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| Chocolate Granola
Today is posting day for The Secret Recipe Club! Last month was the first month for this club, and I missed it but when I realized what I had missed I signed right up so I could participate this month! In this club, we choose any recipe from the blog assigned to make or bake and keep the blog/blogger we are making from a secret until posting day. Many of the bloggers who are in this club are bloggers that I have followed along for quite some time and when I saw that I was given Deeba of Passionate About Baking blog as my first blog to make from I was pretty ecstatic! Deeba has a beautiful blog and is such an amazing baker, wonderfully talented in photography and food design. I immediately knew what recipe I would be making as I had bookmarked it when I first saw the recipe - I just hadn't gotten to it yet. This was my chance! |
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| Chocolate Granola Parfait |
I haven't been blogging much this month. You know how we hit slumps sometimes.....well, I hit one. For the most part, I have been pretty consistent with at least one post a week, but this month, this is my first post! Part of it could be that I have become satisfied with my Pita Bread Pizza's and haven't been baking....and have lost 7 pounds at the writing of this post. I also was suffering from so pretty intense lower back pain that really knocked the wind out of me. Guess it all comes with getting older....ya know, that degenerative thing...
Another great reason to be making Deeba's Chocolate Granola recipe - it is low fat and good for you! So, I wasn't going to be hurting my diet any by having this granola around me! Deeba actually made this for her "Dieting Diva" as she calls her daughter. So, after she "sold" me on the recipe, I knew making this granola was not going to kill my diet and couldn't wait to try it. ;o)
I did make a few changes, instead of currants, I went with dried apricots and raisins. There is just something about apricots and chocolate together that makes me happy! I also changed up my sweetener and went with dark chocolate instead of semi-sweet. I happen to be a pure maple syrup girl....and I subbed the syrup for the honey.
Chocolate Maple Granola
adapted from Passionate About Baking - Chocolate Granola
Printable Recipe
3 ½ cups rolled oats
½ cup slivered almonds
¼ cup diced dried apricots
¼ cup raisins
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
⅓ cup pure maple syrup (I use light amber)
⅓ cup water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup 60% dark chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 300 F and have a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper ready.
In a small pot, combine the water, maple syrup, sugar, butter, salt and vanilla extract. Bring to a simmer and let cook until the sugar is dissolved.
In a large bowl, combine the all the ingredients except for the chocolate and apricots. Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and toss to combine.
Transfer the granola mixture to the baking sheet and cook for 45 minutes, stirring often to make sure that the granola cooks evenly (if your granola is browning too quickly as mine did, lower your temp and watch carefully). Cool completely, add chocolate and apricot pieces. Deeba suggests to enjoy with plain yogurt or any type of milk of your choice - I have snacked on some right out of the container and enjoyed it in a parfait with some vanilla greek yogurt. This is a very yummy granola - slightly sweet and crunchy! Thank you Deeba!
Anne @ Quick and Easy Cheap and Healthy says
I love chocolate! And I love granola. Great combo! I'm intrigued that this granola recipe does not require any oil or fat besides the 1 TBSp of butter.
briarrose says
What a wonderful granola. It calls to me.
LaPhemmePhoodie says
I just joined The Secret Recipe Club. Looking to a fun adventure like this one. This granola looks fab!
sweetpeaskitchen.com says
Mmmm...chocolate maple granola?! Yes, please! 😀
A SPICY PERSPECTIVE says
Wow, does that ever look good! I need some of that. 🙂
Georgia | The Comfort of Cooking says
Shelby, this granola looks so delicious and full of flavor! Wonderful recipe. Thanks for sharing. 🙂 You have a lovely blog and I'm so glad to have found it!
Georgia | The Comfort of Cooking says
Shelby, this granola looks so delicious and I love the flavors that you used in it! Wonderful recipe. You have a great blog and I'm so glad to have found it! 🙂 I'll be coming back soon.
Patsyk says
Wonderful recipe... and I can completely relate to only one post in the month of May! I posted my first one last night and really need to figure out how to get out of my slump as well. It happens to everyone at some point.
Jeanette says
What a nice healthy recipe to choose for this event - your photo looks fantastic!
Delishhh says
Shelby - i am a huge granola fan and to this day i still have not made my own granola - so embarrassed but i feel like you did the work for me and found me a great recipe. Looks fabulous.
Lana says
Wow, Shelby, this looks delicious! I actually remember when Deeba posted it thinking how good it would be and now, seeing it again, I just have to try it myself. So glad to have you playing along in the Secret Recipe Club!
Debbie says
That granola looks delish!
Tami says
Beautiful pictures of your Chocolate Granola Parfait. Yummy!
eggscreamandhoney.com says
That looks really good! Can't believe you can eat it on a diet. Perfect. I can see why you picked it.
Winnie says
Wow love how this looks and think I might go make some right now!
Winnie
Maria says
Love that parfait!
Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes] says
What a great way to initiate yourself into the group. Deeba is a favorite, all over. Those parfaits look gorgeous 😉
Danial123 says
Hello,I love reading through your blog, I wanted to leave a little comment to support you and wish you a good continuation. Wishing you the best of luck for all your blogging efforts.
dishpedia
Tracy says
Can you believe I've never made granola? I've always thought I should ... this one may push me over the edge. I love maple and chocolate.
Tessa says
Congrats on the weight loss! Granola is one of the things that we commonly eat for breakfast, and this one sounds great!
Deeba PAB says
Shelby, you make me blush my friend. How sweet you are. Thank you for the mention {s} and for trying one of our fave recipes. I have a batch baking in the oven as I type. This is a wonderful club {and I hear you about the slump. I have a teen induced one to add to my woes...sigh!}
HUGS and thank you for letting me 'sell' you my fave!
Amanda says
I'm sorry about your back pain Shelby! That's not fun. My husband will have to be on pain management for the rest of his life for his back. Just take it easy on yourself!
This granola looks fantastic, I love the idea of maple and chocolate, yum! Thanks for playing along this month!
megan @ whatmegansmaking says
This sounds so good! And it sounds like a fun club 🙂
teresa says
my mouth is totally watering, i love those big chunks of chocolate! delicious!
Leslie says
Well it's a mighty fine post for your first post of the month!
Kristen says
I could find myself eating a whole batch of that granola. Apricots and dark chocolate....yum!!
Cooking Rookie says
Beautiful photos! It must be delish! Great choice of recipe 🙂
Pegasuslegend says
Wow this looks great!
honeyb says
You go with your 7 lbs.!
Slumps happen. Hope you're feeling better.
I LOVE granola. And I love apricots and chocolate. Well, okay, I love chocolate no matter. 😉
Sounds great!
Sara says
This looks delicious! I do really like granola, but for some reason I've never made it at home! You may just inspire me! 😀
danasfoodforthought says
This looks so delish! Sometimes having a food blog really does have its affect on our waistlines! Good for you on your weight loss!
Lisa says
Your granola sounds a perfect choice for breakfast and your pictures really make it look appetizing.
Shumaila says
I love Deeba too and her recipes. This is a perfect recipe for me since I'm also on the "I want to lose weight" phase of my life (keep in mind, this phase never goes away!). Lovely post! Great to have found your blog!
Jennifer (Savor) says
Thrilled to have taken part in the SRC with you and discovered new blogs.
Barbara Bakes says
It must have been hard to pick just one thing from Deeba's fabulous blog. This one looks like a great choice. The parfait looks so decadent. How fun that it's a healthy breakfast. Hope you're feeling better!
Fallon says
Congrats on your weight loss!!! This granola looks fantastic. See you can eat chocolate and still lose weight. I'm so happy for you!
Megan's Cookin' says
I've actually made this granola and loved it. I like that it's much lower in fat then the granola I had been making. Chocolate and apricots is a combo I haven't tried but maybe next time i make it, I'll try that.
bellini says
Deeba is the perfect way to initiate yourself into this club Shelby.