I’ve been craving chocolate tahini granola for a few days, so yesterday, I decided to do something about it.

Also I needed a really, really good breakfast to jumpstart my appetite. I got (food poisoning?) (stomach flu?) over the weekend and it was TERRIBLE. It started with me spending a day flat on my back in bed and ended with me having no appetite. The latter was scary because I usually want to eat everything in sight. I knew it was bad when I didn’t even want to touch the frittata I made for lunch Monday.

This granola might not be a universal cure for food poisoning but it definitely makes you feel better after you’ve suffered through it. It has a bunch of my favorite things: Cocoa powder, maple syrup, tahini, sea salt, almonds, hemp hearts, and cacao nibs. It combines a lot of flavors and textures but the unifying element is definitely the chocolate. It sings through and pairs well with the tangy tahini.

I like my granola on the saltier side, so if you like your granola sweeter I would recommend increasing the amount of maple syrup you add OR adding a teaspoon or so of sugar. You could even use coconut sugar if you have it. I think this granola strikes a good balance between sweet and savory. Last night when I was eating it off the baking sheet, it reminded me a little of cocoa pebbles. It just wasn’t fake sweet.

I ate the granola this morning with some honey Greek yogurt, blood orange segments, and raspberries. I’d *highly* recommend the blood orange/chocolate tahini granola combo. Blood oranges are slightly sweeter than regular citrus, which make it a perfect pairing with this granola. I also liked adding raspberries to the mix. They were juicy, plump, and tart, and added some flavor to the bowl.

Anyway. I hope wherever you are, you avoid food poisoning or the stomach flu. Enjoy this chocolate tahini granola as a remedy or just for fun. I’d go so far as to suggest doubling the recipe so you have enough to last you throughout the week. I have a feeling the tub I made last night will disappear soon.

Here’s a song to get you started on your granola-making journey. It’s also good for impromptu car karaoke sessions.

Chocolate Tahini Granola

Ingredients

2 cups oats
2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup cacao nibs and 1/4 cup hemp hearts to mix in at end

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix the oats, coconut oil, tahini, cocoa powder, sea salt, maple syrup, and almonds in a large bowl with a spatula until the cocoa is evenly distributed. Spread the mixture into a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the sheet and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the almonds are golden brown and the granola is fragrant. Make sure not to over-bake. Also, if you want big clumps of granola later, don’t touch it during the baking process. You can break it apart like a cracker once it cools.

Let the granola cool slightly on the sheet and then mix in the cacao nibs and hemp hearts. Break apart the granola into bite-size pieces, or to the size you desire. Place in an airtight container. The granola will keep for a week in the sealed container at room temperature. Enjoy!