granola

I do love me some homemade granola.  The storebought stuff is too sweet, too many chemicals, etc.

This is good and not too sweet, with lots of room for creativity and pantry emptying.  From here.  I especially like it with pecans and maple syrup.

Ingredients

• 2 cups raw, whole rolled oats (AKA old fashion oats), preferably organic
• 1 cup raw nuts or seeds, chopped
• 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup or raw honey (or a combo of both)
• 2 tablespoons oil
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or almond extract
• 1 large pinch fine sea salt
• ½ cup unsweetened dried fruit, chopped (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300º F.
2. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Use your clean hands to mix well and toss to coat; it will be sticky and messy but that's the fun part.
3. Spread the mixture in a thin layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 30 minutes, until lightly toasted.
4. Cool before serving or storing.
5. This granola can be kept in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks.