Peanut Butter Jelly Time! With out love of peanut butter, and peanut butter and jelly, it was only a matter of time before we shared a PB&J Granola. We decided to make this batch a little chewier, you can bake it longer to get it crispier just watch it, and stick together more so there are big chunks of granola. The girls like to enjoy this one as a snack just munching on it! Perfect for a picnic, snack to take to the park, or on your next adventure! If you like other granola recipes I have posted you can see the modifications below* to make this one the same way. We used our favorite Peanut Butter & Co Smooth Operator but if you are feeling a little crazy you can make it with Peanut Butter & Co Crunch Time, or your favorite peanut butter! Adding in freeze-dried strawberries or raspberries, which will get chewy as they absorb moisture from the granola. Since we had some empty peanut butter jars I also saw it fitting to store our granola in the jars.
PB&J Granola
Makes about 6-7 cups
3 c oats, gluten-free
1/4 c ground flax-seed
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 c raw agave, or honey (honey for non-vegan)
1/4 c unsweetened applesauce, room temp or warmed if cold
1/2 c peanut butter, chunky or smooth (used Peanut Butter & Co Smooth Operator)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 c dried or freeze-dried strawberries, raspberries, or dried fruit of choice
*For a more traditional granola like others I have posted reduce flax and applesauce to 2 tablespoons, add 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil to wet ingredients, and if you would like it sweeter add 2 tablespoons of coconut palm sugar to wet ingredients.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl mix together oats, salt, and flax-seed. In medium mixing bowl mix together melted agave/honey, apple sauce, peanut butter, and vanilla. Add wet ingredients into the dry and mix together with rubber spatula until evenly coated. Spread on prepared baking sheet, not spreading out too much you want to keep it in the middle half of the pan if using a cookie sheet . Bake 20-25 minutes, stirring half-way. Remove from the oven and stir in berries, if using freeze-dried berries they do soften and get chewy as they suck up the moisture. Store in airtight container and enjoy within 7 days for best taste. Enjoy!
