For the Gift of Food, try making something with a healthy twist. Who could say no to granola with cherries and dark chocolate? Try making a batch of this great granola recipe and packing it in a glass jar with a festive bow on top. The wheat germ adds a nutty flavor and gives the granola texture and a nutrition boost.
Any kind of dried fruit or nuts can be substituted for the dried cherries and chocolate chips, just keep the proportions the same. You can also coarsely chop any kind of chocolate baking bar instead of using mini-chips.
Jenn’s Chocolate-Cherry Granola
2 1/2 cups quick oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup mini-chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 300F and coat a 13×9 baking sheet with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, toss the oats and wheat germ.
Combine oil, maple syrup, and salt in a glass measuring cup and heat in the microwave for 1 minute. Add the vanilla.
Pour the syrup over the dry ingredients and toss to coat everything evenly. Spread mixture over prepared baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
Add the dried cherries. Add the chocolate chips while the mixture is still warm and stir to melt the chocolate into the granola, or add the chocolate chips after the mixture has cooled to keep in pieces.
Sprinkle granola on top of yogurt and fruit.
