Tropical Dark Chocolate Granola Bark

Dark Chocolate Granola Bark

Coming back from vacation is no easy feat, if not exactly a hardship. I know this is true for most of us, but for some reason this one was particularly tough. I think Sam and I had been looking forward to Palm Springs for so many months, envisioning it as the one saving grace from a busy season of work and wedding planning and then when we got home … work and wedding planning were still waiting right where we’d left them. So last week wasn’t the easiest — my car was hit while we were out of town, I have a wonderful employee who has decided to leave to pursue growing another company, and our house is basically infested with ants. But something Sam and I talked about while in Palm Springs is how to reframe things that feel burdensome and difficult — how to claim more control over our days and weeks instead of just letting them happen to us.

20140420_BlogGranolaBark-100

Right at the end of my book tour, I traveled to Chicago for the annual IACP conference and had the opportunity to sit in on a session by one of the Zingerman’s bakery founders, Ari Weinzweig. We have Weinzweig (and partner Paul Saginaw) to thank for their addictive coffeecake and brownies (easy mail order!), but he’s also started writing books based on the lessons gleaned from growing the business. His latest is called A Lapsed Anarchists’s Approach to Managing Ourselves and he gave a talk based on some of the main points: essentially that managing ourselves is the crux of running any organization or business, the one piece of it that we all so often neglect. The point that really stuck with me were about the power of language and the way we talk to ourselves when it comes to work tasks or things that need to get done. Instead of saying “I have to go to Marge to pack boxes today” or “I should tackle this spreadsheet” you can rephrase it — literally — and tell yourself “I’m going to go to Marge to pack boxes today” or “I will tackle this spreadsheet.”

Making Dark Chocolate Granola Bark

It sounds silly and trivial, but these little tweaks highlight the fact that it’s all free choice: ultimately no one’s forcing me to go to Marge to pack boxes. This is what I’ve chosen and reframing it to feel more positive has made all the difference. For several weeks after the conference I’d been turning over these ideas, and then a few friends linked to a great article in Time, “I’ll Finish the Dishes When I’m Dead“, by Brigid Schulte. The take-away? Between work, managing a household and having a family, Schulte says she’s “scattered, fragmented and exhaust[ed]. I was always doing more than one thing at a time and felt I never did any one particularly well. I was always behind and always late, with one more thing and one more thing and one more thing to do before rushing out the door.” She calls this The Overwhelm. Oh yes: in capital letters, people. In case you were curious, Sam has elected me president of The Overwhelm. Any volunteers for a Chief of Staff?

Granola Bark
This article inspired a biiiiig step back and some thinking about the way I manage my time. I’m no busier than many of you. In fact, many of you are likely far busier than I. We don’t have kids or pets, we don’t have much of a commute — there are a lot of hassles or time-sucks that we don’t have to deal with. That said, it’s a rare GOLD VICTORY lately if we have a homemade dinner together before 8 or 9 p.m. and this has been a bummer for me lately. Emails and work have crept into the late night hours, and it’s hard for me to see an end to any of it. So while many of you are likely just as busy, I hope you’re doing a better job managing it than I am (any tips?). At the end of her article, Schulte describes how she ultimately goes to a workshop led by time management specialist Terry Monaghan in which she realizes “You can’t manage time. Time never changes. There will always be 168 hours in a week. What you can manage are the activities you choose to do in that time. And what busy and overwhelmed people need to realize … is that you will never be able to do everything you think you need to, want to or should do.”

Basically: your plate will never be cleared (and I’m not even sure you’d want to be a member of that particular Clean Plate Club). So all the occasions I tell myself ‘if I just get through my email inbox, tomorrow morning will be a breeze’? It’s a lie. Something else just replaces the emails on the to-do list. So I’m working on being much more content with the work I do get done in a day instead of looking at all the boxes that didn’t get checked off. I’m scheduling in yoga classes now just like meetings to ensure I get to go. I’m trying to have evenings off with a book or movie, and realizing that all the time I spend worrying about what’s not getting done is time I could go on a walk with Sam or eat fried chicken by the lake — which we did Friday night. And it was grand.

In the spirit of being more content with what I can manage in a day, this past Friday I took time to exercise, did a little wedding planning (what do we think about this wedding arch?!), hired a new employee (!) and made this killer granola bark. A well-balanced to-do list I’m proud of. And really, the biggest question lurking behind this entire post: why haven’t I combined dark chocolate and granola before?! I stumbled across the idea in this month’s Food and Wine but decided to make my own tropical version using toasted coconut, dried pineapple and goji berries. I used Marge Original Granola — I may be a bit biased, but I think it’s the most robust, classic granola I’ve ever tried and it’s truly loaded with nuts and seeds which makes it perfect for this particular recipe. I’d say to spring for the good chocolate here — it’s really the star of the show. I hope you all have a good week in what I know is your own version of the trenches, preferably now with a little more chocolate.

Tropical Dark Chocolate Granola Bark

Tropical Dark Chocolate Granola Bark

  • Yield: One 15-by-11 inch sheet of bark
  • Prep time: 15 mins
  • Inactive time: 3 hrs
  • Total time: 3 hrs 15 mins

Adapted from: Food and Wine

Ingredients

1 pound dark chocolate (at least 62%), chopped
1/2 cup diced dried pineapple, plus more to top
1/2 cup goji berries, plus more to top
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts, plus more to top
3/4 cup toasted coconut flakes (unsweetened)
1 1/4 cups granola, plus more to top (use gluten-free blend if you'd like to keep this treat gluten-free)

Instructions

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir over low-medium heat until the chocolate melts. Remove from heat, stir in dried fruit, nuts, coconut and granola.

Scrape the chocolate onto the baking sheet and spread it in a 1/2-inch thick layer. Sprinkle a little extra fruit, nuts, coconut and granola on top. Let the bark cool to room temperature then refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 1 day to firm up. Break into pieces and store room temperature in an airtight container.

Comments

  1. Kasey

    Hi, friend. Well you know how much I can relate to this and it was so wonderful to read your thoughts on the article and the whole Overwhelm thing. I get so overwhelmed, so often. I do think it's gotten worse since I've had a kid but I think the bottom line is that no matter how many commitments we have, there will never be time to do it all. I'm trying to figure out how I can tackle all this stuff and get less panick-y. I think it's so good to get that recharge but I know oh so well all about the vacation slump. xo.

  2. Abby @ The Frosted Vegan

    First of all, the idea of granola bark is pure genius, love it. Also, I completely agree about the overwhelming subject. It seems like there is never enough time for everything, but some things just have to slip. Recently there was an article going around about being 'busy' and how it's all a sense of perspective and time management. Here's to hoping you feel less of the overwhelming things in life!

  3. Kate

    AMEN, Megan. I also find myself in a perpetual state of overwhelm and happened across Brigid's piece last week. I've been dealing with an even harsher set of self-imposed expectations ever since I quit my job to blog full time. I'm trying to be more kind and patient with myself, and even hired a therapist to help me figure out how to better manage this stuff. I've been my own worst enemy lately and I don't want to live like this forever, oh no! P.s. This granola chocolate bark is so perfect and I'm digging the birch wedding arch.

  4. Kelly

    My husband and I talk about that often. How there has to be a limit to what you can do and every time you choose one thing you are choosing not to do something else. We both love to run and we know that by choosing running we are choosing not to do other workouts. And it's something I'm trying to teach the kids too. You can't be in every activity. You have to make choices.

    anyway, looks good, I'm going to try that!

  5. Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe

    I'm not sure your granola can get any better (trust me, I've made it enough times in the past couple of weeks to know this), but it's rare that chocolate is a bad idea, so I'll totally give this bark a go. I wish I had some of it in front of me right now!

  6. Lydia

    A fried chicken picnic is my new goal for as soon as the weather warms up!

  7. Megan

    Not sure of your faith orientation but I recently read a post on Mother Teresa and prioritizing your time. This link is not what I read exactly (can't find it) but it's got some great quotes in it along that vein. http://theradicallife.org/seven-steps-to-a-holier-life-by-mother-teresa

    1. megang

      Thanks so much, Megan!

  8. annelies

    Such a smart idea of chocolate granola bark (this could be such a fun (and preppable wedding favor too...) I love your addition of gojis in this.

    As to time management and getting it all done. I find what works for me is planning pockets of time dedicated to different activities- otherwise my email inbox(es) will swallow me alive in a whale-sized mouth. No fun. My house may not be the cleanest, but it looks as though the people who live here are busy living life - my house attests to it. Glad things are turning around.

    1. megang

      Thanks, Annelies. Yes this is exactly what I've been trying to do -- the a.m. will be devoted to 'x' and I'll try not to even look at my email during that time. I'm sidetracked easily, apparently. And stressed by the sidetrack! Hope you're doing well, friend. xox

  9. Samantha

    Hi there!

    Thanks for this post...believe me, you're not the only one that struggles with this. I love your idea of reframing of "I should" into "I am"! I'm excited to try it!

    My two time management tips:
    1. Take some time to actually write down and map out your priorities. When I did so, I realized what I actually find important to my life, and I reorganized the time I spent on different activities or with different people. And then, I was able to enjoy the things I did choose to do more, because it was a conscious decision to use my time in that way.
    2. I pre-schedule all of tomorrows tasks into my calendar at the end of a day. I sleep better because I'm not trying to remember anything, and the next day I am much more likely to focus on one task at a time instead of trying to multitask.

    Good luck, and thanks for the recipe!!! Combines two of my favorite things (chocolate and granola), and excited to try it out.

    Sam

    1. megang

      Thanks so much, Sam. These are really good tips. I've started to do #2 as well...Sam always does this before bed and I thought it wasn't good because then you're just thinking about work before bed but he insists that he sleeps better knowing everything is all lined up and set for tomorrow -- then you're not subconsciously turning it over in your mind. I've found this to be really true. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave your great tips. And YES: the bark is really awesome. I hope you like it!

    2. megang

      Ah ... and in my comment I meant my Sam :) I notice your name is Sam, too ... just to avoid any confusion!

  10. Carole

    Here's a little nugget I learned at a time management seminar years ago. Sometimes I have to slap myself with it but I have found it very helpful. "Learn to discern between what is urgent and what is important."" Most often what is urgent will suck up your time, energy and joy unless you step back and make that distinction. I talk like I'm good at that. I'm not. But I am better when I remember.

  11. suz

    I remember those days too well. What changed? I removed the word "should" (says who?) from my thought process when my son said "Why?"after using it to him and I had no answer. Replace it with "want" or some other form to make it your choice. Not too soon after, you'll see results.
    Good luck - life is good, but too brief. Make your priorities, then organize and implement. I too made lists the evening before which helped enormously. Keep it at a doable pace.

  12. heidi

    I think that it helps to learn to designate tasks to others. it helps me when i figure out what i do and what someone else can do just as well,sometimes with some guidance. when it's my deal and i have worked very hard to develop it i think that "I" personally, have to take care of it. letting go of some of that stuff can contribute not only to more time for me but also a positive learning experience for the other person.it may take a bit of time and sometimes money[you usually have to pay someone to do those things],but it's something that not only gives you more time but allows you to free yourself up to move forward and grow whatever it is you are creating[ in your case marge].and some creative thinking about who that might be can also help- is there an agency that deals with people who need to learn skills or an apprentice situation or even trade. i'm not sure what the answer is but i know there are people out there who are looking for things, especially creative things, to do.
    meanwhile, i'm happy to see all the press you are getting, well deserved. enjoy this ride, the world won't end if you don't do every single thing and if it does, it won't matter.

  13. wendy@chezchloe

    Priorities. Love, health, relationship. Then the rest. I usually make a list and see who will die if something doesn't get done. 99.99% of the time - nobody is going to die. Then I go from there.
    I do like Sam's advice and sometimes even follow it when I see the middle of the night organizing start happening.
    Keep at the yoga- though it is a time commitment - it's been a real mind and body saver for me since January. It's my new thing and I hope it sticks.

    Nice looking bark.

  14. Shannon

    I'm nearly finished with Schulte's new book. It's fascinating, well-researched, helpful, and you should read it...in all your spare time, ha. Worthwhile, though!

  15. Mary

    Right before I read your post, I had just listened to Grace Bonney's interview on Heritage Radio on this topic, talking with her wife, Julia Turshen. I think you may enjoy listening to it. And, yes, that recipe looks amazing. Your Marge original is the most robust classic granola. The gold standard.
    http://www.designsponge.com/2014/04/after-the-jump-productivity-tips-ways-to-avoid-procrastination.html

  16. Shannon

    I'm nearly finished with Brigid Schulte's new book. It's engaging, well-researched, and enlightening, and you should read it...in all your spare time, ha! Very worthwhile if you can find a few minutes here and there.

    1. megang

      Shannon: Just bought it! Going to aim to start it today. CANNOT WAIT.

  17. Katie @ Whole Nourishment

    Love hearing how your perspective on stress and responsibilities shifted to a better outlook. Ironically I just shared a TED talk about how we can make stress our friend for the sake of our health. And this granola bark looks insane! What a great idea.

  18. Cristina

    The Overwhelm! How appropriate that both words are capitalized. I can completely relate to this.

    I also need to figure out how to be content with the amount of to-do list I accomplish on any given day. When you work for yourself, especially if that work is creative in nature, it really is possible to never stop. But you are right--the fried chicken chicken by the lake is worthy of prioritization, sometimes essentially so.

    Thanks for this post.

  19. Christina @ but i'm hungry

    Soooo... this is a breakfast food, right? I'm thinking if I ate this for breakfast, there's no way anything could seem TOO overwhelming for the rest of the day, right?

  20. nicole

    1. This looks amazing. Once those dang oats arrive ...

    2. Wedding planning can make anyone feel overwhelmed. Seriously.

    3. OUR HOUSE IS INFESTED WITH ANTS, TOO! ARGH! It's yucky. I hope yours depart tout de suite.

  21. Kimberley

    I love everything about this and I relate to it so completely. It almost seems like making peace with the neverending to-dos is the key. Or the part that I haven't figured out. And then there's this granola bark to top it all off.

  22. Lily (A Rhubarb Rhapsody)

    That sums me up perfectly. I'm consistently playing catch ups and I never manage to get everything done. Spread way too thin!

    This bark looks awesome, I love how it's absolutely jam-packed with fruit and nuts.

  23. Joyce

    I LOVE this post - I just read that article too, and it hit home! Like you and Sam, I realized there are actually a lot of things I DON'T have on my plate yet - kids…a super long commute…etc. So much of the "must get this done" is all in my head. This week I have been consciously trying NOT to multitask at work and at home - I am normally doing at least 3 things at once whether at my desk or in the kitchen or online… I am focusing on doing just ONE thing, doing it well, finishing, and moving to the next. And I think next is making this granola bark… :) Yum! Thanks for this post, Megan!

  24. Susan

    Recipe looks incredible - thanks. Health and "family" first. Family definition to include the relationships that are nearest and dearest to you. I recite this to myself when things begin to overwhelm as a reminder to re focus.

  25. Amanda

    Shifting perspective from "should" or "have to" is challenging, but makes such a difference! Thanks for the friendly reminder, and for the great links and this amazing recipe. I'm going home to throw some pineapple in the dehydrator now!

  26. Elizabeth Batte // In the Loop

    Megan, thanks for this post! Needed to hear it. Sometimes, enjoying time with others and making time for yourself is the exact kind of time management we need - not for crossing items off the to do list! This granola looks absolutely fantastic - cannot wait to try it. Thanks again for the wonderful encouragement (and recipe!!)

  27. Lizy Tish

    DEFINITELY in touch with the overwhelmed feeling. I've never been great at reigning things in and knowing when to just let some things lie. My skills in this area are a constant work-in-progress. Scheduling time for exercise is a great idea - I'm going to try it! And make this bark - it looks so delicious!

  28. Zoe

    Love the capitalization on The Overwhelm, and also the idea that tweaking the language we use can really change the way we feel about items on our to do lists. Also? That granola bark looks amazing! Gonna have to try it...

  29. EmmySteel

    These are really delicious. Although I am UK based and we use different weigh scales I managed to get the amounts around right. Was super yummy. Great recipe!

Join the Discussion

Healthy Comfort Food

Thai Carrot, Coconut and Cauliflower Soup

Thai Carrot, Coconut and Cauliflower Soup

People describe raising young kids as a particular season in life. I hadn't heard this until we had a baby, but it brought me a lot of comfort when I'd start to let my mind wander, late at night between feedings, to fears that we'd never travel internationally again or have a sit-down meal in our dining room. Would I ever eat a cardamom bun in Sweden? Soak in Iceland? I loved the heck out of our tiny Oliver, but man what had we done?! Friends would swoop in and reassure us that this was just a season, a blip in the big picture of it all. They promised we'd likely not even remember walking around the house in circles singing made-up songs while eating freezer burritos at odd hours of the day (or night). And it's true.

Oliver is turning two next month, and those all-encompassing baby days feel like a different time, a different Us. In many ways, dare I say it, Toddlerhood actually feels a bit harder. Lately Oliver has become extremely opinionated about what he will and will not wear -- and he enforces these opinions with fervor. Don't get near the kid with a button-down shirt. This week at least. He's obsessed with his rain boots and if it were up to him, he'd keep them on at all times, especially during meals. He insists on ketchup with everything (I created a damn monster), has learned the word "trash" and insists on throwing found items away on his own that really, truly are not trash. I came to pick him up from daycare the other day and he was randomly wearing a bike helmet -- his teacher mentioned he'd had it on most of the day and really, really didn't want to take it off. The kid has FEELINGS. I love that about him, and wouldn't want it any other way. But, man it's also exhausting.

Read More
Cheesy Quinoa Cauliflower Bake

Cheesy Quinoa Cauliflower Bake

I just finished washing out Oliver's lunchbox and laying it out to dry for the weekend. My favorite time of day is (finally) here: the quiet of the evening when I can actually talk to Sam about our day or sit and reflect on my own thoughts after the inevitable dance party or band practice that precedes the bedtime routine lately. Before becoming pregnant for the second time, I'd have had a glass of wine with the back door propped open right about now -- these days though, I have sparkling water or occasionally take a sip from one of Sam's hard ciders. Except now the back door's closed and we even turned on the heat for the first time yesterday. The racing to water the lawn and clean the grill have been replaced by cozier dinners at home and longer baths in the evening. You blink and it's the first day of fall. 

Read More
Stuffed Shells with Fennel and Radicchio

Stuffed Shells with Fennel and Radicchio

I'd heard from many friends that buying a house wasn't for the faint of heart. But I always shrugged it off, figuring I probably kept better files or was more organized and, really, how hard could it be? Well, I've started (and stopped) writing this post a good fifteen times which may indicate something. BUT! First thing's first: we bought a house! I think! I'm pretty sure! We're still waiting for some tax transcripts to come through and barring any hiccough with that, we'll be moving out of our beloved craftsman in a few weeks and down the block to a great, brick Tudor house that we wanted the second we laid eyes on it. The only problem: it seemed everyone else in Seattle had also laid eyes on it, and wanted it equally as much. I'm not really sure why the homeowner chose us in the end. Our offer actually wasn't the highest, but apparently there were some issues with a few of them. We wrote a letter introducing ourselves and describing why we'd be the best candidates and why we were so drawn to the house; we have a really wonderful broker who pulled out all the stops, and after sifting through 10 offers and spending a number of hours deliberating, they ended up going with ours. We were at a friend's book event at the time when Sam showed me the text from our broker and I kind of just collapsed into his arms. We were both in ecstatic denial (wait, is this real?! Did we just buy a house?) and celebrated by getting chicken salad and potato salad from the neighborhood grocery store and eating it, dazed, on our living room floor. Potato salad never tasted so good. 

Read More
Smoky Butternut Squash and Three Bean Chili

Smoky Butternut Squash and Three Bean Chili

If your house is anything like ours, last week wasn't our most inspired in terms of cooking. We're all suffering from the post-election blues -- the sole upside being Oliver's decision to sleep-in until 7 am for the first time in many, many months; I think he's trying to tell us that pulling the covers over our heads and hibernating for awhile is ok. It's half-convincing. For much of the week, instead of cooking, there'd been takeout pizza and canned soup before, at week's end, I decided it was time to pour a glass of wine and get back into the kitchen. I was craving something hearty and comforting that we could eat for a few days. Something that wouldn't remind me too much of Thanksgiving because, frankly, I can't quite gather the steam to start planning for that yet. It was time for a big bowl of chili.

Read More
To Talk Porridge

To Talk Porridge

Porridge is not the sexiest of breakfasts, it's true. It doesn't have a stylish name like strata or shakshuka, and it doesn't have perfectly domed tops like your favorite fruity muffin. It doesn't crumble into delightful bits like a good scone nor does it fall into buttery shards like a well-made croissant. But when you wake up and it's 17 degrees outside (as it has been, give or take a few, for the last week), there's nothing that satisfies like a bowl of porridge or oatmeal. It's warm and hearty and can be made sweet or savory with any number of toppings. The problem? Over the years, it's gotten a bad rap as gluey or gummy or just downright boring or dutiful -- and it's because not everyone knows the secrets to making a great pot of warm morning cereal. So let's talk porridge (also: my cookbook comes out this month! So let's take a peek inside, shall we?)

Read More