Very Non-Crunchy Yet Crunchy Granola

I really didn't care very much about granola till a year and a half ago I guess. Never being a fan of the whole hippie-peace-love-eat-granola-wear-florals-questionable-hygiene vibe, I wrote granola off. The idea of not eating animals was always very appealing. Tofu and granola? Yuk.

Well, the egg-like tofu is on my face. When Denise and I got 'The Kind Diet' in roughly January 2010, I looked at the granola recipe initially and thought meh, maybe one day. Wow, look at the chocolate pie and sugar cookies! Lol.

I can't remember when I first made the granola in the book. Totally wish I knew. It would be known as Granola Day in my house. The first time I made it, I do know I did make an addition. It was 'Just Us' dark organic chocolate. Ohhhh, yeah. And smashed hazelnuts. Mmmmmmmm...

What was I saying? Oh, I had gotten a bit 'nuts' ha ha with the granola and was spending a lot of money making and a lot of time eating granola. An intervention was needed. Denise stepped in. I now make granola every once and a long while. This weekend was a very sucky one, the kind you can't change but would give anything to. So, you eat. Well, I eat. I ate granola. All of it. In about twelve hours. Between nine to ten cups of very chocolatey, delicious granola.

Why such preamble? Because this granola needs it.

The original recipe is here:
                                                      The Kind Diet

6 cups quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup maple sugar
3/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup sesame or sunflower seeds
1 cup chopped nuts or raisins
1/2 cup safflower oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Toast the oats first.  Just oats no oil on a baking sheet.  2 or 3 cups at time, after 5 minutes I move them about and leave them another 5.

Blend the rest of the stuff (not chocolate), and toast a few cups at a time.  Same process as the oats: 5 minutes, move about, 5 more minutes.  Then put in a secondary bowl to cool.  This is where I add the chocolate.  Keep it up until it's all toasty yumminess!

I take the original recipe and add 1 whole chocolate bar and crushed hazelnuts. Make your granola yours. Make it so good you obsess about it. It's ok. You won't need to be a hippie. Be your kick-ass self.

-Melina. ;D