Name: Chocolate Hazelnut Dessert Granola
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 cups rolled oats; 1/2 cup hazelnuts, smashed and sliced; 1/2 cup dried coconut flakes; 3 tablespoons quality cocoa powder (high fat preferred); 2 tablespoons hazelnut oil or any oil on hand; 1/4 cup honey; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon hazelnut extract *optional; pinch of salt; 1 cup chocolate chunks

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This last week has been full of some pretty epic, yet, small moments. Running my bare feet through a water feature in the Pearl. Eating cheesy pizza on a blanket. Waiting for nail polish to dry. Eating a melty ice-cream sandwich on a hot 23^rd street. A white wine tasting followed by a sunset view of the city on a friend’s apartment rooftop. Not to mention, a lot of NBA finals.

And then, there are always moments peppered in that remind us that life is a little hard. And, that the beauty of this life is that it is temporary which makes us breathe it in even, just a little deeper.

We are only human, so these moments might have passed you by last week. They might have been lost in the pile of laundry or shuffled into the mail stack. So, let’s do a better job this week of appreciating this intensely cool life and let these senses seep into our marrow. The smallest moments. The biggest heartbreaks. They are all the same in that they are meant to grow us or give us a warm kiss on the cheek.

And while we are making these mental notes, we’ll go ahead and make a grocery list where getting the ingredients for this Chocolate Hazelnut Dessert Granola is top priority. Yes, granola doesn’t have to be healthy. It can also be an excuse for us to add a little crunch to our vanilla bean ice cream or mixed into a frozen yogurt pop. Guys, endless possibilities.

We toss the ingredients together, rather cavalierly. Because, if you mix it well enough, there is no need for a second bowl for the wet ingredients. Once we’ve place it on a lined baking sheet, we’ll go ahead and put it in a 300 degree oven for 30 minutes. Toss half way through if you feel like it but, I tell you what, I’ve forgotten a time or two and the result is pretty much the same.

It’s time to make parfaits, friends. It’s time to let our Dessert Granola shine on. It’s time to mark the smaller moments and let this week be our greatest treasure hunt.