I love granola!  Whenever I have yogurt for breakfast I sprinkle it with fresh blueberries and granola.  Sometimes I munch on it for a crunchy snack.  I have been buying organic granola for a while now and I thought it was about time to try and make my own.  It is so easy and really doesn’t take that long at all.  Plus it’s less expensive to make your own.

For this recipe I used cranberries and raisins, but you can add whatever dried fruit you like.  Seeds are also a welcome addition.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups rolled oats (I use organic certified gluten-free oats for gluten-free granola)
• 1 ½ cup raw nuts and/or seeds (I used sliced almonds)
• 1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt (if you’re using standard table salt, scale back to ¾ teaspoon)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup melted coconut oil
• ½ cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅔ cup organic dried fruit, chopped if large (1 used 1/3 cup cranberries and 1/3 cup raisins)
• 2/3 cup organic coconut flakes
• Totally optional additional mix-ins: 3/4 cup chocolate chips ( I make a separate batch for this and omit the dried fruit.)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, nuts, salt and cinnamon. Stir to blend.
2. Pour in the coconut oil, honey and vanilla. Mix well, until every oat and nut is lightly coated. Pour the granola onto your prepared pan and use a large spoon to spread it in an even layer. Bake until golden, about 21 to 23 minutes, stirring halfway. The granola will further crisp up as it cools.
3. Let the granola cool completely, undisturbed, before breaking it into pieces and stirring in the dried fruit (and totally optional chocolate chips).

After it is cooled completely, I transfer it to a bowl, break it into pieces and add my dried fruit and/or chocolate chips.  Here is the finished product! Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks, or in a sealed freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.