Yes, Valentine’s Day is next week. And yes, my kids may revolt if I don’t have some sort of chocolate for them. Actually, they don’t expect or normally receive chocolate for Valentine’s Day, they prefer to get a new teddy bear or art supplies instead. But this year, I decided to go all out with a cute and healthy treat for them which included MY, I mean THEIR, beloved chocolate! Whole grain homemade granola with chocolate chips and dried berries more than satisfied their desire for Valentine’s Day treats.
Never underestimate the power of a cute package. A cute package filled with a yummy treat, even better! If you have ever made homemade granola before, the sweet scent that fills your home is amazing. My girls stood by the oven begging for granola and when I filled the boxes, they were thrilled. Actually, everyone was so thrilled with the granola that I didn’t get to take photos of it and had to make another (DOUBLE) batch to keep everyone satisfied. If you need another healthy idea, check out my Valentines Day Smoothie too.
Ingredients:
3 cups whole oats
3 tablespoons wheat germ
3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup non-gmo vegetable or canola oil
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
dash salt
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Method:
preheat oven to 275 degrees. combine oats, wheat germ and flaxseed in large bowl. in another bowl combine next 6 ingredients and stir until sugar is dissolved. gradually pour mixture over oat mixture while stirring to coat evenly. spread mixture evenly over lightly oiled cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes. toss and bake another 30 minutes or until lightly browned and crunchy. once cooled, add chocolate chips and cranberries. store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
