Lori Thomas ~ There’s a special place in my heart for granola. It’s a place where love meets hate and savory definitely mingles with sweet. It’s a place where I can get handfuls upon handfuls of granola then wind up consuming trillions of calories… and I’m still not full.

Granola is a “special” kind of treat that deserves its weight in calories. It can be mixed and matched to create whatever flavors you prefer, and you can even eat it if you’re avoiding grains … like when you’re on a strict Paleo diet. Fortunately, I’m not eating strictly Paleo at the moment, but if I were, I’d rock this granola. And fortunately for those who are Paleo-only, this granola meets Primal requirements.

Paleo People Granola comes in four different flavors and is made with nuts, seeds, berries, and only natural sweeteners. You won’t find a low-cal or low-fat granola here, but you will find some tasty alternatives for a new kind of granola, without oats, gluten, or fillers. And don’t worry, it’s all healthy fats. So how did it hold up to other granolas?

The overall consensus of Paleo People Granola was varied. I tried all four flavors along with three other “taste testers.” The Apple Crisp was voted the best flavor, with a subtle sweetness and a flavor that was not overpowering in any way. The Banana Nut Crisp flavor was good with generous chunks of dried banana chips. I liked it a lot, but was a little concerned with the ingredient list when I saw that the dried banana and dried cranberry were made with sugar.
 
The Cacao Nut was slightly smoky and had that hint of chocolate taste without being sweet. The addition of the dried fruit was good in it. The Cappuccino Crunch was my least favorite but at least one other person tasting thought it was their favorite. I liked the whole chunks of espresso beans (mmmmm!) in the Cappuccino Crunch but the granola was almost missing something. Maybe a little hint of chocolate…?

 
The texture was granola-like but a little too moist, still. I would have liked it even better if it were dried longer, but after a few handfuls of each granola, I got used to the consistency and actually really enjoyed it. Its granola, that’s just a bit different, and certainly not in a bad way.
 
The packaging, however, was not my friend. The bags have a resealable opening which didn’t work on some. They either wouldn’t close at all or the sealable part didn’t line up correctly. A minor issue in the whole scheme of things, but it was something I noticed. Also, I was confused on how to store the granola. In the refrigerator? On the counter? It would be great it the company would add storage instructions to the packaging.
 
Overall, I have to say that Paleo People Granola is absolutely worth buying. It’s delicious as a granola-alternative and definitely on top of smoothies or in Paleo banana ice cream.
 
In fact, I loved the Apple Crisp flavor so much that I created a smoothie recipe to go with it! This is Strawberry Chai Smoothie is probably one of the best smoothies I’ve made thus far …

See Lori's Recipe: Strawberry Chai [Protein] Smoothie

For more information on Paleo People Granola, visit their website at www.paleopeople.com.

Lori Thomas is a certified personal trainer working in Northern California. She is a cross-fit addict and lover of all things healthy, tasty, and active. Lori blogs personal recipes and fitness adventures at What Runs Lori.