I’m one of those people that take a few minutes (at least) to fully wake up in the morning. While I don’t mind making a bigger effort on a weekend brunch-type meal, most mornings I just want something fast, filling, and healthy—that’s where this granola comes in! I make a big batch of it and then I just pour it into a bowl like cereal in the morning. It’s really easy to make and the cacao nibs add a nice touch of chocolate to the granola (and who isn’t up for a little chocolate in the morning?).
Chocolate Pecan Granola, makes 8 cups
Recipe adapted from Apple Pie Granola in The China Study Quick and Easy Cookbook
8 cups rolled oats
1 cup pitted dates
1 cup water
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup cacao nibs
1/2 chopped pecans
Take your pitted dates and water and add them to a blender. Blend until a smooth paste forms. 
Cook your date puree in a large pot over medium heat just until the mixture starts to boil. Add in your salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg and stir to combine.
Add your oats to the pot and stir so they are evenly coated with the date mixture. Allow the oats to cook another 5 minutes while stirring periodically to keep from burning. 
Mix in your chopped pecans and pour the granola onto two baking sheets. Bake at 325° for 20 min with one sheet on the middle rack and one on the rack below. After 20 minutes, give each sheet a stir with a spatula, switch the rack placement, and bake for another 15-20 minutes. Allow the granola to cool, mix in your cacao nibs and store in an airtight container. 
I like to top my granola with bananas and eat it with almond milk, but you can eat this over yogurt, in a smoothie bowl, or even plain! This makes a good amount of granola so I can get at least a week of breakfasts out of it before having to make another batch, so that’s another plus for me too. If you wanted to up the chocolate factor, you could add some cacao powder into the date puree as well to make it a little more decadent. But I love how the cacao nibs interact with the pecan flavor, so it’s the perfect amount of chocolate for breakfast. Try my Easy Grain-Free Granola (Paleo and Gluten-Free!) for another delicious breakfast, enjoy! xo. Laura
12 Comments
This would make me so excited to get up in the morning! Sounds like the perfect breakfast!
Yum version!- also see Jamie Oliver’s recipe for chocolate oatmeal as there is
no pre-cooking involved,just mix-n-go
yummy its look so good and i like this setup
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Yummy!!…ideal for snacks
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I was ready to get sad about all the things I cannot eat in this recipe… but nope! Totally free from!
This sounds so healthy and delicious, and I love the combination of ingredients!
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Looks SO delicious. I used to make a simple granola, but I’ve been working with a nutritionist and sticking to almond milk & berry smoothies. They’re a little plain after a while, but I feel energized. Wouldn’t mind switching it up now and then…
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This would make me so excited to get up in the morning! Sounds like the perfect breakfast!
Chocolate for breakfast?! Win. Love the idea of using a date puree, excited to try this flavor combo!
I was just saying this weekend that I want to make my own granola – this seems like a great recipe! ABM, reading my mind! 🙂
YUMMY !! This looks soooo good, I’m not a big fan of granola, but if I’m making it this says yes please ???
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Granola is a guilty pleasure of mine. I once had one whole family box of Jordan’s granola… at once. I’ve never tried making it on my own. Chocolate pecan sounds soooo good!
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