Chewy, soft, delicious dried apples are nutritious and a great add to any nutrition bar or snack. Apples have been around as far back as we can remember, and drying of apples for efficient preservation dates back to practices even from the Stone Age. Thanks can be given to the initial Pilgrims, who came over to North America in the 1600’s, for bringing the first apples and introducing this hardy fruit for our enjoyment.

Also known in North America as a “pepita,” pumpkin seeds are the edible seeds of the pumpkin squash fruit. Believed to have been cultivated some 8,000 plus years ago, pumpkin seeds are somewhat flat and oval, light green in color, and provide for a nutritious and crunchy snack or addition to many foods.

Naturally gluten-free, chewy, delicious, and beloved by many, this whole-food grain is scientifically known as Avena sativa and hails from the Poaceae grass family of plants. Oats have traditionally been eaten as a porridge and today have become a favorite add-in in many baked goods, trail mixes and granolas.

Technically the fruits of the sunflower plant (Helianthus annuus), a single sunflower plant head can contain up to 2,000 sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds may be consumed dried, roasted, or as a nut butter.

Sea salt comes from evaporated seawater and is less processed than table salt and may retain some of its trace minerals.

Sunflower oil is the oil left over from the pressing of nutritious sunflower seeds.

Extracted from Cassava root, tapioca starch sometimes referred to as tapioca flour, is a great replacement for wheat flour. The cassava root is a vegetable tuber such as a potato or yam. The latin name for the shrub of this tuber is Manihot esculenta.