Happy Monday friends!! I hope you had a great weekend. We had an arctic blast this weekend and stayed in for almost all of it. A few inches of snow and 10 degrees weather calls for cozy pajamas, hot chocolate and binge-watching tv-shows. That is exactly what I did this weekend and I am not sorry. Anyone watch Suits? I was behind two seasons so had to catch up before they come back.

I was able to get started on my weekly meal prep with lunches and this coconut chocolate chip granola for snacks and breakfasts. Do you do weekly meal prep on Sundays? I am starting to get used to it thanks to this 3 week Lunch Prep Challenge where Denise provides meal prep lunch recipes and shopping list. She also has a breakfast prep challenge I loved.

I love making homemade granola! It’s so easy and I get to add in exactly what I want. It’s my favorite way to clear out the pantry. Got a left over almonds? A tablespoon of chia seeds? Flaxseeds? Throw it all in and customize it to your taste. I always have a container of granola for quick snacks and energy boost.

For this coconut chocolate chip granola, I wanted a little but of indulgent kick so I threw in chocolate chip. I upgraded my base coconut almond granola and added in chocolate chips after baking the granola. Easy peasy and my new favorite granola. After all, there is double coconut in these!!

Here are a few other granola recipes you might like:

Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Granola

Pumpkin Spice Granola

Apple Spice Granola

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Yield: ~3 cups

Coconut Chocolate Chip Granola

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats (use GF oats if you want this recipe to be GF)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup silvered almonds
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 2 tablespoons flaxseeds
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and sea salt. Mix in the oats, coconut flakes, almonds sunflower seeds and flaxseeds into the wet ingredients.

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking sheet and evenly spread into a single layer.

Bake the granola until golden brown and dry, about 20-25 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes on the sheet. Gently toss in the chocolate chips into the granola.

Store cooled granola in an airtight container at room temperature.

Making this Recipe?

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The post Coconut Chocolate Chip Granola appeared first on A Classic Twist.

This week has flown by so fast and it has brought with it the cool breeze. It’s finally starting to feel like fall here in Upstate NY! Luckily the apples are ready for the picking because it won’t be fall without juicy apples from orchards around here. Of course, at the first sign of them, I picked up a few pounds from a local orchard and found myself all up apple desserts! Brace yourself, it’s about to get all apple-fest up in here.

My first recipe was this batch of apple spice granola to spice up my breakfast. My staple coconut almond granola got upgraded with a seasonal look! This granola sports all your favorite things of the season. Warm spices like cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg; sweet maple syrup and toasted pumpkin seeds. I added in some baked apple chips as well for additional apple flavor. All in all, this is going to be your new favorite granola of the season. It sure is mine and I am packing it to school everyday.

By the time you read this, I’ll be in NYC for the weekend attending a Better Homes and Garden Stylemaker event. I am so freaking excited to meet the editors, special guests and bloggers. Follow me on Instagram for updates over the weekend!

I hope you have a great weekend!!

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Yield: 5 cups

Apple Spice Granola

Start the fall with a granola packed with all the warm spices of the season! This apple spice granola is your seasonal friend for a heartier breakfast or snack.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

Toggle ingredient group

• 3½ cups rolled oats
• ½ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• ¼ cup almonds
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• ¼ teaspoon cloves
• ¾ cup applesauce, unsweetened
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup dried apples

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the oats, pepitas, almonds and spices together.
3. In a small saucepan set over medium heat, warm the applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla extract.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until well combined.
5. Spread the granola evenly onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and toss in dried apples.
6. Store in an airtight container.

Making this Recipe?

Share it with us on Instagram using #aclassictwist so we can see what you are baking up in your kitchen!

The post Apple Spice Granola appeared first on A Classic Twist.

You all know by now that I am a huge fan of easy, grab-to-go breakfasts. Try as I may, I am always running late so having a power breakfast on-the-go keeps my mornings less stressful. Granola is perfect for this and I find myself making a new batch once or twice a month. I shared this recipe for peanut butter chocolate and banana chip granola a few weeks ago over at Or so She says where I am a monthly recipe contributor.

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The post Peanut Butter Chocolate and Banana Chip Granola appeared first on A Classic Twist.

Happy New Year friends!! 2014 is here 🙂 I wish you all a wonderful healthy year filled with all your heart desires.

At the risk of being cliché, I really can’t believe we are done with 2013. Swooosh, just like that. It came, conquered and now it’s gone. Looking back, it was a pretty awesome year! But it is time to look forward. Rightfully so, many people are setting goals, declaring resolutions, intentions and attempting to make changes in their lives. It is that time of the year indeed!

I tend not to make resolutions, simply because I don’t believe in the idea. Some years, I do however have one goal I work towards. Last year was to start a blog (yay!!), the year before was to plan two wedding ceremonies without killing anyone (succeeded!!) and this year it’s to graduate with my PhD (God willing). Well, that’s not really a goal as it is not entirely up to me but more to the Gods of science. But that’s what I am setting my eyes on in 2014.

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