Chocolate makes everything seem a little decadent & life a little better. When it’s added to granola with hazelnuts, layered with raspberry compote & Greek yogurt, now you’ve got my attention: breakfast is worth the early morning alarm & the blurry eyes.
Losing weight & vowing to eat only wholesome, fresh food doesn’t mean deprivation. At least not to this girl. I’ve tried that & failed. I offer no excuses when I say I need to look forward to my meals. Not dread them. That mentality sets me up for failure. I know I’m not alone in this mindset.
Homemade granola is infinitely better than any store-bought granola I’ve ever eaten. Homemade granola is a cinch to make & the ingredients are easy to switch out – maple syrup for the honey, making it vegan if you’re into that, or switch out any of the nuts. Maybe add some coconut – so good with chocolate.
For the compote (fancy term for fruit cooked in sugar, or in this case – honey) I use frozen berries to create the sauce. Fresh berries don’t give you the sauciness that frozen berries do & we all need a little extra sauciness in our lives.
Once everything is cooled all that’s left is some quick assembly in the form of layering the granola with the compote & creamy Greek-style yogurt. Or, if you’re impatient like me, you’ll make yourself just a wee bowl to sample while everything is still warm. I have no patience & little self control, choosing to wait until the next morning would have proved futile.
Fancy the granola up a bit with some fresh berries, more chopped hazelnuts & a dusting of cacao (or cocoa) powder. If your mornings are spent running around with your hair on fire trying not to be late for work, then pack the granola, compote & yogurt into containers the night before & grab it on your way out. Even if you have to sit at your desk & eat your breakfast, at least you’re starting your day with some chocolately goodness. And that my friends is a good start to the day. Until next time, Lovoni xo
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- GRANOLA
- 1 1/2 cups hazelnuts (filberts)
- 1/2 cup honey (or pure maple syrup)
- 1/3 cup canola oil (or melted coconut oil)
- 1/3 cup cacao (or cocoa) powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup pepitas
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- RASPBERRY COMPOTE
- 12 oz (340g) frozen raspberries
- 2 tablespoons honey
- fresh raspberries, or other seasonal fruit, plain Greek yogurt & cacao powder, to serve
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place hazelnuts on one baking sheet. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown; let cool 5 minutes. Transfer hazelnuts to a clean tea towel, reserving baking sheet for granola. Fold tea towel over hazelnuts & rub back & forth to remove their skins. Remove hazelnuts from towel & coarsely chop.
- Combine honey, oil, cacao powder, nutmeg & salt in a large bowl.
- Add hazelnuts (reserving a few for garnish), oats, walnuts, pepitas & almonds. Mix well until everything is coated in honey mixture. Spread mixture evenly onto 2 baking sheets. Bake for about 35 minutes, stirring twice during cooking, or until mixture is browned & smells nutty & cooked.
- Cool completely on baking sheets. The mixture will harden as it cools & form some larger pieces. Store in airtight jars. Makes about 8 cups or 24 servings. I keep half of my granola in the freezer to ensure freshness.
- To make the compote: Heat the raspberries & honey in a small saucepan over medium heat until raspberries are thawed. Simmer, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes or until raspberries are broken down & sauce-like. Spoon into a jar & chill at least 2 hours until cold.
- To serve: Layer granola, raspberry compote & yogurt into serving glasses. Top with fresh raspberries, reserved hazelnuts & a dusting of cacao powder. The granola makes about 24 servings. The raspberry compote makes about 4 servings. You can double or triple compote.
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