tigernut pumpkin bars and an Organic Gemini giveaway!

{G I V E A W A Y} TIME! Here’s how to enter:

Like THIS post on Instagram and tag two friends who might be interested in trying out some Organic Gemini goodies
Follow me (@radical.roots) and @organicgemini on Instagram
For an extra bonus sign up for my newsletter HERE so you don’t miss out on any future giveaways!

HERES WHAT ONE LUCKY WINNER WILL GET:

1 bag of TigerNut Flour
1 bottle of TigerNut Oil

Now, on to the good stuff. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting the wonderful folks at Organic Gemini, first through email, and later at Paleof(x) in spring of 2015. Meeting them has been a huge win for me for multiple reasons: First, Mariam and George are great people with an awesome story that brought them into the business of slanging tigernuts (read more HERE). Second, they introduced me to what has quickly become one of my favorite, versatile foods (more on the tigernut to come). And third, they’ve given me the opportunity to bring this food, along with a delicious recipe, to you (more on that to come too).

I wrote a post all about tigernuts a little while back. You can read and learn more about this non-nut tuber HERE. You’ll also find a recipe for tigernut butter muffins that are a real win. That post focuses primarily on the flour and horchata. Now, I’m talking all about the amazing benefits of tigernut oil, along with some tips on how to use it and a recipe that uses sliced tigernuts to bring you a delicious seasonal treat.

So let’s talk oil…

Tigernut oil is a high quality oil that is extracted through a cold, virgin pressing process in order to ensure that it retains all the unique nutritious qualities of the Tigernut itself (find those qualities HERE). This oil was actually first used by Egyptians 4000 years ago and is actually considered a healthier alternative to olive oil even! And here’s why:

High content of oleic acid (monounsaturated fat acid that has more tolerance to chemical decomposition and can be used to cook at high temperatures)
Because of its high quantities of gama-tocopherol, tigernut oil is resistant to oxidation (unlike olive oil)
Contains enough polyunsaturated fatty acids (linoleic acid & linolenic acid) to cover your daily minimum needs
High in Vitamin E, which protects against environmental toxins and is beneficial for your entire nervous system, protecting against Alzheimer’s disease, and even diabetes
Increases “good” (HDL) cholesterol while reducing triglycerides
Reduces risk of formation of blood clots and produces dilatation in veins, preventing arteriosclerosis
Great for digestion due to its high content of oleic acid
Helps with calcium absorption and the production of new bony material, due to short and medium chain fatty acids, oleic acid and essential fatty acids
And its even great for your skin (Vitamin E activates microcirculation of skin)

Sounds great, but how do I use it?

This golden brown oil is incredibly versatile. It’s got a slight nutty texture, but truly lets the flavor of whatever you are cooking or eating shine. Here’s a few ways I’ve used it in the past couple of weeks:

Roasting, roasting, roasting… specifically delicata squash. See THIS post for a quick how to.
Salad dressing – it’s great on its own as a dressing or paired with your favorite balsamic (I’ve been loving it over winter greens with a fig balsamic)
On your face. Yep! Smooth a little over your face before bed, and watch your skin shine. I’ve also been using it on a couple scars I have.
Next up will be an experiment in baking, so stay tuned! I am thinking a twist on olive oil cake….

So give this stuff a try, and enter my giveaway (see how to at the end of this post if you missed it). And in the meantime you can order your own bottle HERE. Also, in the meantime, give the recipe below a try with a close cousin of the tigernut oil – sliced tigernuts!
After a package of tigernut goodness arrived on my door with tigernut flour (see how I put that to use HERE), tigernut oil, and sliced tigernuts, I couldn’t wait to get to work. One thing that I have been missing a lot recently is the oat bars my aunt used to make every holiday season. After nibbling on some sliced tigernuts, I though immediately of oats because they have a similar texture. I happened to have some extra roasted pumpkin lying around from a recent pumpkin pie, and I knew exactly what I was going to make.

And voila! Tigernut pumpkin “oat” bars were born. You’re going to love these, trust me, and you can rest easy knowing they’re loaded with healthy probiotics and a treat worth splurging on this holiday season!

Servings: 12
Time: 55 min
Difficulty: easy
Print

WHAT YOU NEED:

1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 cup tigernut flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of sea salt
3/4 cup sliced tigernuts
1/2 cup grass fed butter softened
3/4 cup fresh roasted pumpkin
2 TB maple syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ginger
pinch of clove

WHAT YOU DO:

preheat oven to 350F and put butter in a 8×8 pan to soften as the oven heats
combine sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and sliced tigernuts in a medium bowl
add butter and use hands to combine until you have a crumbly mixture
add remaining ingredients to blender and pulse until you have a smooth pumpkin spice purée
take half of your tigernut mixture and press it into the bottom of your pan (should be greased from the butter)
smooth out the pumpkin purée on top of your first layer of tigernut mixture
now, add the remainder of the tigernut mixture and press down
bake for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned
let cool, cut into squares, and ENJOY!

In case you missed how to enter (November 17-20, 2015)…

{G I V E A W A Y} TIME! Here’s how to enter:

Like THIS post on Instagram and tag two friends who might be interested in trying out some Organic Gemini goodies
Follow me (@radical.roots) and @organicgemini on Instagram
For an extra bonus sign up for my newsletter HERE so you don’t miss out on any future giveaways!

HERES WHAT ONE LUCKY WINNER WILL GET: