Sugar Free Chocolate Granola

If you were a fly on the wall in our home early in the morning there are a number of different scenarios you might witness, depending on which day you were there. The fact is that when you have small children you never quite know how the morning is going to play out! Yesterday morning for example everyone was up and out of bed ten minutes earlier than normal, ate their breakfast quickly and got dressed promptly and cheerfully which meant we were ready to leave the house quite a bit earlier than usual. On another morning you might witness an altercation over a cereal bowl and/or breakfast cup, a world record attempt for the longest time taken to finish a piece of toast or some intense outfit negotiations... all resulting in delays, heavy sighs and a late departure for school. But one thing you will almost certainly see at some point in the morning rush is yours truly munching on a bowl of this fabulous stuff. 

This is not your typical sweet, clumpy granola. Usually I would make a granola with honey to add to the flavour and to help stick all of the other delicious ingredients together, but with this particular recipe I wanted to keep it completely sugar free. (It is also a great low carb breakfast option.) Personally I love the flavour and usually enjoy this granola with a bit of plain yoghurt. The good news is that you can adapt the recipe to suit your own taste, so do have a squizz at the cook's notes below for some ideas. 

Why not make a batch over the weekend - it only takes a few minutes to mix everything together, then twenty minutes in the oven - and you have fresh, crunchy, homemade granola packed with good-for-you ingredients for the whole week. 

Cook's notes: If you would prefer to sweeten the granola slightly you can replace half of the coconut oil with raw honey. You can also throw in a handful of dried cranberries or raisins to sweeten the mix. Or simply top with a drizzle of honey or fresh berries when serving. You can also customise the granola by including your favourite raw nuts. 

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SUGAR FREE CHOCOLATE GRANOLA 

Makes 3 ½ cups

1 cup sunflower seeds
1½ cups coconut flakes
⅓ cup brown linseeds
3 tbsp raw almonds
3 tbsp raw cashews
⅓ cup coconut flour
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp raw cacao nibs
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract

Step 1.) Preheat your oven to 160°C and grease a baking tray. 

Step 2.) Combine all of the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the coconut oil and vanilla extract. Mix well until everything is coated in the oil. 

Step 3.) Spread the mixture into an even layer on the tray. Bake for 20 minutes. 

Step 4.) Allow the granola to cool on the tray before transferring to an airtight container.