I was recently at the grocery store shopping for the family. As I stood on the cereal aisle, gazing at the boxes of healthier choices for breakfast, I was struck by how expensive nutritious cereal can be! Suddenly, it dawned on me that we have a recipe for a delicious cereal called Chocolate Granola!With only one box of cereal in my shopping basket, instead of the usual three, I pushed my way on to the next aisle, determined to make a batch of chocolate granola that weekend, and thus save my family unnecessary money.
It only took me about thirty minutes to whip up a batch of the yummy breakfast food, plus another 24 hours to dry. (We make our granola on a dehydrator as the recipe instructs, but I've heard that it can be done in a slightly warm oven that has been turned off.)
The thing I like about this granola is that it is "raw." There is no cooking in the process which keeps the oats at their maximum nutrition level, and honey is used rather than sugar. This makes for a delicious, guilt-free, healthy bowl of dessert for breakfast! That's my kind of eating. :-)
We ate off that first batch of chocolate granola for two weeks. Today, it was time to make another batch so I decided to document my experience with pictures and instructions. Maybe you will find this recipe to be a hit with your own family!
I make a regular size recipe which calls for 12 cups of oats. However, it can easily be halved or quartered for a smaller batch, especially if you're using the oven rather than a dehydrator.
Oil first, so the honey will slide right out.
I love honey!
Cocoa gives the chocolate punch!
Stirring it takes some muscle! I usually have to stir it a good 3-4 minutes before all the oats and sunflower seeds are thoroughly coated.
A Martha Stewart shot.
Onto the trays it goes!
You have to spread it thinly so it will dry with a nice crisp.
Finished! Now the dehydrator takes over. The warm whirring sound it makes has such a homey effect! When we walk inside from church tonight, the whole kitchen will be filled with the aroma of cinnamon and chocolate. :-)
Okay, here is the recipe.
12 cups oats
1 cup sunflower seeds (Raw is preferred, however, I used roasted because that's what Wal-Mart sells. Just don't get the salted kind.)
1 cup cocoa
1 cup honey
1 cup oil
3-4 tablespoons cinnamon
Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add wet ingredients and stir thoroughly until all the oats are coated. Spread onto dehydrator sheets (or cookie sheets if using the oven). Dehydrate for 24 hours until crisp.
[Editor's note - it will not get as crisp as granola that is baked. Expect some degree of chewiness due to the nature of the raw oats.]
I like my granola best with milk. However, it is good dry as a snack too!
8 comments:
yum! i will have to try that...it sounds yummmy!!!
love,
quinn
Oh! That sounds SO DELICIOUS!!! I'm gonna have to try that one of these days! :) Thanks for sharing!!
That sounds delicious! I'll have to tell mom.
Bekah says hi!
Yummy! Thanks for sharing the recipe! :) I bet your parents just LOVE having you around... :) lol
Thanks for sharing, Katrina! I'd love to try it! Any more thoughts on how to do it in the oven? As in, what temp to heat the oven to and then turn off. And then if it's supposed to sit for 24 hours, would the oven cool off too soon? If you don't know, that's no problem. I just thought I'd ask since we don't have a dehydrator. Thanks a bunch! Miss you!
Kelsie, I'm sorry, but I don't have the answers you're looking for regarding making the granola in the oven. I checked with Katelin, since I thought she was the one who told me it could be done in an oven...but she didn't have a clue! I am going to experiment with a smaller batch in the oven one day soon to see what it takes to get the same consistency as a dehydrator. Stay tuned! :-)
you make an adorable Martha Stewart. I'm gonna have to try making some granola now...either this recipe or the apple cinnamon recipe in my cookbook...or maybe both! :)
I often make granola in a crock pot on a low setting until it is crisp. I stir every hour or so for about 6 hours. This will depend on the size of the batch and the crock pot size, of course. Just keep an eye on it until you think it is done. Works great for me. Take the lid off at the end and allow the granola to cool.
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