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So between all the coughing and baby growing I’ve been doing, I feel like an exhausted mess 94% of the time. The other 6% I’m sleeping.
Anyways, I’ve been letting my cooking take the back burner lately. Baking {and clothes washing} however seems to be going into overdrive. Granola is considered baking, me thinks. Sort of baking….. Really really easy baking.
If you’ve never made granola before, I’d highly recommend it. Not only is it practically fail proof, it’s a healthy breakfast or snack. Especially with vanilla greek yogurt {as pictured} and fruit. This isn’t THE healthiest granola out there because it has chocolate and peanut butter in it, but it’s much higher on the healthy breakfast totem poll than say…..cocoa puffs? Or fruit loops.
I love fruit loops.
Did I ever tell you about growing up in my house? From a very young age, I remember grocery shopping with my Mom and begging her to buy the sugary cereals that we’d only ever get for camping once a year. Of course she would never budge. Her rule was if sugar was one of the first three ingredients listed on the cereal box then we wouldn’t be allowed to buy it. Guess what that left us with?
Shredded mini wheats. The plain ones.
Every 3 year olds’ dream! LOL.
She did however make a mean granola that I adored. It had a bunch of random ingredients in it that I’d have to buy in bulk from the health food store because I’d never have them ALL on hand at one time. Perhaps I’ll post that recipe in the near future because it is a really good one 🙂
Moral of the story: I have become my mother and only buy the healthy cereals. Full of bran, fiber and healthy nutritious stuff.
Also, I love granola and have been trained to love granola from an early age.
Therefore, peanut butter and chocolate in granola makes my heart sing. Feel free to double or triple this recipe since it doesn’t make a whole lot!
And, surprise surprise, it’s not very sweet on purpose. Feel free to bump up the maple syrup to make it as sweet as you’d like. OR, make it as is and have it with a little vanilla almond milk {which is a little sweet}. It compliments this granola perfectly. If chocolate and/or peanut butter isn’t your thing, check out my other granola recipes:
Enjoy, friends 🙂
Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola
Ingredients
- 4 cups rolled oats
- 1/4 cup all natural chunky peanut butter
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1/3 cup real maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Measure oats into a large bowl and set aside.
- In a small bowl, stir peanut butter, oil, maple syrup and cinnamon together. Microwave 30 seconds to 1 minute to loosen up the peanut butter so everything will incorporate well. Stir in vanilla. Pour over oats and stir to coat evenly. Pour onto prepared baking sheet and spread evenly.
- Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour until browned and fragrant, stirring every 20 minutes or so.
- Cool to room temperature, sprinkle with chocolate chips and store in air tight containers until ready to serve.
- Will last 2 weeks at room temperature.
I baked mine for only 30 minutes and it ended up horribly burnt! It was at 325, and I stirred every 20 minutes. The only ingredient I changed was to replace canola oil with vegetable. What did I do wrong?
You did nothing wrong! I bet your oven runs hot! Did you have it on a top or bottom rack? Next time try baking at 300 degrees and check it every 10 minutes just to be sure.
i have a “go to” granola recipe that I always use, but saw this one and thought I would try it. I just ate a bowl and wow! It is yummy! It’s a perfect blend of peanut butter and chocolate, and not overly sweet. Love it!
I am that mom too. Totally. Strength in numbers… 😉
Oh yeah, this is my kind of granola. Anything with peanut butter and chocolate is good in my book!
My mom totally pulled the same thing on us as kids… now I have a husband who has gleefully taken over the healthy cereal roll. What a downer. I think I can convince him to let me make this – with extra chocolate!!
I adore granola, and am so excited to indoctrinate my kids to its wonders…although my 2-yr-old son loooves fruit loops, but I figure they’re a reasonably healthy snack 🙂
I have never made my own granola! This must be changed because this looks amazing!
My Mom totally made an awesome homemade granola too when I was a kid! It was so good but that was the only version she ever made. Today homemade granola is still one of my faves, but I love experimenting with different flavor combinations!
Homemade granola is the best 🙂 this one looks so tasty!
Both of my favorite ingredients into another favorite breakfast food! Love it, Lauren!
Now this is my kind of granola! I love it, Lauren!
Oh, Lauren, My husband would love this!!!!
Love this Lauren! So much better than plain Shredded Mini Wheats 🙂
I’m so that Mom too! Cheerios, Mini Wheats and Raisin Bran… They’ll thank us later I’m sure of it 🙂 Ps…I love this granola!
This looks delicious! I like making granola at home and trying new ways to make it! Can’t wait to try this one!
Looks yummy! Perfect on vanilla greek yogurt…or chocolate!
I can’t tell you how much I want this for my breakfast tomorrow!
SERIOUSLY stunning picture… I am in awe! Everything looks and sounds amazing. 🙂
This is all kinds of fabulous!
I totally buy the sugary breakfast cereals and I feel guilty about it every morning when that’s all they eat. But then I remind myself that, hey! I didn’t have to cook eggs or anything, so it’ll all be okay.
Bad mom.
Love this granola!
lol fruit loops… Okay I totally buy those but the funny thing is that it has less sugar than my husbands supposedly healthy cereal. Weird right?
Chocolate peanut butter granola! That is what I call a yummy breakfast!
This granola looks delicious! then again I do love anything with chocolate or peanuts in!
This looks like heaven! YUM