February 5, 2021

CHOCOLATE CHIP GRANOLA

When I was younger, me and my sisters would sleep over at my grandma’s house every single saturday. We would be so so spoiled for a whole night and sunday morning. We all know that at Grandma’s our parents rules and ways are almost not valid right? So, as soon as we woke up on sundays, there were a bunch of delicious options for breakfast. Every type of cereal we could want, pancakes and yummy food. In-between all those cereal boxes there was a granola box. I remember it being there because it was significantly smaller than the rest. This was an apple and cinnamon granola my grandma loved! And I did too! With that granola in mind, came this recipe for chocolate chip granola.

Growing up, I started actually taking care of my body and what makes it work as well. That’s when I discovered that not because it was granola, it was automatically healthy. What does that mean? There are granolas or brands that have the same amount of added sugar than a regular kid’s cereal! Crazy right? What I did was look for national brands, ones that have a list of ingredients that I could understand. No weird names in there. Still, the flavor of those was not up to part. Another reason to create this chocolate chip granola for myself!

As soon as I moved to Ecuador, i thought it was the perfect time to make my own granola at home. With all the ingredients I liked, and that flavor I missed so much. This recipe is pretty basic. If you want a simpler one, that you could combine with anything, just don’t add the chocolate chips at the end. You can also add seeds, change up the nuts in the recipe, add dried fruits, anything your mind desires!

MAKING A PERFECT CHOCOLATE CHIP GRANOLA

The making process of a granola is pretty simple. Basically, you add all the ingredients to a bowl, mix it well and bake for a few minutes. That is the great thing about making your own granola! IT takes about 10 minutes to put together and it goes directly in the oven. You make little to no mess too! A bowl, a baking sheet and a spatula to move the granola a bit between baking. Barely anything!

Besides, the amazing smell you spread from your kitchen to the rest of the house is absolutely amazing. A Mixture of honey, cinnamon and just th smell of sweetness. I don’t know how to explain the smell of sweetness with words but I bet you are familiar with it.

TIPS TO GET IT RIGHT:

Baking: Bake this chocolate chip granola in two stages. Spread it evenly over the baking sheet and place it in the oven. After about 10 to 15 minutes, take it out. Just for a couple of seconds! With a spatula, move it around completely and place it back in the oven. You do this to make sure it bakes completely.

The chocolate chips: Add the chocolate chips once the granola has completely cooled down. So, after the second baking time, let it cool completely and then, when you are going to place it in the container, add the chocolate. This is because we don’t want it to melt and make a giant chocolate blob. We want perfect chips.

The chocolate I used for this recipe is a 60% Pacari chocolate that already come in chips. The type of chocolate depends on what you like. There are people who prefer darker chocolate for example. I found this 60% chocolate perfect.

Nuts: Chop the nuts you use for this recipe. This way you get nut pieces in every bite.

Storing: I recommend storing the granola in an airtight container. This way, you keep it crunchy and you can store it longer.

HOW TO EAT THIS CHOCOLATE CHIP GRANOLA:

Like I always say, I am not going to tell you how to eat anything, buuuut I have a few ideas and tips I want to share with you. The first option is with a cup of yogurt. The kind and flavor you like the most! The second way I like to eat granola is with milk, whole milk, skim, almond, soy, any kind really. Another option is having it with apples. This combination is one of my favorites. Slice it thin, add a bit of peanut butter on top and sprinkle the granola on top of the pb. Sweet and healthy “nachos”. By itself? yes, count me in! I love having granola by itself too like a bowl of fruit loops you just snack on without any milk. Do you have any more ideas? Let me know in the comments how you like to have granola!

EQUIPMENT:

Bowl: The whole recipe comes together in a single bowl. Cool right? Just ONE bowl to clean once you are done.

Baking sheet: Or a glass baking dish. Any option works fine. Make sure it is big enough to spread the mixture into a thin layer for baking. Not too thin though, you don’t want to burn it.

Parchment paper: If you have a silpat, you can use that as well. This is so that it is easier to take out once its done.

Spatula: Halfway through baking, move the granola to that it bakes evenly everywhere.

Spoon: Or a silicone spatula to mix the ingredients well in the bowl.

Cup measures: The recipe is in cups. I recommend getting a set instead of using a regular cup from home.