Blissful Bites of Saffron
Aside from being sensual, beautiful, and good for us, saffron has a not-so-secret talent: it adds a tinge of indescribable depth to every dish.In honor of all of us trying to become the best chefs we can be, here are some ingenious ways to elevate your home-cooking by using saffron.The cherry on top? Beautiful colors, less inflammation, and more happiness!
Saffron Tahini Granola
2 cups rolled oats½ cup walnuts½ cup sunflower seeds⅓ cup olive oil⅓ cup tahini⅓ cup maple syrup2 tablespoons Saffron Latte Wellness Powder1 teaspoon sea saltASSEMBLY1 | Preheat oven to 300F.2 | Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.3 | Combine oats, walnuts, and sunflower seeds in a bowl. Mix together. Set aside.4 | In a separate bowl, combine olive oil, tahini, maple syrup, Saffron Latte Wellness Powder, and salt. Whisk until smooth and combined.5 | Pour wet ingredients into oat mixture. Stir until fully mixed through.6 | Spread granola mixture out on a baking sheet and press down into the pan gently.7 | Bake at 300F for 20 minutes, making sure to move granola around pan halfway through.8 | Let it cool and harden for at least half an hour without touching. (Preferably several hours.) It will crisp up as it dries.*Yields 3 cups.
Saffron Banana Bread
⅓ cup coconut oil, melted2 cups mashed bananas (about 4-6 ripe bananas)⅔ cup Just Date Syrup2 large eggs1 teaspoon vanilla extract2 cups almond flour1 tablespoon Saffron Latte Wellness Powder½ teaspoon baking soda½ teaspoon himalayan pink salt½ cup Sweet Laurel’s Vegan Chocolate ChipsASSEMBLY1 | Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.2 | Line two 9×5-inch loaf pans with parchment paper, letting the paper hang over the sides for easy removal (or grease pans with coconut oil).3 | In a large bowl, beat together the coconut oil, mashed banana, date syrup, eggs, and vanilla with a hand mixer.4 | In a medium bowl, whisk the almond flour, Saffron Latte Wellness Powder, baking soda, and salt.5 | A little at a time, add the dry ingredients to the wet and beat until a batter forms, folding in the chocolate chips.6 | Divide the batter between the prepared loaf pans. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each loaf comes out clean.7 | Remove the bread from the pans, set on a rack, and allow to cool completely before slicing.
Coconut Saffron Salmon
2 tablespoons coconut or olive oil, separated1 shallot, minced1 clove garlic, minced1 knob of ginger (about 1 inch), peeled and minced1 cup coconut milk1 tablespoon Saffron Latte Wellness Powder1 cup baby spinach1 lime1 8-ounce piece of salmon3 tablespoons cilantro, choppedASSEMBLY1 | In a medium saucepan add 1 tablespoon of oil for the sauce.2 | Add the shallot and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 more minute.3 | Add the coconut milk, saffron, and spinach. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer for around 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Squeeze in the juice of half a lime. Turn off heat while you prepare fish.4 | Warm another pan with another tablespoon of oil over medium-low heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Raise the heat to medium-high. Place the salmon, skin-side up in the pan. Cook until golden, about 4 minutes. Turn the fish over with a spatula, and cook until it feels firm to the touch, about 4 minutes more, depending on the thickness.5 | Plate your salmon over steamed rice or greens. Spoon sauce over the salmon fillets and garnish with cilantro. Serve warm. Reserve leftover sauce for later use.*Yields 1 single serving.
Saffron & Carrot Soup with Pomegranate Pesto
Soup:2 tablespoons Brightland Awake Olive Oil (can also use coconut oil)1 medium-sized yellow onion, roughly chopped2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped6 cups organic carrots, roughly chopped3 cups low-sodium vegetable or mushroom brothSaffron Tincture made from the fullest’s Saffron Threads (we used about 6 half-full droppers)Himalayan pink salt, to tasteFreshly cracked black pepper*Optional: add up to 1 cup of organic full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk for creaminessSaffron Tincture:15 threads⅛ cup water(Let sit in the fridge overnight in a dropper vial/bottle.)Herby Pistachio & Pomegranate Pesto: ⅓ cup mint, finely chopped⅓ cup parsley, finely chopped⅓ cup crushed pistachios2 tablespoons Just Pomegranate SyrupZest and juice of ½ an orange, to tasteSalt and pepper, to taste*Optional: add a pinch of aleppo or crushed red chiles for some heat.ASSEMBLY1 | On medium heat, drizzle the onion and garlic in olive oil in a stockpot or enameled dutch oven. Saute until the onions and garlic are slightly translucent and soft, stirring occasionally.2 | Add in the carrots, saffron, broth, a few generous pinches of salt, and give everything a big stir to evenly combine ingredients.3 | Bring to a boil and turn the heat down to medium-low, covering the pot with a lid to let simmer for about 25 minutes or until the carrots are fork-tender.4 | While the soup is cooking, make the herby pesto by roughly chopping the herbs and pistachios before adding Just Pomegranate Syrup, olive oil, fresh orange zest/juice, and salt and pepper to taste. (Want more tart sweetness? Add more pomegranate syrup. More acidity or the pesto isn’t holding together? Add a touch more fresh orange juice.) Tweak amounts depending on your preference, and set aside.5 | Once the carrots are fork-tender, transfer the soup mixture from the stockpot to a high powered blender and blend until smooth, gradually adding up to 1 cup of coconut milk if desired for creaminess. Add salt and pepper to taste.6 | Ladle into serving bowls and top with herby pomegranate pistachio pesto.
