Homemade Granola

Although I love to browse the granola section at Sprouts Farmer's Market, where you can find toffee almond crunch, vanilla granola, and strawberries and cream, I decided to take granola into my own hands and create my own mix with nuts, dried fruit, and oats.

Fruity Coconut Granola


Ingredients:

• 3 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cups almonds, sliced or chopped
• 1/2 cup wheat germ
• 1/2 cup total dried ingredients (think a mixture of flax seed, chia seed, coconut, vanilla protein powder)
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tbsp. vanilla or almond extract
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (canola oil would work fine as well)
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/2 cup dried berries (I used cranberries and mangos)

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. 

In a large bowl, mix together the oats, almonds, wheat germ, dry ingredient mix, sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.

Heat the oil over medium heat on the stove. Then add the honey and mix into the hot oil. Add your extract of choice to the oil and honey. When heated through, add to the bowl of dry ingredients. Mix together until everything is coated with the oil mixture.

Spread onto a baking sheet and cook for 10-15 minutes, keeping an eye on it to make sure it turns golden brown, but careful not to burn.

Let it cool before adding the dried fruit. Mix. Store in an airtight container. Use to serve over yogurt, with fresh fruit, or just as a quick snack on the go.