Savory Mustard Granola
For soups and salads
On our retreats there is always a cold buffet at lunchtime with salads and the one or other leftover soup or curry from the cooking class the evening before. We also prepare a hearty granola, which provides that extra crunch and brings a nice aroma note too. At the end of lunch I often see participants coming out of the kitchen with a small bowl full of granola (without salad). Because such a savoury granola is also a wonderful and healthy snack. This week a friend asked me if I do not associate the term “snack” with very unhealthy things. And yes, commercial snacks tend to be unhealthy. But I think it makes it all more pleasant to have recipes ready with which you can satisfy your snack appetite in a healthy way.
At home, too, there is always a glass of hearty granola ready for us which turns a quick lunch of salad or soup into an interesting dish in a matter of seconds. Thomas, who is a big fan of savory snacks, loves the granola straight out of the glass.
Anyone who has ever made sweet granola knows the procedure: a mixture of nuts, seeds and oat flakes is bathed in a marinade and then baked in the oven until crispy. In the case of this savory granola, the marinade consists of olive oil, mustard and aromatic spices. For me, the secret of this granola is clearly the Dijon mustard in the marinade. It gives the granola that particularly hearty, piquant note without being too obvious. Readers keep asking me why I always explicitly use Dijon mustard and not any other type of mustard. Here’s why:
What exactly is Dijon mustard?
In general, every mustard is made from mustard seeds, water, vinegar and salt. When it comes to mustard seeds, a distinction is made between white, yellow, brown and black mustard seeds. The following applies: the darker the grains, the spicier they are. Only brown and black mustard seeds are used for Dijon mustard. This is how it gets its delicate spiciness. During processing, the grains are not de-oiled or ground as is the case with other types of mustard, but rather mixed as a whole grain with the mustard must and water. The nutty-tasting mustard seeds develop their spiciness only when they swell in the liquid. The mixture is later processed into a fine paste, which allows the aromas to develop particularly well. The naturally present oil also brings out the flavors of Dijon mustard wonderfully. I particularly like to use Dijon mustard for salad dressings, marinades, hearty sauces and as a particularly spicy note in my guacamole.
And now my question for you: do you also like savory snacks? Which are your favorites? And do you have a special recipe in which (Dijon) mustard plays an important role? I look forward to your comment under this post!
SAVORY MUSTARD GRANOLA
Ingredients
- 120 g flaked almonds
- 120 g rolled oats gluten-free if required
- 120 g sunflower seeds
- 120 g walnuts roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 tsp salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tso smoked paprika powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C top and bottom heat.
- In a large bowl, mix together the flaked almonds, rolled oats, sunflower seeds and chopped walnuts.
- In a small bowl, stir together the mustard, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, smoked paprika powder and onion powder until smooth. Add to the dry ingredients and mix well with a spoon.
- Place the mixture on a baking paper-lined baking sheet and distribute it evenly. Bake for about 20 minutes until the granola is browned. After 15 minutes, check whether it is browning evenly and turn with a spoon if necessary. Take out and let cool.
Wellcuisine-Tipp
