homemade granola

This is an easy granola recipe I got from my friend Holly.  I've made it several times now, with Hannah as the scoop dumper.  My husband used to eat sugary boxed cereals each morning, and my daughter followed his lead.  Now my whole family looks past the store-bought cereals and sits down to enjoy homemade granola together each morning.  They have quickly consumed the 12 cups of healthy goodness in just a few days and was looking for more.  This is an easy recipe to spice up or change once in a while.  May you enjoy it as much as we do.

in a large mixing bowl
6 cups raw oatmeal

1 cup coconut

1 cup chopped almonds or walnuts

1 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup flax seeds


in a saucepan

3 tbsp cinnamon

1 cup honey or molasses

1/2 cup coconut (or other) oil

3 tbsp vanilla

1.5 cups raisins or dried fruit (optional and after baking; my family likes the fruit; I don't.)

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix together honey, oil, and vanilla in a small pan on low heat.  Pour combined honey mixture over dry mixture.  Stir until thoroughly mixed.  Put in oblong cake pans (my double batch needs 4 pans) and bake at 350, stirring every 7 minutes to give even browning.  Add 1 1/2 cup dried fruit or raisins (optional).  Store in tightly covered container.  Makes 12 cups.

warming the honey, vanilla, and coconut oil

baked to perfection