Dark Chocolate Buckwheat Granola

The busyness of Purim has just passed and I’m readjusting to the normalcy of routine and a shorter to do list. That is, until I decide it would be sensible to begin Pesach preparations and maybe not cram it all in the week or two before this major holiday. But were not here to talk about that. I came to tell you about this chocolatey chocolate granola I can not get enough of. The reason being it’s wonderfully chocolatey but also it contains buckwheat groats. That’s a granola game changer. Those groats give off the most intense crunch in every bite. Not annoyingly crunchy that it will break your teeth, just a satisfying texture that will potentially having you reach for handfuls after handfuls, ad infinitum. Like all granola, the exact components aren’t essential, the ratios are though. So if you don’t have almonds, use hazelnuts, cashews, walnuts, pistachios (next on my radar). But I will say the pumpkin seeds are amazing, so maybe make an effort to include those. I sweetened the granola with maple syrup to keep it sugar free.

Having a container of this sitting on my counter is kind of like a hug back into daily life. I pour a scoop into my greek yogurt, into the palm of a little person’s hand, into a sandwich bag for my daughter’s walk to school. It just makes the everyday a little more delicious.

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Dark Chocolate Buckwheat Granola

ingredients

4 cups whole rolled oats

1 cup buckwheat groats

1 cup chopped lightly roasted almonds

1/3 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/8 cup sesame seeds

pinch of pink salt

3/4 cup melted coconut oil

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/3 cup dried cranberries

100g dark chocolate, finely chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 325F and prepare two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. In a large heatproof bowl, combine the oats, buckwheat, almonds, coconut, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and salt. In a small saucepan, warm the coconut oil to melt if not already liquid. Stir in the maple syrup and cocoa powder. Pour over the oat mixture and carefully mix until everything is well coated. Divide in half and spread evenly, in a single layer, on each baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally or until deeply golden. It’s hard to tell because of the cocoa but keep an eye on the edges so they don’t turn black. Carefully remove from the oven and stir in the cranberries while the granola is still warm. Allow to cool completely before mixing in the chocolate. I mean it, chocolate melts fast, if the granola isn’t completely cool, it will melt, which maybe isn’t such a bad idea.

Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months. I can’t imagine it will last that long.