Are you happy this isn't another ice cream recipe? I'm slightly burned out and maybe that will last through the next few days.

The peanut butter flavor is subtle and acts as more of a binder than anything. My favorite part about store-bought granola is when they have the large crunchy chunks. For whatever reason, you'll get those with this recipe. I guess the stars aligned for me while coming up with this granola.

Hands down the best way to eat this (in my humble opinion) is sprinkled over yogurt. Even better if you have some fresh fruit to toss in. This is one of the only breakfast options that beats out eggs. Whenever it's in the house, I eat it for breakfast and snack on it throughout the day until it's gone. That tends to horrify my hubby who is at work all day...When I was pregnant, a massive part of my diet was yogurt and granola because it was summer in Florida and it was almost physically painful to turn on the stove.

This is not overly sweet granola, so the dried fruit really punches up the sweetness factor. Normally, I sweeten my granola with honey or maple syrup and although fantastic, it's nice to have an even less concentrated source of sugar. Hence the dates!

Since the dates need to be cooked down and the coconut needs to be toasted, this has a few extra steps beyond the average "combine and stir" granola. It's still simple and quick, so don't let that scare you.


Date-Sweetened Granola with Peanut Butter, Coconut, and Dried Fruit
Yield: about 4 cups
Inspired by Naturally Ella

1 cup water
10 pitted dates
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup assorted raw nuts, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup dried fruit (berries, cranberries, and cherries are my favorites)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Bring a small saucepan with water and dates to a rapid boil over high heat. Lower heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally until it is the consistency of chunky applesauce. Allow to cool and puree in a blender or food processor. Pour into a small bowl with the peanut butter, coconut oil, cinnamon, and salt.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, and chia seeds. Then pour the date mixture over the oats and stir until evenly combined.

Spread in a thin layer on a cookie sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes stirring halfway through and checking closely near the end to make sure it doesn't burn.

While the granola is baking, pour the coconut flakes into a large dry saucepan and place over medium heat. Toss and stir frequently until the coconut turns a light brown color and becomes fragrant. Remove from heat and quickly transfer to a container to stop the browning.

Pour the coconut flakes and dried fruit over the warm granola and allow to cool before transferring to an airtight container.