Granola (homemade)

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups old fashioned oats
  • 2 ½ cups combination of nuts and fruits (raw sliced almonds, peanuts, walnuts, chopped pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, raisins, dried bananas, dried pineapple)
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 Tbl. spice (cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, or a mixture of cardamom, ginger, cinnamon and cloves for a gingerbread taste)
  • 1/8 cup chia seeds
  • 1/8 cup flax seed
  • ¼ cup olive oil or coconut oil
  • ¼ cup + 2 Tbl. maple syrup, honey, agave, or sweetener of your choice
  • 1 ½ tsp. vanilla, almond, or your favorite extract

Directions:

  • Preheated the oven to 300°.
  • Line an edged pan with tin foil.
  • Mix granola, spices, nuts, dried fruit, chia seeds, and flaxseeds in a large bowl.
  • In a separate bowl or measuring cup, combine the oil, sweetener, and vanilla until it resembles a liquid caramel.
  • Add liquid to oatmeal mixture.
  • Mix until evenly distributed.
  • Spread out the granola evenly on the foil-lined pan. Press down.
  • Bake for about 30 minutes until it was lightly golden.

Yield: 7 cups (serving size – 1 cup)

Serving Suggestion:

 Calorie: 594