Chocolate Coconut Breakfast Granola

If you’ve been searching for reasons and ideas on how to eat chocolate for breakfast, then look no further – you’ve come to the right place! Fun fact, I once had a cousin who told me she despised chocolate, and I remember writing her off as slightly crazy, (if she’s reading this now, I’m sorry, but who doesn’t like chocolate?!)

For the rest of us who live and breathe chocolate (or is that just me…) this Chocolate & Coconut Breakfast Granola is a divine recipe that tastes amazing and will make you look a lot healthier than if you were sitting at 9 a.m. munching on a chocolate bar. Plus, chocolate or specifically cocoa powder, is actually good for you!

According to several sources, including Harvard Medical School, chocolate has many health benefits. Now to clarify, I'm not talking about most commercially available cocoa products, like Hershey's chocolate bars or Cocoa puffs cereal (heavily processed and tons of sugar). Instead, I'm talking about raw cocoa powder, or unsweetened dark chocolate. Apparently researchers at Harvard Medical School analyzed 21 studies that involved more than 2,500 participants and they concluded that drinking dark unsweetened chocolate was associated with reduced blood pressure, improved blood vessel health and lowering LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and elevating HDL (“good”) cholesterol (read more).

In addition to this, cocoa powder reportedly has antidepressant qualities because it may have the ability to boost endorphins and serotonin, (the neurotransmitter responsible for overall happiness levels), and cocoa is high in antioxidants, containing "approximately 43.6 mg of flavonoids per gram" (source). Flavonoids are part of a powerful group of antioxidants known as polyphenols, and without getting too scientific, polyphenols are basically what give plants their color and can help to protect them from various dangers, so when we eat them we reap the same benefits. Some of the highest polyphenol-containing foods include most fruits and vegetables, red wine, green tea and of course, cocoa powder!

So that was my long-winded introduction to convince you to try this Chocolate Coconut Breakfast Granola, even though I'm sure you likely don't need much convincing. It's delicious, filling, delicious, healthy, oh and did I say delicious? Recipe inspired by Feasting on Fruit, but I modified it by adding coconut oil and chopped almonds. I love, love, love this recipe and I hope you do too. It works great as a breakfast granola, but also as a snack-anytime granola. Enjoy!

Chocolate Coconut Breakfast Granola

Vegan Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes

Yield: approximately 2 cups of granola, or two 8oz jars

Ingredients:

• 1 cup crispy rice (whole grain brown rice)

• 1 cup large whole oats

• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

• 1/4 cup almond pieces

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder

• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup

• 1/4 cup coconut oil

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F.

2. In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients: oats, crispy rice, coconut flakes, almonds, cocoa powder and salt.

3. In a medium bowl mix together the wet ingredients: maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla.

4. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and stir so that everything is mixed and combined evenly.

5. Grease a large baking sheet with a bit more coconut oil. Pack the granola mixture down onto the baking sheet.

6. Bake the granola for 15 minutes, then pull out of the oven and allow it to cool completely on the baking sheet.

7. After 5-10 minutes, you can enjoy your granola and remember to pack it away in an air-tight container!

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