Cheri Litchfield's Chocolate Sourdough Granola

This delicious granola recipe comes by way of our good friend Cheri Litchfield, who inspires us all weekly with her passion for baking bread and fermented foods. She was gracious enough to share her recipe for Chocolate Sourdough Granola with us, for those days when you need a second breakfast or a tasty topping for ice cream. 

Cheri Litchfield's Chocolate Sourdough Granola
6 cups large flake rolled oats
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup chia seed
1/4 cup milled flaxseed
1/4 cup hemp hearts
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup good quality cocoa
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup honey
90 grams Mature Sourdough Starter
2 oz semi-sweet chocolate
2 cups dark chocolate chips
1-2 cups dried cranberries {optional} 

Mix the oats, coconut, seeds, pecans, cocoa,  cinnamon, coconut sugar, and salt together thoroughly. Melt the coconut oil, then add the honey and vanilla. While the oil is still warm, add the chocolate; let it sit a few minutes until the chocolate is melted, then stir thoroughly. Add the sourdough starter, stirring it in very well with a fork. Pour the honey mixture over the oat mixture and stir very thoroughly. If the liquid isn't well distributed you will have hot spots where the granola will cook faster {read: burn!}, so stir well past the point that you think you need to here.  

Using additional baking sheets, or even foil, cover the pans and allow them to sit out on the counter with the granola mixture. Leave for at least 4 hours, or even overnight to ferment. 

Bake on two large parchment-lined baking sheets at 325 degrees for 30 minutes,  stirring halfway through the cooking. Cool and add the chocolate chips, and dried cranberries, if desired.