Granola

Just the smell while baking makes making your own granola well worth it, it also allows you to customize it to fit your own tastes. My family does not like dried fruit in their granola, which to some seems crazy... I love to eat it straight from the tray soon after it comes out of the oven, yum !!

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

You can use a wide variety of nuts, grains and other stuff to make your granola tasty and healthy. Choose honey or maple syrup depending on the flavor you like. I found that adding a little brown sugar helps it to brown and adds to the flavor. You can leave it out and add a bit more honey or maple syrup. Don't worry if you don't have everything on this list, or if you don't like something, use what you have and what you like. You can double this recipe and use the slightly longer cooking time.

Mix together in a bowl:
2 cups rolled oats ( not the instant ones)
1/4 cup oat bran
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup flax seed meal
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup chopped or whole almonds
1/2 cup chopped or whole walnuts
1/2 cup chopped or whole pecans
2 tablespoons brown sugar

In a measuring cup mix together: 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup and 1/3 cup canola oil. Drizzle this mixture over the dry ingredients and combine well to coat the oats and nuts.


  

If the honey is very thick, heat it briefly( 20 seconds) with the oil in the microwave.

Spread thinly onto the baking sheet and place in the oven.
After 15 minutes, remove from the oven to stir the granola around, back into the oven for 5 more minutes if you are making a single batch, 10 more minutes for a double batch.
Watch it carefully in the last few minutes, this is when it can burn, a little darkness is OK though.

Once the granola has cooled add all your favorite dried fruits: apples, raisins, cranberries, cherries, currants, apricots, etc...
Use your granola to top your plain yogurt, add to your corn flakes or grapenuts, use it to top a fruit crisp or coffee cake, or eat it plain from the container as a snack !!
Store in an airtight container.