Simple Homemade Granola

You will never buy packaged granola ever again after you make Simple Homemade Granola.  

All though, there  is a ton of variation you can make, the basic ingredients are the same.  The basic ingredients are cereals like oats, sweeteners such as brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey, and then you have some fats like butter or oils.  Then add anything you like to  give it some deliciousness and nutrition, like different seeds, dried fruit and wheat germ.

The possibilities are endless, as they say.

My favorite way to eat granola is in a Yogurt Breakfast Trifle. A breakfast trifle is simply layered fruit, yogurt, and granola.

Why wait for breakfast.  Yogurt trifles can be enjoy any time of the day for a dessert or what about an after school snack.  Once my family gets their  hands in the granola, it so hard for them to stop eating it, so I make sure I keep the ingredients on hand in the pantry.

One thing I have learned is that I can put a batch in the oven and cook it for 10 or 15 minutes and then turn the oven off and leave it in there overnight. It solves the problem of my inpatients to constantly check the oven.

We have decided that we like the dried fruit added after the granola comes out of the oven instead of baking it with the granola. 

Simple Homemade Granola

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of coconut oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups old fashioned oats
2 tablespoons flax seed
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
2 cups dried triple berries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.  

In a large sauce pan, heat coconut oil, butter, brown sugar, and honey over medium heat until butter and coconut oil is melted and well incorporated with the sugar.  Stir in vanilla; set aside.  

In a large bowl, combine oats, flax seed, pumpkin seed, almonds, and pecans.  Toss all together until well mixed.  Pour syrup mixture over the oat mixture and mix until well coated.  

Pour mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and spread out evenly.  Bake for 10-15 minutes.  Turn off oven and let set for 6-8 hours in oven.  Break cooled granola apart and add the dried fruit.