If you are a fan of chocolate, then you will definitely love this recipe of the day – Chocolate Granola. Oats, along with cocoa powder, almonds, and tiny bits of chocolate chips, takes this dish to a whole new level of yumminess…where regular granola recipes come nowhere close by! It’s both chocolaty and crunchy with all the goodness from nuts and fruits.

This recipe works perfectly for your meal prep days, especially when you’re looking to whip up a quick and simple breakfast. If you prefer it with a glass of hot milk, then it would taste quite similar to chocolate milk, and that’s something kids would also love. Maple syrup and brown sugar provides enough sweetness to this recipe, which is not overpowered by the chocolate chips. Add some fresh fruits, and you have a perfect healthy breakfast ready in no-time!

You can also serve this Chocolate Granola as a post-lunch or post-workout snack, just what you need to stay away from that unhealthy bag of chips and at the same time packing you with fiber and nutrients.

Pro – Tip: After baking the granola and tossing it with chocolate chips, clusters start to form as the melted chips begin cooling down and binding the granola. Once cooled, try not to break the clusters as that’s what makes this recipe soo yum! The clusters are airy, pack the right amount of chocolate, and are so flavorful that you can literally snack on it.

Since this is a basic recipe for chocolate granola, you can customize it to your likeness by adding nuts and dry fruits of your choice, switching maple syrup with honey, replacing chocolate chips with chunks… the options are endless!

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Interested in more healthy oat’s recipes? Check these out:

• Easy Homemade Granola
• Berry Yogurt Parfait
• Healthy Nut Bars with Chocolate Drizzle
• Berry Oatmeal Crumb Bars

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Chocolate Granola

This easy 30-minute Chocolate Granola is made with simple pantry ingredients and is a perfect healthy treat for all chocolate lovers …!!

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword breakfast, chocolate granola, granola

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 3 cups old fashioned oats
• ¾ cup sliced almonds
• ½ cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup coconut oil (melted)
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350-degree F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and keep aside.
• In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients; oats, almonds, cocoa powder and salt.
• In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, and brown sugar, whisk well to mix properly.
• Now transfer the whisked wet ingredients into the large bowl containing the mixed dry ingredients. Mix all of it together.
• Transfer the mix to the prepared baking pan and level it evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, stirring it halfway through the bake.
• Remove the pan from the oven and immediately transfer the chocolate chips onto the tray. Stir to mix, the chocolate chips will start to slightly melt within the warm granola.
• Once it cools, the granola will harden and form clusters. Pro tip: Do not break the clusters as the granola tastes best when clustered!
• Allow the granola to sit for 1-2 hrs. to cool down completely. Transfer to a closed air tight container and store up to 3-4 weeks at room temperature.

The post Chocolate Granola appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Summer is at its full out here in Missouri and we are enjoying every bit of that sunshine. With berries in season, it’s the perfect time to explore fresh and healthy berry recipes.

About this parfait; it’s a layered breakfast which is colorful, fresh, filling and soothing to your stomach! Yes…we are talking about parfait breakfast days. This simple 5 ingredient berry yogurt parfait is a light and healthy dish and has now become my new obsession.

Creamy Greek yogurt layered over berry sauce and crunchy granola makes a glass full of deliciousness which kids also enjoy. Including yogurt in your diet on a daily basis is really good for your health. The probiotics in Greek yogurt help to increase the good bacteria in your gut thereby enabling digestion, reducing bloating, and promoting better health.

The main advantage of this dish is that it’s a ‘make-ahead recipe’ and has endless options to customize. You can add a variety of fruits, like chopped banana, mango, & peaches, as your toppings. Also, if you’re not a fan of Greek yogurt, substitute it with regular yogurt. For the berry compote, if not strawberry feel free to choose your favorite berries, which also works perfectly for this dish.

Making granola at home is simple, check out my Easy Homemade Granola recipe here.

All the ingredients can be prepared, layered (except for the granola) and refrigerated in advance. Addition of granola as the last step helps to keep it crunchy and fresh, otherwise it will turn soggy & cold when placed on the berry compote for a while. And when it’s time to serve, top with granola and enjoy it as breakfast or as a healthy dessert!

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Berry Yogurt Parfait

A Creamy Berry Yogurt Parfait, layered with Greek Yogurt, Berry Compote, Granola and Fresh Berries! Perfect for a Healthy & Colorful Morning Breakfast …!!

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword berry crumb bar, breakfast, parfait, yogurt bowl

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2 pack Greek yogurt (5.3oz each)
• ½ cup granola
• 1 cup strawberries (hulled and roughly chopped)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp sugar
• ¼ cup water
• Fresh berries (garnish)

Instructions

• For the strawberry compote: Combine strawberries, lemon juice, sugar and water in a saucepan. Cook on a medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once the strawberries are cooked, mash them to form a thick consistency. Cook for about 10-15 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken. Switch off the flame and allow it cool. The sauce will thicken once it is cooled down.
• For the granola: Refer my post https://www.pepperdelight.com/granola/
• Assembling the parfait: Into a serving glass, spoon greek yogurt as the base, then top with a layer of berry compote (2-3 tbsp), and then top with granola. Garnish with fresh berries.

The post Berry Yogurt Parfait appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Granola is the best way to turn your anytime craving into a healthy and an interesting meal, that too in no time. Another big advantage is; you can customize it easily with your favorite flavours…

I have tasted many store bought granola bars and have read about how easy it is to prepare at home, but it was during one of my recent road trips that my friend gave me her home cooked granola which tasted yummy, crunchy, and healthy; I loved it…!! That’s how I started working on this recipe, it’s very easy to prepare, an excellent source of nutrients, and the combination with oats make it a perfect crunchy snack.

I have used honey as a sweetening agent here, along with dry fruits, and pistachios / almonds as the crunchy elements, but you can substitute with any nuts of your choice. This granola can also be combined with milk for a perfect breakfast, or added as a topping to your favorite smoothies.

You can also add these granola to make yummilicious yogurt parfait which is an excellent breakfast option. Check out my Berry Yogurt Parfait recipe for more details.

Check out my ‘Note’ column below for additional customization options. Let me know how your granola turns out to be.

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Easy Homemade Granola

Crunchy Homemade Granola… loaded with nuts and dry fruits, perfect as a breakfast or for your snack time meal…!!

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword breakfast, granola, oats

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 7

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 3 cups rolled oats
• ½ tsp cinnamon powder
• Pinch of salt
• ½ cup honey
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup almonds (chopped)
• ½ cup pistachios
• 1 cup dried raisins

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Line a baking tray with parchment paper and keep aside.
• In a large bowl, combine oats with cinnamon powder and a pinch of salt.
• Mix honey with coconut oil and vanilla extract in a separate bowl. Stir into the oats and mix well, make sure it is evenly combined.
• Spread the layer evenly into the prepared baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and stir, followed by adding chopped almonds and pistachios. Bake for another 10 more minutes.
• Stir in the raisins and allow it to cool completely undisturbed.
• Store in an air tight container.

Notes

• Do not use quick cooking oats.
• Old fashioned rolled oats work perfectly.
• Substitute coconut oil with olive oil if you prefer.
• On a healthier note, you can add seeds like pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
• Any dry fruits can be added like dried cranberries, or apricots.
• Honey can be replaced with maple syrup.

The post Easy Homemade Granola appeared first on Pepper Delight.