Chocolate Chai Spiced Granola with Quinoa and Chia Crunch

This is a different spin on one of the recipes from our eCookbook! I wanted to recreate it at home, and felt like adding some chai spices to it. Then had the idea to pack in the protein by adding some quinoa, and it turned out delicious! Here’s something a little different to spice up your brekky today!

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup nuts (I usually use a mixture for variety)
• ½ cup chia seeds
• ½ teaspoon salt (optional)
• ½ cup, plus 1 tablespoon cacao powder
• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
• 2 vanilla beans or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup mild tasting honey (agave or maple syrup if vegan) 
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
• 1 big chunk of freshly grated ginger root
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit / 160 Celsius. 

In a large bowl, stir together the oats, coconut, walnuts, seeds, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cacao, coconut oil, vanilla, honey, coconut sugar, and spices until smooth. Pour cacao mixture over the oat mixture and stir until oats mixture is coated. Gently stir in quinoa at the end. 

Coat one large or two small rimmed baking sheet(s) with coconut oil cooking spray or rub with coconut oil. Press granola into the bottom of the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Stir and bake another 15 minutes. Cool completely in the pan without stirring. Granola will crisp up, clump, and harden as it cools. Store in an airtight container. 

Serve over homemade nut milk and topped with berries or bananas. Yum! 

xo, Ashley