The Best Homemade Granola

Breakfast has to be my favorite meal of the day...along with lunch and dinner. I really love making breakfast and I love eating it. I can't understand how some people don't eat it! You know who you are!!

It is the most important meal of the day.

If you are trying to lose weight and think skipping breakfast will help, you are wrong. Breakfast helps speed your metabolism; just so you know.

Breakfast really means breaking the fast after going a whole night without eating, unless you are one of those midnight snackers.

 At our house pancakes are definitely on the top of the list, but we also love granola.  Granola in milk, with yogurt or for making into granola bars.

I never even knew you could make granola till a couple of years ago. Boy was I missing out. It is so much better than store bought and you know exactly what is in yours. There are many different kinds of granola you can make but I have found one that suits us perfectly.

The first time I made granola, I followed the recipe precisely and it came out burnt. Don't you hate it when you try so hard to make something and just doesn't come out right?

 I do, I can't stand it!

I have actually shed tears of disappointment over my many failed attempts.  But the saying, " If at first you don't succeed, try, try again," Is true! I came to realize that just because you follow the recipe to the T, doesn't mean it will always turn out.

As I have been learning to cook and bake knew things, I have found that you have to start being able to judge things for yourself. Like if the recipe says keep it in for 45 minutes but it starts to burn at 30 minutes...don't leave it in for the next 15 minutes!!!

I have found what works best for me, but don't be afraid to find out what works best for you. Remember your oven or even your measuring cups may be different than mine.

All that being said here is the recipe:

Preheat oven to 340 F.

Ingredients

*1/2 cup of oil ( I prefer coconut oil, it is the best for you and smells amazing! I get mine from vitacost.com if you spend over $49 on their products you can get free shipping.)

*2/3 cup of honey( preferably local, raw again is better for you, we happen to keep our own bees, but there are plenty of places you can find locally to buy raw honey.)
*2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
*1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
*1 cup sliced almonds( or any nut you like) optional
*4 cups old fashioned oats, uncooked
*Dried fruit if desired. I like dried cranberries, apricots and dried cherries

Directions

1.In large bowl whisk honey, oil, vanilla and cinnamon until blended.
2. Add oats, coconut and nuts to mixture;stir until coated
3. Spread out evenly onto baking sheets

4. Bake for 15-18 minutes, stirring twice during baking
5. Let cool completely before transferring to airtight container

 The granola may tend to stick to your pans while cooking so you might want to put aluminum foil down to save you the mess.

You can add whatever dried or fresh fruit you like, when you are ready to eat. I prefer dried cranberries and apricots. You can also easily double the recipe. It will last for quite a while if you store it in an airtight container, but in my house it doesn't last long. I usually make 2 batches every other week. If your family isn't big on granola but loves granola bars this will make a granola lover out of anyone:
- Melt 4Tbs of butter in a pan add 1/2 peanut butter and 1 bag of mini marshmallows and add to 4-6 cups of granola. Spread in a buttered 9x11 baking dish and let cool. Walla...peanut-butter granola bars..Yum!

I also love this granola bar recipe from The Barefoot Contessa:

Once you start making your own, I don't think you will ever go back...I haven't.