Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Granola

I eat cereal for breakfast. There I said it. Usually only on work days. I’m not happy I do it but its fast and easily digestible for my 4 mile commute uphill to work. I try to eat healthy ones without a lot of sugar. Typically Cascadian Farm. It tastes good and local to the Pacific Northwest! Its kind of expensive so I always try to get as many samples at race expos as I can. 🙂 I usually have a coupon too. I love it! I thought maybe I could make some cereal or try too at least!

I’ve been reading Eat, Live, Run blog regularly for about a year. I have tried some of her recipes and they are all good. Last year Jenna had a post that refered back to Elvis Granola. I was intrigued and quickly found out that “Elvis Granola” was actually chocolate peanut butter granola. HELLO!! Peanut butter and chocolate may be my 2 favorite ingredients in the whole world. I LIKE them separate but LOVE them together!

Here you have it! My rendition of Elvis Granola:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Granola
(adapted from Eat, Live, Run)
Makes about 1LB of granola

Ingredient List:
1/4 C canola oil
1/3 C maple syrup
scant 1/2 C chunky peanut butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp cinnamon
4 C rolled oats
1/4 C whole flax seeds
1/2 C honey roasted peanuts
1/4 C sunflower seeds
1 C chopped dark chocolate

Heres what you do:

Preheat oven to 275.

Bring the canola oil, maple syrup, peanut butter, salt and cinnamon to a simmer on the stove. Cook for three to five minutes.

While that’s cooking, mix together the oats, flax seeds, peanuts and sunflower seeds. Pour hot syrup mixture over the oats and toss well to coat. Spread out granola onto two lined sheet trays and bake for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally and turning trays midway through.

Let granola cool completely before adding the chocolate.

NOTES: I typically use chopped almonds because that is what I have on hand. This was the first time I had peanuts because I used them in a different recipe. Use what ever you have and whatever you like. The same thing with the chocolate. Use dark, milk, semi-sweet, chopped or in chip form. For double the peanut butter pleasure–use peanut butter chips.

Happy Baking!! What is your favorite flavor combo? Dark chocolate or milk chocolate? chunky or creamy peanut butter?