Granola gets a dose of chocolate for breakfast, and mornings are all the better for it. We partnered with Califia Farms to show you how Gena Hamshaw makes this not-too-sweet, not-too-savory breakfast.
There’s granola—the kind that’s light and crumbly and perfect for sprinkling daintily onto yogurt or fruit—and then there’s granola, the sort that’s dense and hefty and baked into clusters. This is the sort of granola that, with a splash of milk (or even on its own, eaten by the handful), can be breakfast.
As you might have guessed, this is the sort of granola that I like to eat, and there are certain tricks to getting it right: low baking temperature, longer baking time, brown rice syrup as a sweetener, if you’ve got it. You can use these methods with any favorite granola recipe, but lately, I’ve been loving a batch that’s spiked with cocoa powder and sea salt; I keep sweetness to a minimum, so that the slight bitterness of chocolate can truly shine through.
As it turns out, that splash of milk I mentioned is even better when it’s a splash of cool, creamy, delightfully caffeinated cold brew coffee. I always jump at the chance to combine coffee and chocolate because the flavors go together so famously, and as it turns out, mixing them in a breakfast bowl works just as well.
| 3 | cups rolled oats |
| 1 | tablespoon chia seeds |
| 1/2 | cup large flake coconut |
| 1/2 | cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds |
| 1/2 | cup chopped pecans or slivered almonds |
| 1/3 | cup cocoa powder |
| 3/4 | teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt |
| 1/3 | cup olive oil (or a neutral oil, such as refined avocado or grapeseed) |
| 1/2 to 2/3 | cups brown rice syrup or maple syrup (you can adjust this to fit your preference for sweetness) |
| 1 | shot (1 1/2-2 ounces) espresso, cooled slightly (optional) |
| Cold brew with a splash of your favorite milk, for serving |
| 3 | cups rolled oats |
| 1 | tablespoon chia seeds |
| 1/2 | cup large flake coconut |
| 1/2 | cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds |
| 1/2 | cup chopped pecans or slivered almonds |
| 1/3 | cup cocoa powder |
| 3/4 | teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt |
| 1/3 | cup olive oil (or a neutral oil, such as refined avocado or grapeseed) |
| 1/2 to 2/3 | cups brown rice syrup or maple syrup (you can adjust this to fit your preference for sweetness) |
| 1 | shot (1 1/2-2 ounces) espresso, cooled slightly (optional) |
| Cold brew with a splash of your favorite milk, for serving |
We partnered with Califia Farms to share Gena Hamshaw's new favorite morning boost. Inspired by what plants can do, Califia Farms crafts flavorful plant milks from nature's bounty, like almonds, coconut, and more—see all their products here.
The Food52 Vegan Cookbook is here! With this book from Gena Hamshaw, anyone can learn how to eat more plants (and along the way, how to cook with and love cashew cheese, tofu, and nutritional yeast).
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Written by: Gena Hamshaw
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1 Comment
When they're in season, I often substitute a big handful of local strawberries for the coffee. Chocolate + strawberries is also a great combination.
The orange juice concentrate (read John McPhee's long-read in the New Yorker, or book based on that, for more information on why frozen pure OJ concentrate tastes so good, and why more cooks should befriend it) gives the shakes brightness without adding a noticeable orange taste. ;o)
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