Nutella Almond Granola |Cooking With Amanda

Have you jumped on the healthy eating bandwagon?

Confession: I never jump on the wagon. Every year it makes its rounds, and every year I refuse to hop on board. I let it roll past, giving it a snarky look as I wave goodbye.

It's not that I don't like healthy food, because I do. It's just that I make it a point to eat a balanced diet year round. So, when January comes around, I don't feel the need to suddenly drop my glazed donut.

Just because I eat a balanced diet doesn't imply that I don't indulge, because I do, and I'm very good at it. We all deserve to indulge from time to time. I can't imagine life without these chocolate Reese's Pieces pudding cookies. There's no way I'm giving up cookies.

That's where this Nutella almond granola comes in. It's a cross between healthy and indulgent. A sort of hybrid snack.

The healthy, wholesome aspect of this granola comes from the oats, almonds, and coconut. The more decadent side is thanks to the Nutella, brown sugar, and maple syrup. It's the best of both worlds.

This granola reminds me of an Almond Joy candy bar. It has your chocolate, your almonds, and your coconut. It's subtle, but the flavors shine through with every crunchy bite.

Have you ever had the pleasure of standing over a pot of melted Nutella? It's absolute bliss. Do yourself a favor and dunk your finger in the melted sauce and give it a taste. After that, try very hard not to pour the mixture into a mug and call it hot chocolate.

The melted chocolate mixture is thick even after it's melted. Make sure you fold the chocolate mixture until all of the oats are coated. No oat left behind!

If you find--or should I say when you find--yourself hungry in between meals, head for the granola jar. If you like your granola on the indulgent side, you'll love this recipe for cookie butter cinnamon chip granola.

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Nutella Almond Granola Recipe

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Ingredients

3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups sliced almonds
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup nutella
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or baking liner.
Add the oats, coconut, almonds, salt, and brown sugar to a large bowl. Stir to combine.
In a saucepan over low heat, melt the nutella, coconut oil, and maple syrup until smooth. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Take the mixture off of the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Pour the chocolate mixture over the oats. Fold until all of the oats are equally coated with the chocolate mixture.
Spread the oats in an even layer on your prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the almonds are golden brown.
Allow the mixture to cool on a wire rack completely. The mixture will look under-cooked when it comes out of the oven. The air will help crisp up the granola, creating that classic crunch.
Using your hands, break the mixture into large chunks. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.