Granola

Granola is so easy to make, and it’s a good combination of “healthy” and “treat.”  This granola is great for breakfast or as a snack.  It’s a very flexible recipe, so you can mix and match whatever nuts, seeds, and dried fruits you like.  You can make a yummy yogurt parfait by layering plain yogurt sweetened with honey, fresh berries, and a scoop of granola.

3 cups rolled oats
1 ½ cups brown rice crisp cereal
1 cup unsweetened dried coconut
2 cups mixed nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc.)
1 cup dried fruit (raisins, apricots, dried cranberries, etc.)
½ tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup maple syrup
½ cup coconut oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.
2. Mix the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl.
3. In a small bowl, mix the liquid ingredients.
4. Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and stir together.
5. Place the mixture in a 9×13 inch baking dish and press down the granola evenly.  Bake for about an hour or until it begins to brown.
6. Put it on a rack to cool, and let it cool completely before removing the granola to store in an airtight container.

Homemade granola in a jar makes a wonderful holiday gift.

Price Breakdown
This recipe costs a total of $5.67.  It yields 9 cups of granola, or 12 servings of 3/4 cup each.  The cost per serving is $.47, which is a great deal for a nutritious, protein-packed real food breakfast.  Toss with some homemade Greek yogurt to get a good start to your day!