Heavenly Granola

Can you think of a more delicious, quick breakfast or snack than granola? I love how versatile granola is. You can use it as a topper for your favorite yogurt, in a bowl with milk or straight out of a ziplock bag as a snack...YUM! And bonus, it’s healthy-ish. I mean there’s a little sugar and maple syrup but hey, that’s what makes it a sweet treat.

I once made this before going on a mission trip to Russia. I had heard that the food was going to be hit or miss, which was fine as it was a mission trip. But I thought it would be convenient to have on hand for a snack or for the plane ride. Boy, was I glad I made a big ole ziplock of this granola. I nibbled on it the entire trip and my fellow mission friends were a little jealous and had asked me where I got it!

I also used to make this all the time for my son when he was playing high school football and had EARLY morning practices. I’d make a yogurt parfait and he loved it! He even posted it on his Instagram!!!

My daughter in law, Madison, made this for her co-workers as a Christmas gift with the recipe attached to a cute mason jar and they were overjoyed at her thoughtful and delicious treat that they could duplicate in the future.

Feel free to change up the ingredients to suit your favorites or use whatever you have on hand.

Ingredients:

1 ¾ cups rolled oats

1 cup unsweetened coconut (chips or flakes)

1 cup slivered almonds or pecan pieces

½ cup pumpkin seeds

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup brown sugar

⅓ cup maple syrup

⅓ cup olive oil

¾ cup dried cherries (or your favorite dried fruit)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• In a large bowl combine the oats, coconut, nuts, seeds and salt together and set aside.

• In a small pot over low heat, warm the brown sugar, maple syrup and olive oil until the sugar is dissolved.

• Pour the syrup mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix well so that everything is well coated.

• Spread evenly onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Stir halfway through the baking process for even baking.

• Cool completely before adding dried fruit of choice to your toasted granola.

• Store in jars or containers for up to two weeks.