It doesn’t get much better than this vegan high protein chocolate granola. Not only does it have 15 grams of protein per serving, which is wild, but it also has 10 different plants since it’s made from a good variety of seeds and whole grains. The trillions of microbes living in our gut all need different types of plants to flourish, which is why the largest study ever done on gut health concluded that people should aim to eat at least 30 different plants per week. Eat this granola with some fruit and you’re like half way there! Before I started making this granola regularly, my go to from the store contained only 2 different plants and had just 4 grams of protein and fiber (and twice the sugar). I also included an option for a lower calorie version of this recipe as well, which still includes all the plant diversity just in different amounts and still has 9g of protein while being 100 calories less per 1/2 cup serving than the original. Most store bought granolas are the same calories but less than half the protein!

For someone without a well stocked pantry, this recipe will probably seem overwhelming at first with all its ingredients, but I promise it’s worth it and in the end, it’s still cheaper than store bought granolas which don’t have nearly as many nutrient-dense seeds and whole grains as this one. I always make a double or triple batch since it’s shelf-stable. Remember, since greater plant diversity is the key to health we should start looking at recipes with many ingredients as a good thing, not “overly complicated” or a drag!

I use this 365 brand super grains mix, which contains quinoa, millet and buckwheat, which I then sprout. Any similar mix of grains (like amaranth, spelt, farrow!) or even just quinoa if it’s all you’ve got will work just great though. I’ve seen a lot of recipes online that skip the sprouting step, so if you’re really hesitant you can try without but I found it’s too hard/crunchy for my tastes without sprouting. To sprout you just cover completely in water overnight, then strain completely. Rinse and strain, making sure to leave no standing water, twice a day until they sprout little tails. Usually it only takes 1 day, since the goal is to break the seeds open and soften them, not necessarily take them to the full stage of general sprouts for fresh eating. Then I spread them onto a baking sheet and let dry, which usually only takes about a day, then store in an airtight container. I generally sprout enough for 8-10 batches of this granola at once.

Vegan High Protein Chocolate Granola

makes about 8 servings (1/2 cup)

1/4 cup nut butter of choice (I use peanut butter)

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/8 cup melted coconut oil

1/2 cup chocolate plant based protein powder (I used Orgain sport)

1/4 cup chia seeds

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1.5 cups old fashioned oats

2 tbsp hemp seeds

2 tbsp flax seeds

1/2 cup puffed kamut

1/2 cup sprouted grain mix

1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325

In a large bowl, stir together the nut butter, maple, coconut oil and protein powder. Then add the seeds and grains (I usually use my hands since it’s faster), making sure everything is really well incorporated. Spread into an even layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring once halfway. Once removed from the oven, immediately stir in the dark chocolate chips. Let cool completely before moving to air tight storage.

Lower calorie option

makes about 8 servings (1/2 cup)

1/4 cup nut butter of choice (I use peanut butter)

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/8 cup melted coconut oil

1/2 cup plant based chocolate protein powder (I used Orgain sport)

2 tbsp chia seeds

2 tbsp pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1 tbsp hemp seeds

1 tbsp flax seeds

1/2 cup sprouted grain mix

2 cups puffed kamut

4 tbsp dark chocolate chips

In a large bowl, stir together the nut butter, maple, coconut oil and protein powder. Then add the seeds and grains (I usually use my hands since it’s faster), making sure everything is really well incorporated. Spread into an even layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring once halfway. Once removed from the oven, immediately stir in the dark chocolate chips. Let cool completely before moving to air tight storage.