Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Granola

Granola is one of those foods that, for some reason, people rarely consider making at home. In addition to being more cost-effective over the long haul (especially when you buy your rolled oats and nuts in bulk!), making your own granola lets you customize any recipe to your preference. Store-bought granolas also tend to have heaps of added sugar, but this granola is just a tad sweet. Cocoa powder gives this granola a rich, chocolaty taste and chopped nuts add a nice crunch.  

Granola makes a quick breakfast and great vegan on-the-go snack for those moments when there is nothing vegan in sight and you're about to get real hangry.  

Top your favorite vegan yogurt or ice cream with this crunchy snack, enjoy with nut milk or over hot oatmeal for added texture and flavor.  

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Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients:  

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup chopped nuts of choice (I used almonds, but pecans and walnuts also work well) 
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• ⅓ cup cocoa powder
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp salt (best if chunky sea salt or salt flakes!) 
• 2 tsp vanilla
• ½ cup shredded coconut, unsweetened (optional, but recommended!)*
• ½ cup vegan chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (optional) 

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.  Melt coconut oil in a microwave-safe dish (or in a sauce pan) and whisk together with maple syrup, salt and vanilla. 

2. In a large bowl, combine oats, chopped nuts, cocoa powder and shredded coconut. Stir well to combine.

3. Pour the liquid mixture over oat mixture, stirring well to coat. Spread evenly onto lined baking sheet.

4. Bake for approx. 40 minutes or until lightly golden.** If using chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, add once the granola has cooled completely. 

Store in an airtight container for a few weeks or freeze for later use. 

Tips and tricks: 

*Even if you're not a coconut fanatic, I'd still encourage you to use some in your recipe. It doesn’t create a coconut flavor so much as add a light sweetness to the granola.

**I recommend rotating your pan half way through the baking process, especially if your oven tends to bake things unevenly. It can also be challenging to tell when this granola is "golden" because of the cocoa, so you may need to take a spoonful to sample (but let it cool completely first!).