Peanut Butter & Chocolate Healthy Protein Granola (Vegan/Refined Sugar Free)

I LOVE this Peanut Butter & Chocolate Healthy Protein Granola. It is salty, sweet, and everything you could ever want from granola. It is healthy and will keep you full and satisfied until lunch. It’s even a very satisfying snack!! This granola is healthy for several reasons. It’s refined sugar free, full of protein from peanut butter, walnuts and oats, and it’s got cacao nibs which are a great source of fibre, protein, minerals, healthy fats, and antioxidants all while being naturally low in sugar!! The peanut butter holds the granola together while adding flavour and nutrients, and the other add ins contribute with even more flavour, texture, and nutrients.

I wouldn’t normally encourage chocolate for breakfast but cacao nibs are tiny but mighty and amongst the least processed chocolate products (they’re essentially crushed cocoa beans. After the cocoa beans are harvested they’re dried, fermented and cracked to produce the small crushed cacao nibs), same as raw cacao. That’s why I like to use raw cacao in a lot of my recipes, because the nutritional benefits are high due to not being processed, and the low sugar amounts. But still, don’t go crazy on the cacao nibs because they still pack a hefty amount of calories etc. Everything in moderation right? 🙂

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Healthy Protein Granola

by Baking Me Healthy

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine Vegan

Ingredients

  

• 3 ¼ cup fibre enriched oats enriched with wheat bran (or regular if that's what you have!)
• ½ cup organic natural creamy peanut butter I used natural peanut butter: ingredients only 99.3% peanuts, and sea salt
• 1 tsp coconut oil *
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 ½ tbsp coconut sugar ** optional
• ½ cup almonds or roughly chopped walnuts ***

Add AFTER Baking the Granola

• ½ cup cacao nibs
• ½ cup toasted coconut flakes

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 160°C. Prepare a baking tray.
• Measure the oats, nuts, salt, and coconut sugar in a mixing bowl.
• If the peanut butter isn't runny and creamy, heat it up gently on the stove in a saucepan. Add the optional coconut oil if needed. Once the peanut butter is smooth and pourable, remove the saucepan from heat. Mix in the maple syrup and vanilla now. Then once it's combined, pour the mixture over the oats. Stir until every bit of the oat mixture is covered by the PB mixture.
• Place the granola in the middle of the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes total. At around 8-10 minutes, remove the granola from the oven and stir. Spread the granola out evenly on the baking tray and press it down flat. This will help the granola stick together. Bake for another 7-12 minutes. The baking time depends on your oven. I found peanut butter granola burns easier than other kinds, so keep an eye on it. It's ready when the edges have gained a bit of colour.
• Remove the granola from the oven and let it cool undisturbed for about 45 minutes. This lets the granola cool and clump together.
• Add the cacao nibs and coconut flakes when you put the granola in an airtight container for storing.
• This granola is delicious with any plant milk, on smoothie bowls, with yogurt, etc. Enjoy! 🙂

Notes

*Melt the coconut oil into the peanut butter in a saucepan if your PB is a bit too thick. I found I didn’t need the coconut oil unless it was the peanut butter basically at the bottom of the jar when there’s less oil left. 

**This sugar is in the recipe because it helps the granola clump together, but it can be omitted if you’re avoiding sugar as much as possible. I recommend it so the granola gets nice large chunks, without the sugar it’s consistency is a bit closer to muesli. But taste wise the granola is still delicious without the sugar! 

***I’ve tried both almonds and walnuts depending on what I have at home, both are delicious in this recipe so choose your favourite. 🙂 

Keyword chocolate, coconut, granola, healthy, peanut butter, protein, refined sugar free, vegan