Homemade Granola

My favorite recipes are the ones that are easy, healthy, and of course taste good.  My mom passed this easy granola recipe on to me recently.

As a family where both myself and all 3 kids eat granola we can go through those small boxes really quickly. I like that this recipe makes a large amount so that I am not frequently stuck in the kitchen.

Here's the recipe.  I have doubled it, so if you are making it for 1-2 people you can either cut the recipe in half, or freeze half of it to use when you have eaten the first bit of it.

Granola

8 cups of regular rolled oats (Not the quick cooking ones but the other container sold right next to it.)
2 cups of shredded coconut
2 cups of sliced almonds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil or organic canola oil, plus more for greasing the pan
1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
2 tsp. cinnamon
3 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups raisins and/ or dried cranberries

If you don't have all the ingredients don't worry about it.  This is a recipe with lots of room for variation.  Just use what you have and enjoy trying different things.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Mix the oats, coconut, sunflower seeds, and almonds in a large 9x13 baking pan that has been greased with the oil.

In a sauce pan bring the coconut oil, sugar, cinnamon, and honey just to a boil, then remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract.  Mix this with the oats.

Stir gently until it has all been lightly coated.  The oats will appear barely moist.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and then stir the mixture to help with even toasting.  Put back into the oven for 10 more minutes then stir again.  Do this one more time (about 35 minutes total) and your granola should be done.  If it looks like it needs a little more time stir it and give it 5-10 more minutes, being careful not to over cook it.

Once removed from the oven you can mix in the raisins or dried cranberries.  Enjoy the taste, and how the delicious smell lingers in the house for hours!