Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola

Photo by 11th Heaven Homemaking Haven

So I found this blog through Talk About Tuesday a while ago and I just can't get enough.

This lady has 9 children.

That alone is sheer inspiration.

Plus she comes up with some really yummy and healthy food to feed those 11 mouths.

I have made many of her recipes and love them because she speaks to my whole grain, health nut side.

So remember a while ago when I said I was craving comfort foods this time of year.

Well, this one tops all.

I have a hard time making this and not wanting to eat the entire pan all myself in one sitting.

On a day that is grey and dark and cold, this brings life and sunshine to my world. My kids love it too.

For us though, it is way too sweet for breakfast.

We eat it for that snack between lunch and dinner, you know the one when your blood sugar drops and you feel like you could eat the whole kitchen and it's still 2 hours until dinner time?

We grab some of this tasty and satisfying peanut butter granola with a glass of milk and it does the trick.

It makes me feel all warm and cozy inside.

Of course, I have to change things a little I can not just leave well enough alone. So here is the recipe, which I have tweaked to suit myself and my family.

Try it today, you'll be glad you did.

Peanut Butter Granola

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup natural peanut butter

5 tablespoons honey

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 raisins or craisins

1/2 cup toasted oat cereal rings (Cheerio's)

2/3 cup wheat germ

1/4 cup milled flax seed

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine brown sugar, honey, peanut butter, applesauce and vanilla. Mix well. Add the remaining ingredients. Mix to coat all dry ingredients in the yummy peanut butter gooeyness. Taste the dough and try not to eat it all raw. Press in a GREASED cookie sheet (once I forgot to grease the pan and we literally had to chip little bits off at a time, it realllly sticks, in a bad way, and it's no wonder with all that gooey peanut butter happiness in there). Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. You can cut into bars but we just break it into bits and eat it like granola.

P.S. My cookie sheet is huge so I double the recipe and it turns out better, plus we have a harder time eating it all in one sitting and there might be some left for the next day!