COUSCOUS TRADITIONAL MOROCCAN : A CULINARY JOURNEY TO MOROCCO

 

loves the idea of healthy granola, but many varieties are so sugary they might as well be candy. I often find myself wandering around my apartment, grabbing snacks from different boxes and jars all day long. That's why I wanted to create a granola that's not only filling enough for breakfast but also something I wouldn't feel guilty about snacking on throughout the day. This Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip granola is the perfect solution!

I was never much of a breakfast person until I signed up for a demanding exercise class while living in San Francisco. The workouts were intense, and our tough instructor pushed us hard. Despite her intensity, we bonded as a group, sometimes uniting against her fierce demands, which made the experience more enjoyable and bearable. 

One day, when we were all particularly exhausted, she halted the class and went around the room, asking each of us what we had eaten for breakfast that morning. Most of us sheepishly admitted to having just coffee, or perhaps coffee and half a leftover bagel. She reprimanded each of us, emphasizing the importance of fueling our bodies properly in the morning. Taking her advice to heart, I started having fruit with yogurt, topped with a sprinkle of granola for breakfast.

Store-bought granola is often disappointing, lacking the satisfying big chunks that make it worth the price, even though it's convenient. This homemade granola, however, is easy to make, doesn't require much chopping, and has a short list of ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.

In France, you can find peanut butter in supermarkets, typically in the “foreign food” section alongside other American products like Skippy. Interestingly, you might also come across items not commonly seen in the U.S., such as powdered cheesecake mix (who makes cheesecake from powder?). I usually get my peanut butter from multicultural stores in neighborhoods like Belleville or the 13th arrondissement. It's also often available in Asian markets or shops that sell African and Arabic foods, like Sabah.

I prefer using chocolate chips in this granola instead of chopped chocolate because chips are baking-resistant and maintain their shape, ensuring you get chunks of chocolate in every bite. Chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, typically used for baking, melts completely in the oven (I’ve tested it).

Once it cools, I can’t resist snacking on this clumpy granola straight from the baking sheet. The large chocolate chips are a delightful bonus among the crispy oats and seeds, all coated with peanut butter and baked with rice syrup, golden syrup, agave nectar, or maple syrup. It’s a treat I enjoy morning, noon, night, and anytime in between!

Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Granola :

You can replace the peanuts with unroasted almonds or any other nut you prefer. However, don’t substitute a chopped chocolate bar for the chocolate chips; store-bought chocolate chips are designed to withstand baking without melting. Though chocolate chips used to be hard to find in France, they are now more readily available, with G. Detou in Paris being one source. Using a thick syrup like Golden syrup, rice syrup, or agave nectar will result in clumpier granola, but you can also use maple syrup.

Course:                    Breakfast  

Keywords:               granola, chocolate chips, chocolate, peanut butter, recipe

Ingredients : 

• - 3 cups (300g) rolled oats
• - 1 cup (150g) roasted peanuts, very coarsely chopped
• - 3/4 cup (120g) chocolate chips
• - 1/2 cup (70g) sunflower seeds
• - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
• - 1/2 cup (130g) smooth peanut butter, regular or natural
• - 1/2 cup (160g) rice syrup, agave nectar, Golden syrup, or maple syrup
• - 1/4 cup (60g) packed light brown sugar
• - 2 tablespoons water

Instructions : 

1. Preheat your oven to 325ºF (165ºC).

2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, chopped peanuts, chocolate chips, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, and salt.

3. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the peanut butter, syrup, brown sugar, and water, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth. Avoid overheating the mixture.

4. Pour the warmed peanut butter mixture over the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly to coat the oats, peanuts, and seeds.

5. Lightly spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Spread the granola mixture evenly on the baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even browning, especially around the edges. 

6. Once golden brown, remove the granola from the oven and let it cool completely.

Notes :

Storage: Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature. It will stay fresh for one to two months.

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