Chocolate for breakfast? Why not! This delicious crunchy chocolate granola is super easy and fun to make with the kids, and it’s a more nutritious way to start the day than anything you’ll find in a box at the supermarket.
When it comes to kids, it’s true what they say, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Breakfast has the opportunity to provide kids with the fuel they need to be active and play, to be motivated, to concentrate and learn, as well as remember and harness new skills – how our kids start their day can greatly influence their success at school.
Whilst cereal is the breakfast of choice for many kids, most commercial breakfast cereals are made with refined grains and high amounts of sugar – delivering very little in the way of nutrients, causing blood sugar spikes and leaving kids feeling hungry and irritable, not long after. But a breakfast cereal that includes protein, fibre and fats will not only satisfy their hunger, it will keep kids tummies feeling fuller for longer, fuel their brains and sustain their energy throughout the morning.
This crunchy chocolate granola is made with a mix of rolled oats, nuts, seeds, coconut and cacao to nourish growing bodies and brains. Raw cacao – commonly referred to as the ‘food of the Gods’ – is not only the highest food source of antioxidants, it also contains tryptophan (a precursor to mood-boosting serotonin), a huge amount of phenylethylamine (aka the ‘love chemical’ that increases motivating-dopamine & serotonin) and is one of the most potent food sources of magnesium, a mineral that’s important for kids growth, development and energy production.
But the best part, is drinking the chocolate milk that’s left at the end.
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup chopped almonds
- ½ cup flaked coconut
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- 2 Tbsp cacao powder
- 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp carob powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 100’C and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
- In a large bowl, mix together oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flaked coconut and cinnamon.
- In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cacao and carob powder. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and mix together until everything is well combined.
- Spread the mixture evenly over prepared baking sheet and bake for 20-minutes, turning halfway to ensure it cooks evenly.
- Allow to cool then store in an airtight container.
