Espresso Chocolate Chip Granola

Espresso Chocolate Chip Granola has become my latest obsession. On top of yogurt for breakfast or covered in vanilla almond milk for a late night snack, this crack granola is where it’s at.

I am the baby of my family with two older brothers; to say I am a daddy’s girl would be an understatement. When I was little people would say I was just like my dad. A mini me. When I was six it made me proud. When I was 16 it infuriated me. When I was 26 it inspired me to start my own business. Today I can only laugh because as driven and headstrong as we both are, we also seem to share some of the same old lady tendencies as well. Our sleep habits being one of them. Early to bed, early to rise and an afternoon nap if they day allows.

My dad has been getting up at the crack of dawn for as long as I can remember. I always assumed it’s because he goes to bed so early but as I get older and find myself doing the same thing, I’ve learned just how precious the early mornings can be. I’ve learned to crave the solitude of drinking a cup of coffee or tea in the dark just as my dad has done for years. I remember him telling me he liked to look out the window and watch the world wake up. I sit at my front window and because I have a great view of the Canyons Resort, I watch the lights on the snow cats as they finish up a nights worth of work and groom the last bit of trails that will open in just a few short hours.

I used to ask my dad why he got up so early and his answer was always the same. “I get more work done in the first few hours of the morning then I do the rest of the day.” Once again, I totally get it. Kids, laundry, people, questions, errands….life…. all part of my day and when I’m working, makes it increasingly difficult to accomplish whatever task is at hand. So I find myself getting up earlier and earlier as to not only take advantage of watching the world come to life but also get some work done before my kids get up. Once they’re awake, I’m lucky if I find to time to get dressed and brush my teeth.

Now that both my boys are in school a few days a week, I’ve settled into my early morning routine of having a cup of coffee and do some work before they get up. Once they get up, like I said above, it’s a free for all. So instead of rushing to eat breakfast, I wait to eat until after I’ve dropped them off so I can sit and enjoy my meal as I make a game plan to tackle my day. When I’m not so lucky, breakfast is on the go in the car. This granola has been a mainstay on our counter the past few weeks. It gets a nice jolt from the ground espresso powder and a little decadence thanks to the dark chocolate chips. It’s just as perfect whether it’s enjoyed quieting with the morning paper or in the car buzzing around town to get kids where they need to be.

Have a great weekend, everyone! xo

Espresso Chocolate Chip Granola

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Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup good extra virgin olive oil
• 1– 1 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder (depending on how strong of coffee flavor you like)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine oats and sunflower seeds.
3. In a small bowl, combine maple syrup, olive oil, espresso powder and kosher salt; stir to combine until espresso powder is dissolved.
4. Pour the syrup mixture over oats and sunflower seeds and mix until throughly combined.
5. Transfer oat mixture to a lined baking sheet and spread out just until granola is about 1/2-inch thick.
6. Cook in a preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, turning granola and rotating pan every 10 minutes.
7. Add coconut and sliced almond for the last 10 minutes of cooking.
8. Let granola cool completely before adding chocolate chips and then storing in a glass container for up to a week.