Homemade Granola

This is our new favorite snack! I have been trying to get into healthier eating/cooking habits for me and my family. I was looking for recipes for healthy snacks and I came across a granola recipe. I thought, hhmmm, that might work. So the problem with the granola you buy at the store is that most of it is high in fat, calories and sugar. The other problem, not that I am a freak about organic eating (because I am not at all!), is that it has high fructose corn syrup and a bunch of "processed junk" in it. Anyway I thought i would give it a whirl. I research probably two dozen recipes. I wasn't sold on any of them, so I con-cocked my own cocktail of deliciousness. Here it goes.

Homemade Granola

4 cups of old fashion (rolled) oats
1 cup of sliced/crushed almonds
2 T of virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup of honey
1 T of vanilla extract
1 T of cinnamon
3/4 cup of flaxseed
3/4 cup of wheat germ
1/4 cup of brown sugar
3/4 cup of natural applesauce

Pre heat the oven to 275

I could not find, and didn't want to go more than one store for ingredients, sliced almonds. So I bought this nut crusher for $6 at dierbergs. So first I crushed my almonds. I liked them extra fine so I ran them through several times

Then add and mix all dry ingredients to a large bowl. This would include oats, almonds, cinnamon, flaxseed, and wheat germ.

In a separate bowl add and mix all remaining ingredients. If you choose to use coconut oil ( I like the added flavor) you must melt it down to be able to mix it because it is solid at room temperature. I just zapped it in the microwave for 30 seconds, until it is liquid. I would suggest adding this last because as time passes it will start to turn back to a solid, making it more difficult to mix. You can substitute any other oil you have on hand, or just omit it completely (less calories/fat!). The applesauce will cover any need for oil in the recipe. Like I said, I like it for the flavor.

Add your wet ingredients to the large bowl of dry ingredients and stir well

Spread mixture on to a ungreased cookie sheet and place in oven for 10 minutes

After 10 minute remove, and stir mixture

Put back in the oven for an additional 10 minutes

Remove from oven and remove granola from cookie sheet immediately (other wise you will be scraping your pan for a LONG time)

Let cool granola cool completely before storing in Ziploc bags.

Granola is great with raisins, fresh fruit, yogert, I even ate it as cereal one morning for breakfast. Sunshine prefers it dry and plain! This is a great source of protein, fiber, and omega 3.

Happy (healthly) toddler approved!