Best Ever Granola Is Seriously Good
Sarah Kaminski’s business started in her kitchen during the pandemic and now occupies a gluten-free facility in Warrendale.
PHOTO COURTESY OF BEST EVER GRANOLA
People started calling Sarah Kaminski “crunchy granola” long before she started selling the stuff.
As a teen, her hippie aesthetic included long hair and hemp necklaces, but she didn’t fully embrace a wellness lifestyle until her 20s. And even then, she discovered that most granola brands on the market were full of refined sugar.
In 2019, she perfected a vegan recipe that’s a mix of organic, gluten-free rolled oats, raw seeds and nuts, organic cold-pressed coconut oil and fruits. Pure Pennsylvania maple syrup adds a touch of sweetness.
The following year, Kaminski founded Best Ever Granola in her kitchen, where she baked and bagged small, nutrient-dense batches and then hit the farmers market circuit. Now, after continuous pop-up events, stints in shared kitchens and a recent move to a gluten-free facility in Warrendale, she’s baking between 400 and 600 pounds of granola each week.
Her husband and three sons are official taste-testers.
In addition to the original flavor, products include Peanut Butter Crunch, Chocolate Espresso, Dark Chocolate Chai and Best Ever Roasted Almonds. Eat it as cereal, add it to yogurt and baked goods or just eat it straight out of the bag until you hit bottom like I did!
Seriously.
Best Ever Granola isn’t a misnomer; it’s a deliciously humble brag. As soon as I grab a handful of crunchy granola, I feel an intense need to go camping … which reminds me of “Friday the 13th” … which is why I wore a “Jason” T-shirt to my interview with Kaminski at Cafe Conmigo … which felt like camping since we were surrounded by so much beautiful plant life!
CAFE CONMIGO IN WEXFORD / PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
It was a seriously good Friday for this botany-lovin’ foodie horror fan!
You’ll find bags of Best Ever Granola on the shelves at Cafe Conmigo’s Wexford location and its satellites in Cranberry and at Pittsburgh International Airport, as well as online and in 100 different retailers throughout Pittsburgh.
It’s nothing like the granola from my ‘80s Girl Scouting days, when troop leaders basically gave us bags of candy and released us into the wilds of suburbia to sell cookies until the inevitable sugar crash.
When I eat Best Ever Granola with all of its healthy fats, fiber and plant-based protein, I feel energized enough to hike the Appalachian Trail. Ok, maybe one of the designated Pittsburgh Brewers Guild trails. Beer is kind of like liquid granola, right?
Maybe Kaminski can educate me on the subject.
The Pine resident spent seven years as an elementary school teacher, helping her second- and third-grade students understand the food ecosystem, from the field where ingredients are grown all the way to the dinner table. As an online coach and blogger, she also guided adults toward healthier lifestyles.
PHOTO COURTESY OF BEST EVER GRANOLA
She launched Best Ever Granola during the pandemic and, through strategic partnerships with local purveyors such as Steel City Salt Co., Paul Family Farm, Freedom Farms and Mighty Small Farm, has been helping Pittsburghers snack healthier ever since.
Way to go, Crunchy Granola!
