Homemade Granola

After watching Damaris Phillips's (the new Food Network star) show, I was inspired to try out her granola recipe! I love cinnamon and it just looked and sounded so good! Serve with some Greek yogurt and fresh fruit and you will be in for a treat! After having tried the recipe myself, I think I would substitute the peanuts with slivered almonds next time because I found the peanut flavor to be too prominent. Do not be afraid to adjust the recipe to your liking by adding or omitting ingredients. I generously added the cinnamon, raisins, cranberries, and coconut. It is also important to note that if you use a dark baking sheet, this will bake much faster. In my case, I used a dark baking sheet, so that is what this direction is specifically for. Enjoy!

Yields: 5 cups of granola

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup peanuts or slivered almonds, chopped
3/8 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/8 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup unsweetened or sweetened coconut

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

2. Combine the oats, pecans, sunflower seeds, and peanuts/slivered almonds in a large bowl.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine the sugar, honey, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and 1/8 cup water until smooth.

                  

Pour the liquid mixture over the oat mix and stir until combined. Pour onto a baking sheet and spread evenly.

3. Bake for 25-30 minutes on second lowest rack and stir halfway through to allow for even browning. Raise the oven temperature to 300 degrees F and continue to bake until golden brown, 10-15 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on it as it can burn easily!

4. Pour the cooked oat mixture into a large bowl and stir in the raisin, cranberries, and coconut. Let cool. The granola will keep in an airtight container at room temperature in a cool dry place for up to 3 weeks.