I just started my no processed sugar January (a little late I know!) and one of the things that I will miss dearly is chocolate. I mean miss so much! I could probably live on brownies and chocolate ice cream if I didn’t know it was ridiculously bad for me :D. There’s just something about having a delicious chocolate treat that makes me happy! If you too are chocolate obsessed, don’t worry. There are plenty of healthier ways to get that chocolate fix, and this is one of them!
One reason I do no processed sugar January (besides a little detox from the massive amount of Christmas treats) is to remind myself of all the healthy ways that I can satisfy my sweet tooth. It really challenges me to be creative and think about what I’m putting in my body. I also usually come out of it with a new healthy yet sweet recipe or two, which is always a plus.
Today I combined my love of chocolate with my love of granola in a very healthy and processed sugar free way. If you’ve browsed the blog you know that I have a few other granola recipes, but no chocolate granola until now. So I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty excited.
If you’ve made my date granola recipe, you know how incredibly simple it is. This is very similar! It’s really easy and only requires a few ingredients, so let’s get started!
What You’ll Need for Chocolate Granola:
2 Cups Rolled Oats
1/4 Cup Cacao
12 Medjool Dates (you’ll need more of the smaller dates)
3 Tbsp Nut Milk (or your preferred milk)
2 Tbsp Ground Flax (optional)
Feel free to chop up some nuts or toss in a few seeds! Just make sure to up the date count by one or two if you’re adding a substantial amount (1/2 cup or so) of them!
What to do:
First we’re gong to make date paste: Blend the 12 dates slightly, then add 3 Tbsp of nut milk and blend together until it becomes a smooth paste. This is a bit more nut milk than usual so that it will spread more easily. This can be done in food processor or blender, but you may have to stop and push everything down more often in a blender, especially if it’s a big one.
After you’ve made the date paste, add it to the bowl of oats and mix them thoroughly.
Once the oats are covered in date paste, add cacao and any other add ins you choose, then mix well.
Once it’s all mixed, spread it out thinly across a pan and bake for 8-10 minutes at 325 degrees F. Be sure to check and make sure it isn’t burning! Mix everything around and put back in the oven for another 8 minutes. Allow to cool and enjoy!
If you’re a big chocolate granola fan like I am, definitely give this a try! The best part about making your granola at home is you can control what goes in it. Most of the grocery store granola tends to be filled with lots of processed sugar and other unnecessary ingredients because it has to have a long shelf life. With this, you can throw in any combination of ingredients you love and keep out the stuff you don’t.
Let me know if you try it out! Enjoy!
Sweat, Smile, Repeat!
xxNiki
