I’ve taken to making granola in my crockpot / slow-cooker. It’s ridiculously easy. I think it’s the niftiest possible way to cook granola. In addition to being so tasty that I can’t stop eating it, I also love that I can make this in the middle of summer without heating up my kitchen.
I use a large crockpot /slow-cooker on the low setting. Don’t put this on and leave the building. It doesn’t take long – about two and half hours. Time will vary depending on your slow-cooker. A smaller crockpot will take quite a bit longer. Insert a wooden chopstick or equivalent (a wooden skewer, a wooden pate knife, etc.) between the lid and the crockpot – to allow the humidity to vent so you don’t end up with peanut butter chocolate porridge.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Crockpot Granola
- 3 cups large flake oats
- 1 cups shredded, sweetened coconut
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup ground flax seeds if you’ve got them
- 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup natural peanut butter (I used crunchy)
- 1 tbsp sunflower seed oil
- 1/4 cup liquid honey
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup dried sour cherries (or dried cranberries)
Mix the oats, coconut, sunflower seeds, flax, peanuts, walnuts, and salt in the crockpot. In a separate bowl, mix together the peanut butter, honey and sunflower seed oil. Toss through the oat mixture, stirring well. Set heat to low. Put a chopstick between the lid and the crockpot to vent the humidity. Stir the mixture briefly after an hour. Check again in another hour. Etc. I don’t like my granola super well done so mine took about two and a half hours. But there is huge variability in crockpot temperatures so just judge accordingly. If you prefer to use the oven – try spreading this in a large baking dish or two – and cook at about 275 for about an hour or just longer, stirring it well about every 15-20 minutes.
When the granola is browned and cooked to your satisfaction, turn the slow-cooker off and remove the lid. Toss in the dried cherries (or cranberries). Leave the lid cross-wise on your pot and set the timer for about 30 minutes. When the timer goes off – add the chocolate chips. If you add them too soon, they melt and disappear into the granola. If you add them too late – they don’t melt at all – and you won’t get the fabulous little clumps of chocolate-y granola goodness.
I’m a huge fan of rhubarb. It’s such a useful and tenacious plant – thriving in all sorts of conditions, requiring next to no maintenance, and coming back faithfully year after year. Plant it once and you have a lifetime source of free food. The leaves are one of nature’s most potent natural pesticides. The red stalks are a cheerful harbinger of spring – generally one of the first edible things up in the garden every year. And best of all, it’s so tasty. Rhubarb just makes good sense. 
♥ Jam Tart ♥ 