Chia seed pudding was THE breakfast of 2019 for me. I mastered the recipe and shared it on this post. It’s a favorite of coworkers, sisters, and students of mine as well. It’s creamy, full of healthy fats from the coconut milk, fibrous from the chia seeds, and simply delicious. I typically serve it with blueberries and strawberries or raspberries (depending which one is on sale). Today, I’m sharing a recipe that will take my chia pudding over the edge of deliciousness!

That being said, the granola stands on its own as a snack as well. When I was recipe testing I caught John eating it from the jar on the couch! The chocolate, espresso, and pecans are a trio made in granola heaven. This recipe is so easy to whip up and you’ve probably got most of the ingredients on hand. Give this a try:

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons espresso powder (I just used the finest setting on my coffee grinder with coffee beans)
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder (Note: if you prefer milk chocolate over dark like John does, use only 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder!)
• 3 cups gluten free old fashioned oats
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips (I love Enjoy Life – they’re gf, df, and soy free!)
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Procedures:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit.
2. Cover a large sheet pan with parchment paper, set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl whisk coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, salt, espresso powder, and cocoa powder until well combined. It will be a dark brown liquid mixture.
4. Add oats, chocolate chips, and pecans and stir until the mixture is combined well and covered with the liquid evenly. I recommend using a strong silicone spatula to stir.
5. Pour the mixture onto the prepared sheet pan, Press the mixture down into the pan so it is flat and even across the top. This will help the granola clump up and make nice big chunks as it cools.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
7. Allow granola to cool completely – it’s important that you don’t stir the granola until it’s completely cooled to maintain the aforementioned clumps!
8. You can pop the sheet pan in the freezer or refrigerator to cool more quickly if you desire. This will help with clumps too because the cooling of the coconut oil will bond the granola more tightly.
9. Once cool, stir the granola and store in an airtight container.
10. Enjoy by itself as a quick snack, with milk like cereal, or top yogurt or chia pudding with it.

This recipe has quickly become a family favorite! It’s much more cost effective than purchasing granola at the store and there aren’t any funky ingredients lurking on this list. Try it out this week and drop me a comment to let me know what you think!