Delicious, Healthy Granola

ATTENTION!!WARNING!!BEWARE!!ATTENTION!!WARNING!!BEWARE!!ATTENTION!!WARNING!!BEWARE!!ATTENTION!!WARNING!!BEWARE!!ATTENTION!!!!!

THIS STUFF IS EXTREMELY ADDICTIVE!!!!!!!!

Okay, so don't say that I didn't give you fair warning :)! I have been making this granola for about twenty years now and everyone who has a taste can't stop with just a small portion (or even a medium size portion....)! I've tweaked it here and there and have made a few changes to make it even more nutritious. I love the fact that the recipe only calls for one quarter cup of oil and is still incredibly delicious. 

Feel free to add any type of dried fruit after baking to give it your own special twist. I have used dried pineapple, mango, cherries and banana chips instead of the traditional raisins or craisins. Depending on my mood, I might add a bit of almond or coconut extract and in autumn, pumpkin pie spice is wonderful! 

Oh, and did I tell you it was addictive......???!?

P.S. One of our favorite snacks is sliced apples or bananas, spread with peanut or almond butter and then coated with this yummy granola - sweet, crunchy, healthy and insanely good!

A delicious breakfast; vanilla Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, Delicious, Healthy Granola and a yummy sauce made from combining Blueberry Curd and Strawberry-Pineapple Freezer Jam,

half of each......YUM!!!!

Delicious, Healthy Granola 

3 cups (scant) rolled oats, old fashioned

1 cup sliced almonds, also delicious with chopped pecans, walnuts or macadamia nuts

½ cup sesame seeds

¼ cup ground flax seeds, * see note

½ cup shredded coconut

½ teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons brown sugar

¼ cup pure maple syrup

3 tablespoons agave nectar/syrup (or honey)

¼ cup canola oil

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon vanilla

1. Whisk together brown sugar, syrup, agave nectar, oil, salt, and vanilla. Add almonds and stir to coat. 
2. Mix together oats, sesame seeds, flax, and coconut in a large bowl. Pour liquid over dry ingredients and stir until well combined. 
3. Lightly oil a large baking sheet. Spread mixture our evenly onto pan. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour and 25 minutes or until nicely golden brown. 
4. Let mixture cool and break up a bit (we like it chunky but if you like if finer, just stir the mixture right after if comes out of the oven). 
5. Add raisins and/or other dried fruit after cooling. Store in an airtight container.

A few notes:

- I usually double this recipe so I'll have plenty for our use and for small gifts for friends (or for when my grown kids "rob" me, hehe!). If doubling, use two sheet pans and rotate in oven half way thru baking.

- Sometimes I add wheat germ to this recipe - you really don't taste the difference but it becomes even more nutritious.

- I freeze this granola is small containers. When you take it out of the freezer, it's exactly as if you just made it!

- *Be sure to use ground flax seeds. I used to use the whole seeds, but found out that you lose much of the nutritional value as the seeds are not absorbed as well as the ground flax.

PRINTABLE RECIPE