Granola Bark is insanely easy to make (only 3 ingredients!). It’s made with dark chocolate and the granola adds the perfect amount of crunch. This is the perfect holiday dessert and is an easy gift for your friends and family!

INGREDIENTS

250g block of chocolate or 1 cup dark chocolate chips1/2 cup Something to Crow About Macadamia Honey Nut Muesli - or any nutty muesli mix. 3 tbsp coconut oil

DIRECTIONS:

Put dark chocolate 2 tbsp of the coconut oil in a bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals until it’s completely melted. Make sure to stir between each interval. Pour dark chocolate onto a baking sheet. Crush the granola and sprinkle over the chocolate. Put the bark in the fridge for at least an hour until hardened then break into pieces. Enjoy!

With summer holidays on the horizon and hungry kids or guests to feed, you might like to try this scrumptious muesli bar slice. The recipe, specially created for us by Allyson Gofton, uses Something to Crow About Supreme Nuts & Berries Muesli as the base ingredient. This generous slice would be perfect to for a summer picnic lunch, for morning tea or to fuel your outdoor adventures.

Ingredients

500 gram bag Something to Crow About Trio of Supreme Nuts and Berries muesli (or a toasted muesli with oats/nuts/seeds/fruit)

100 grams rolled oats or extra muesli

¾ cup dried cranberries, goji berries or chopped dried apricots

250 gram bag coconut sugar

250 grams butter, diced

1/4 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla essence or extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground mixed spice

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Set the oven rack in the middle of the oven. Line the base and sides of a 20cm x 30cm Swiss roll or slice tin with baking paper.

Into a large bowl stir together the Something to Crow About Trio of Supreme Nuts and Berries muesli, oats dried fruit and coconut sugar. In a saucepan over a low heat, melt together the butter and honey with the vanilla essence or extract, cinnamon and mixed spice. Once the butter has melted, pour into the dry ingredients and mix well to make sure all the ingredients are thoroughly coated in the buttery mixture.

Turn into the prepared tin and press down firmly. Ideally roll a smooth, straight-sided glass over the top of the muesli, pressing down firmly.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the slices has begun to brown well around the edges and the whole mixture can be seen bubbling when you look through the oven door.

Remove from the oven and place on a wooden or heat-proof board. Place a piece of baking paper on top and sit a second slice tin on top. Half fill this tin with water (make sure it does not leak) to make an even weight pressing down on top of the slice and leave until cold.

If you do not have a second slice tin, use magazines or something of similar size. Weighting the slice will ensure it is deliciously firm and easy to cut into pieces. Keep in an airtight container to ensure the muesli slices do not absorb moisture from the air causing the pieces to become moist and crumbly.

Preparation time 10 minutes / Cooking time 20 minutes / Makes 30 pieces

The much anticipated New Zealand law change to allow the sale of hemp seed as food takes effect today, Nov 12th, 2018. Previously hemp products could only be sold as animal food. Not to be confused with its sister plant marijuana, hemp is one of natures best sources for plant based protein.

With this law change we were keen to understand a bit more about hemp and its health benefits.

Did you know hemp is one of nature’s best sources for a plant-based protein?

Hemp Protein Powder / Flour is made from grinding the seeds of a hemp plant, and is full of essential fats and vitamins. In fact, hemp protein contains all 20 amino acids, including all 9 essential amino acids.

With 30g of protein per 100g it packs a protein punch.

Unlike most plant proteins, hemp is a quality source for amino acids. This is why hemp is considered to be a complete plant-based protein.Plus, hemp seeds also supply the body with fibre and minerals.

Want to learn more?

Consider these 10 amazing benefits of hemp protein.

#1 Boosts Immune System

Consuming hemp protein is a simple yet highly effective way to supply the body with a nutritious boost.

Hemp seeds contain enzymes, antibodies, hormones, and fibrinogen are all made from globular proteins. In addition, edestin and albumin also make up the fluid in a portion of the blood plasma. As a result, these proteins are essential to supporting a healthy immune system.

#2 Increases Energy Levels

Feeling lethargic? Turns out you may want to swap your daily dose of caffeine for hemp protein.

Hemp protein powder contains all essential fatty acids. When fatty acids are ingested, they produce twice as much energy as carbohydrates. In addition, proteins take longer to break down in the body. This, in turn, causes energy to be released much slower.

So not only does hemp increase energy levels, it also sustains energy throughout the day.

#3 Strengthens Hair

Hemp protein is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, and omega-9 fatty acids. This ultra-high concentration of healthy fats helps promote healthy hair growth.

In addition, omega-3 fatty acids also add sheen and lustre to the hair. Some research even suggests omega-3 fatty acids are shown to reverse hair loss.

Omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids support hair growth and thickening.

#4 Reduces Inflammation

Did you know hemp has an ideal ratio of fatty acids along with other nutrients to reduce inflammation?

In fact, according to one study published in the Journal of Arthritis and Rheumatism, ingesting the GLA (gamma linolenic acid) protein in hemp alleviated arthritis symptoms by 20%.

Essentially, by intervening with the body’s ability to produce pro-inflammatory molecules, GLA reduced chronic inflammation.

#5 Improves Digestion

Conventional protein powders like whey are loaded with animal products such as lactose.

Although many protein producers claim their products contain minimal levels of lactose, even a small amount can cause a chain reaction – particularly for those who are lactose intolerant. As a result, some people may experience bloating, gassiness, and other internal distresses from consuming lactose.

Hemp seeds, on the other hand, actually aid in digestion. Due to the high concentration of soluble and insoluble fibre, hemp protein puts the digestive tract at ease.

#6 Repairs Muscle

Hemp seed products have a protein quality equal to or greater than certain grains and nuts. When it comes to restoring muscle tissue, bodybuilders and athletes alike turn to protein powders. After all, protein is key to building muscle.

However, what many people are not aware of is that hemp is a complete protein source. Containing all essential amino acids, hemp protein helps repair body muscle and tissue.

Better yet, as a plant-based protein, hemp protein powder supplies the body with enough protein but is also hypoallergenic and suitable for people with soy, gluten, egg, or dairy sensitivities.

#7 Relieves Eczema

Did you know hemp is incredibly effective at combating dryness and irritation associated with eczema?The essential fatty acids jampacked in hemp protein act as an internal moisturizer.As a result, hemp protein combats the dry and cracking skin by reducing irritation.

#8 Fight Heart Disease

Heart disease is the number one cause of death across the world. Yet, consumption of hemp protein has shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Hemp is loaded with fibre, healthy fats, and a host of vital nutrients.

Additionally, hemp protein also contains high amounts of the amino acid’s arginine. Arginine is used to produce nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a gaseous substance in the body that causes the blood vessels to expand. This in-turn leads to lowered levels of blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart disease.

#9 Builds Lean Muscle

Hemp protein is one of nature’s superfoods.

Not only does hemp offer a complete amino acid profile, it also includes all muscle-building amino acids such as BCAA (branched chain amino acids).

BCAA increases the rate of muscle protein synthesis while simultaneously preventing the loss of muscle tissue. In addition, hemp also contains globulins albumin and edestin – two of the most abundant proteins in the human body.

#10 Curbs Hunger Cravings

Resisting the urge to go for that midnight snack can be a tough battle.

However, hemp protein powder all helps curb hunger cravings and makes you feel fuller over a longer period of time.

The secret? Hemp is rich in fibre.Fibre not only promotes a healthy digestive system, it also helps us feel fuller longer.

There's many more benefits too. We look forward to seeing how this new food and protein source will be received by the public.

Source:

https://www.green-flower.com/articles/269/15-mind-blowing-benefits-of-hemp-protein

https://www.mpi.govt.nz/news-and-resources/media-releases/hemp-seed-can-be-sold-as-food/

We're so excited to finally be shipping to Australia. After receiving many emails from Australians who have discovered the Something to Crow About range whilst holidaying in NZ, we decided to make it happen.

Shipping rates to Australia are from $10 NZD for orders of 1kg or more, $15 NZD for orders less than 1kg. We aim to dispatch orders in 1-2 working days (Monday to Friday only) with delivery occurring in 8 -10 days from time of dispatch (rural or Tasmanian deliveries may take a little longer) . We will be working to improve this delivery window in the future.

To find out more about our shipping rates and ordering process for Australia orders click here

Something to Crow About is making waves here in New Zealand. We are proud to work alongside our local supermarket brands, such as Countdown, New World, and Pak’n’Save to bring you our range of products, created right here in Aotearoa.

Our products have been gaining attention from consumers and now we have been recognised by Massey University as Finalists in the New Zealand Food Awards - Grocery Category for 2018.

We believe in being different. From the start, we knew that copying other brands would not garner the attention of retailers or consumers.

Without the power of multi-million dollar investments and marketing campaigns, we have managed to gain distribution across all the New Zealand supermarket chains, with supermarket scan data showing us to be the fastest growing cereal brand in New Zealand two years running.

Grocery Category:

Cashew Sour Cherry & Chia Gluten Free Muesli 400gClick here to see Award winners

As soon as we shared this mouth watering muesli with friends and family we knew we were onto a winner. So we were hopeful of success when we entered the NZ Food Awards back in July. It seems like the judges agreed and we recently learned our Cashew Sour Cherry & Chia gluten free muesli was one of eight food products named as finalists in the NZ Food Awards- Grocery Category for 2018.

We've been listening to our customers and have ensured Cashew Sour Cherry & Chia is gluten free, preservative free and dairy free - whilst still being jam-packed with real food and real flavour!

Available now from selected New World Supermarkets independent stores and online.

If you're a fan of our Macadamia Honey & Nuts muesli blend then you’ll love this one.

Fists were pumping at the Westpac Business Awards finalists dinner recently, where Something to Crow About was announced as a finalist in the Marketing and Strategy & Planning categories.

Owners Mike and Christine Millar

Fingers and toes are crossed in anticipation of The Awards Dinner in early October where winners will be named for the North West Region in each category.

We were stoked to be named as a finalist in the two categories we entered and would like to thank our team and customers who have supported us on our journey. Running a thriving food business has its ups and downs and this is definitely a highlight.

We’ve put spring in a pack. Introducing the newest member of our muesli collection, Cashew Sour Cherry & Chia Muesli. Recently named as a finalist in the New Zealand Food Awards Grocery category.

This one's packed with flavour, simply tear it open and enjoy! You’ll be rewarded with whole roasted cashew nuts paired with tart cherries on a bed of coconut and vanilla-infused golden flakes. So you can enjoy real cherries, we specially sourced some delicious Montmorency cherries, which are plump with just the right amount of tart! We've been enjoying this new blend with raspberries, cherries and some warm milk. We’d love to know how you enjoy it.

As you’d expect, Cashew Sour Cherry & Chia is gluten free, preservative free and dairy free - meaning its jam-packed with real food and real flavour!

Available now on our website in 400g and 1KG packs, and rolling out to New World Supermarkets and selected independent stores late August 2018.

If you're a fan of our Macadamia Honey & Nuts muesli blend then you’ll love this one.

Image and food styling by lenoregush.com and crazy-cucumber.com

It's winter and cold mornings call for a comforting and warm start to the day.

This serving suggestion by @nadiaeaves on instagram combines a rolled oats and cinnamon porridge with grated apple stirred through, topped with a crunchy layer of Almond Pure Maple and Cacao Paleo Muesli and sliced Granny Smith Apples.

Here are some other ideas to make your porridge a little more nourishing BANANA, ALMOND AND CINNAMON PORRIDGE Stir in a generous pinch of ground cinnamon, some flaxseed and maple syrup. Top with sliced banana and a handful of toasted almonds.

BLACKCURRANT, CHIA AND VANILLA

Stir through a blackcurrant powder and a sprinkling of chia seeds and a small amount of vanilla (paste works best). The blackcurrant powder is loaded with vitamin C and chia seeds have omega 3, both of which supports beautiful skin.

A super delicious crumble, which is a great way of using plums while they are still in season. Serve this crunchy fruit crumble with a dollop of coconut yoghurt. It would also work with rhubarb and strawberry instead of plums.

Ingredients:

3-4 Serves

2 cups Something to Crow About Spiced Almond Coconut & Orange Muesli

700g Black Doris plums

70g coconut sugar

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1/3 cup maple syrup

1 cinnamon stick

3 cardamom pods, crushed

1 vanilla pod

Preheat oven up to 190C.

Wash, halve and remove the pit from the plums, then cut into quarters.

In a frying pan heat together plums, coconut sugar, butter, and spices, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Halve the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out the seeds, then add both pod and seeds to the crumble filling. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes until mixture is reduced and slightly syrupy, you will see small bubbles at this point. Remove vanilla pod, cinnamon stick, and cardamom pods. Transfer the plums to the ceramic baking dish.

Put granola into a food processor, and using the pulse button, whizz until small crumbs. Take care not to over process at this stage. In the mixing bowl rub the maple syrup into the granola crumbs using your hands. Then spoon the mixture lightly over the plums and smooth over the top.

Bake for 10 mins until the top is golden. Serve with coconut yoghurt.

This healthy fruit and muesli pizza makes a unique breakfast, brunch or dessert. It is one of those dishes that is not only beautiful but absolutely delicious! This fresh recipe is full of color, vitamins, and fiber. The crust is chewy and naturally sweetened by maple and brown rice syrup. You can easily make this healthy dessert dairy-free by using coconut yoghurt.

Ingredients:

4-6 Serves

2 cups Something to Crow About Almond Maple & Cacao Breakfast Cereal

1/2 cup almond butter

1 tbsp brown rice syrup

1 cup plain coconut yoghurt

1 cup fresh fruits and berries

fresh mint

Put muesli into a food processor, and using the pulse button, whizz until small crumbs. In a large bowl, mix the muesli crumbs, almond butter, and brown rice syrup until combined.

Press the mixture into a 20cm pizza pan lined with parchment paper. Chill for an hour to set. If you're in a hurry, freezing for 15 minutes will do the trick.

Remove from pan, then top with yogurt, fruits, and berries. Garnish with mint, serve and enjoy.

This crispy crusted tofu topped with our makes for a delicious protein addition to any meal. We have served ours with a side of lemony kale for a light meal, but this would go great alongside a bowl of quinoa or rice, stir fried vegetables or fresh salad.

This recipe was created by our friends at iamco.co.nz, for the April Delight Box. I am co. delivers you the latest and greatest health products to your door every month.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Tofu - 300g firm organic tofu

1/4 cup Something To Crow About Roasted Seeds Toppers

2 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)

2 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tbsp dijon mustard

Coconut oil (for frying)

Kale - 6 large stalks of curly kale

2 tbsp olive oil

1 whole lemon juiced

Directions:

1. Remove the tofu from packaging and press it firmly to remove any liquid. You can place it in a colander with a weight on top to slowly remove any excess liquid over a few minutes.

2. Once pressed, carefully slice tofu into 8 strips and set aside.

3. In a small bowl whisk the marinade ingredients together (tamari, maple syrup, smoked paprika, sesame oil, dijon mustard). Pour into a small tray and then place the tofu into the tray and cover with marinade sauce, let it sit and marinate for 3 - 4 hours. You can flip the tofu upside down at the halfway point.

4. Place the seeds in a mortar and pestle and roughly smash them. Pour the smashed seeds onto a plate.

5. Once the tofu has soaked up plenty of the marinade, carefully place each piece into the seeds. Coat both sides evenly.

6. Heat a pan and let the coconut oil get warm. Place each piece of the tofu into the pan and fry until golden on each side, this should take 5 - 10 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, shred the kale leaves and place in a steamer until just soft (several minutes only). Remove from the heat and drizzle with olive oil and lemon, toss until well coated.

8. To serve, pile up two bowls with even amounts of kale and top with 4 crispy tofu strips each. Yum!

This Snickers Smoothie bowl is satisfying, nutrient-rich, and naturally sweet! Packed with sweet creamy bananas, delicious smooth peanut butter, topped with our chunky nut Natural Muesli and rich chocolate sauce. The perfect healthy and energy boosting start to your morning.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Serves

SMOOTHIE:

2 frozen bananas (helps make a nice thick smoothie suitable for a bowl)1 cup almond milk2 Medjool dates, pitted1 Tbs peanut butter1 Tbs cacao powder

TOPPING:

Something to Crow About Natural Fusion Fruit & Nuts Muesli (or any muesli will do).

CHOCOLATE SAUCE:

50 g dark chocolate chips or chunks (try chocolate chips with stevia)1 Tbsp coconut oil

METHOD:

Melt chocolate chips using a double boiler. Add coconut oil and mix well with a whisk.

For the smoothie blend all the ingredients using a high-speed blender until smooth. Add some nut milk if mix too thick.

Pour smoothie into your bowl, sprinkle with muesli, drizzle with chocolate sauce. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe and Images by Crazy Cucumber

Delicious, easy to make and packed with healthy ingredients; kids will love these cookies loaded with so many tasty flavors and textures. Soft and chewy, they are a cookie lover’s dream. Best of all, we've done all the hard work for you and created a muesli blend that forms the base ingredient.

Just 4 simple ingredients:

2 1/2 cups Something to Crow About Supreme Trio of Nuts & Berries Muesli

2 egg whites (size7)

2/3 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

Method:

Preheat oven up to 160C. Add 2 egg whites to a clean bowl with a pinch of salt. Rapidly whisk the egg whites until it is frothy and can hold soft peaks. Whisk sugar into the egg whites. The egg white will deflate somewhat and thicken to the point where it falls from the whisk in a ribbon. If you’re sugar-conscious, you could get away with subtracting a tablespoon of the sugar and end up with a reasonably well-balanced cookie.

Using a rubber spatula, stir the muesli into the egg whites until they are evenly coated and bound together.

Note: Our Supreme Muesli is loaded with nutritious ingredients and chunky nuts. Some of the Brazil Nuts are quite large - you may want to cut them into quarters to make them suitable for the cookies.

Drop 1/4 cup of mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing evenly (if your baking sheets are small, you might have to use 2).

Bake cookies, rotating baking sheet halfway through, until edges are golden, 15–20 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool completely and firm up before attempting to remove them from the baking sheet. Store airtight at room temperature.

Recipe and images by Crazy Cucumber Blog

Are you a romantic at heart? Treat your loved ones with this healthy and delicious breakfast served in the Mason Jar. Pile up seasonal berries, rich coconut yogurt and crunchy mix of fruit and seeds. Best served with a cup of creamy flat white coffee.

Ingredients

2 Serves

250g fresh berries (raspberry, blueberry and blackberry)200g plain coconut yoghurt4 tsp maple syrup

In a Mason jar, spoon in a layer of berries, top with a layer of yogurt, drizzle with maple syrup then sprinkle over muesli (granola). Continue layering until your jar is full.

Garnish with fresh mint leaves. Seal the lid and store in the fridge until you are ready to enjoy.

Images and recipe courtesy of Leno from Crazy Cucumber

Roasted seeds are the perfect complement to any salad. Convenient, ready to use and packed full of goodness. Sprinkle these crunchy seeds over salads, roast veggies or eat as a guilt free snack. In fact we've come up with 9 ways to use our versatile toppers.

9 Ways with Roasted Seed Toppers

Add crunch and flavour with a sprinkle of seeds over any summer salad.Scatter over your favourite homemade pizza.Taco Tuesday Fans, sprinkle our spicy Mexican seeds over Tacos. Complete your Poke bowl with a sprinkling of Tamari & Seaweed Seeds.Pimp your roast veggies with a handful of seeds.Top off your smashed avocado with a sprinkle of garlic roasted seeds.Forget croutons, use seeds to top off a hot bowl of soupParmesan Cheese & Seed Crackers - yes there's just two ingredients! Mix 1 part seeds with 2 part grated parmesan and arrange into small piles on a baking tray and bake.

Our food is handcrafted in small batches, so you get the freshest product possible. With healthy formulations, there’s 4.5 to 5 health stars across the entire range. Available now from Countdown and other leading supermarkets, featuring a new convenient 120g pack size and four on trend flavour profiles. RRP $4.99

This range is gluten free, preservative free and suitable for vegans.

We'd love to see your creations on instagram tag #crowabout.

Poke is a raw fish salad served as an appetizer in Hawaiian cuisine, and sometimes as a main course. Commonly it’s raw fish marinated in soy sauce and sesame oil then tossed with sesame seeds and seaweed. This recipe has an Hawaiian twist, with seared tuna instead of raw fish.

Finish your poke bowl off with Something to Crow About Tamariand seaweed roasted seed mix is perfect over any salad, roast veggies or poke bowls. Toasted sesame is one of the most popular flavours in Japan. I love that satisfying, nutty flavor. New Zealand grown Karengo seaweed and organic Tamari Sauce make the taste of seeds is absolutely delicious. Closely related to Japanese nori, the red seaweed karengo is a delicacy to Māori. Tamari is traditionally tied to the Japanese. It is a thicker, less salty, gluten-free fermented soy sauce.

Recipe and images by crazy cucumber blog

INGREDIENTS

2 Serves

200 g thick raw tuna steak, sustainablly sourced, cut into 4 cm rectangular piecessteamed rice (I use Japanese rice)sliced radishsliced cucumber1 ripe avocado, sliced1 cup steamed edamame beanssnowpea shootschopped chivespickled ginger

For dressing: