Granola

Mmm, last night I made granola.  I had been in the mood for it for awhile after enjoying a few boxes of Cascadian Farms granola with my yogurt.  I haven't made granola in a long time, but it was just as good as I remembered.  The coconut adds a wonderful subtle flavor that makes it stand out from other granola recipes.

Here is the recipe:

4 cups regular or quick oats
1/2 cup wheat germ (or ground flax seeds, oat bran, etc)
1 cup coconut
1 cup slivered almonds (optional - just add more oats if you omit this)
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup raisins (or other dried fruit)

Combine all ingredients, except raisins/dried fruit and mix until well blended.  Spread on a shallow baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown, stirring every 10 minutes.  Add dried fruit and stir.  Will continue to crisp as it cools.  Store in a sealed container.

One note: this is definitely not a low calorie recipe. You can try adjusting the oil if you want, but I have found the finished product to be not quite crispy enough when I've cut it down too much.

Enjoy!