I don’t like coffee.
I want to like coffee. I really do.
But why would I want to like something that so many treat like a guilty pleasure?
I can picture myself curled up on a couch in a cozy café, “meeting someone for coffee,” feeling a bit sophisticated as my fingers wrap around a warm mug.
I would probably be wearing cute skinny jeans, too.
In reality, “stuffed sausage” would be a more accurate description of skinny jeans on my thighs, and since I’ve blown my budget on shoes, I have nothing left for coffee.
Thank goodness I don’t like it.
This also assumes there’s a local coffee shop and someone to meet there.
Wrong again.
The truth is I don’t enjoy many warm drinks — they feel strange going down. The few warm beverages I tolerate usually include a splash of whiskey or rum.
Yet I adore mocha and coffee-flavored foods.
Coffee ice cream. Tiramisu. Cappuccino truffles.
If you’re wondering, actual black coffee rarely tastes like those desserts — to me it’s more like dirty water. Flavorings can be deceptive. I’ve come home with bags full of coconut macaroon and french toast–flavored coffee, tried cinnamon swirl cream and vanilla pecan varieties, and even purchased chocolate truffle and mocha blends that tasted nothing like chocolate.
I swore I’d sell my firstborn in the quest to find a coffee I truly love.
I do enjoy the occasional iced or frozen coffee loaded with a generous pour of cream, sweet syrups, whipped topping, and a dusting of cinnamon. While we’re at it, scoop a little ice cream into the mix. Why not? Those skinny jeans weren’t going to flatter me anyway.
Essentially, I love drinks that taste like chocolate and only faintly like coffee.
Since granola is one of those snacks I can’t stop munching even when my buttons protest, a mocha-flavored granola felt like the perfect idea. I added shredded coconut because, in my opinion, the world is better with coconut.
Mr. How Sweet disagrees — he’d probably put chicken breast in his granola if given the chance.
When the granola came out of the oven, I sprinkled chocolate chips over it. They melted slightly, creating a delightful combination of crunchy and creamy textures.
So much better than coffee.
Mocha Granola
4
Pin Recipe
Leave a Review »
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats, uncooked
- 1/4 cup wheat germ
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 1/4 cup chopped almonds
- 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee powder
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- chocolate morsels
Instructions
-
Combine all ingredients and mix until everything is evenly moistened. Spread the mixture on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Stir or flip the granola, then bake for another 5 minutes. Flip again and bake for a final 5 minutes until golden and crisp.
-
Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate chips on top so they melt slightly into the warm granola. Let cool completely before storing.
Did you make this recipe?
Share a photo and tag your post so others can try it — I appreciate you!
Perhaps if they made a bacon-flavored coffee, I would enjoy it?