Granola

This recipe from my friend Michele G.. One thing about having a large family is the need to have fast, easy and healthy snacks on hand for the younger and more active children. Granola is one of my go-to foods as long as the cows are in milk.

• Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 5 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup wheat germ
• 1/2 cup coconut flakes
• 2 cup nuts and seeds (chopped walnuts, almonds, pecans, flax seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds. Any mixture of these. )
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp nutmeg powder
• 2 tsp sea salt

Granola Syrup

• 1 1/4 cup coconut oil (or butter)
• 1 cup honey (or maple syrup or brown sugar or a mixture of these.)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Chop nuts if necessary. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Heat syrup ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat until melted, and stir to combine.
4. Pour syrup over dry granola, and stir with a large spoon until thoroughly mixed.
5. Spread evenly, 1/2 inch thick, on a cookie sheet and bake at 300 degrees for about 15 minutes. Stir and turn evenly, and bake again for another 10 - 15 minutes until lightly browned.
6. Remove browned granola from pan and into large stainless bowl to cool. Stir occasionally. As it cools it will harden. When the granola is cooled to room temperature you can store it in an airtight container or serve it with cold milk, or yogurt and fresh fruit.