It'll Stunt Your Growth... { Recipe: Mocha Granola}

Whenever I would ask my mom to try coffee or tea she would always respond with, "It'll stunt your growth." If I tried this with my kids they would roll their eyes and ask if I have heard of a thing called "genetics."

Because I didn't try coffee until well into adulthood, I didn't really have a taste for it. My first taste of coffee was a straight-up espresso, cured me of trying coffee again for several more years. Then I discovered mochas. I actually avoided them because I had an inkling I would like them too much. One day a friend brought me one assuming I drank them because just about everyone does. So I tried it. Of course my inkling was correct-I loved it!

So here we are, my kids drink mochas and tea (in moderation) and I am addicted to just about anything mocha. Fortunately this granola is a healthier way to appease my addiction.


Mocha Granola

Preheat oven to 300°F

Prepare a large baking sheet by lining with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

For dry ingredients, mix together in a large bowl:

2 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1 cup nuts (pecans, almonds, hazelnuts-my favorite combination is 1/2 almond and 1/2   hazelnuts)

For liquid mixture, mix together in a small mixing bowl or1-quart glass measuring cup:

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup maple syrup, room temperature (if maple syrup is cold it will cause the coconut oil to harden) or honey
1 room temperature egg white (optional, but help if you want the granola to cluster)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoons espresso powder

Top granola after baking with:

1/2 cup extra dark or dark chocolate chips 

Pour the liquid ingredients onto the dry ingredients and stir until dry mixture is completely coated with the liquid mixture. 

Pour granola mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and spread out into a thin even layer.

Bake for 15 minutes, stir (you can use a wide spatula to turn section of granola at a time, this also helps to get bigger  clusters of granola), return to oven for 15 minute, stir again and return to oven for 15 more minutes. The total baking time is 45 minutes. 

Let the granola cool for about 10 minutes, then sprinkle with the chocolate chips (putting the chocolate chips on while the granola is still a bit warm will also help it cluster). Let the granola cool completely. Optimal is to leave the granola on the baking sheet for an hour or two to make sure it gets nice an crunchy, not chewy. 

Our favorite way to enjoy this granola is on vanilla yogurt, but it is yummy snack on it's own!