Granola

Everybody loves granola. You can't not love granola. Right? It's sweet and crunchy and often associated with the 60's movement of peace, love, and health food (yeah, totally, man!). But here's the thing: granola is an awesome way to start your day. Usually consisting of rolled oats, nuts, dried fruits, some spices and natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup. The fiber in the oats aid with your digestion and get your metabolism (and your bowels) going, while the fruits and nuts provide lots of essential vitamins and minerals to keep your immune system up and running strong. I eat my granola with yogurt (Greek yogurt!! yumm) and sliced bananas or strawberries or blueberries if I have them. You can also turn granola into cookies and granola bars.

Be weary of which brand of granola you choose - check out the ingredients and make sure you can pronouce them all, and check the sugar content also. Contrary to popular belief, granola is quite simple to make, much cheaper than buying it from the store, AND makes a really great gift when put into mason jars and tied with a pretty ribbon :)

Here is one of my favorite granola recipes.

Ingredients:
6 cups rolled oats (not instant or quick-cooking)
1 cup almonds
1/2 cup pistachios
1/2 cup walnuts
1 cup dried, unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup dried blueberries
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Spray 2 large baking sheets with nonstick spray OR line with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix everything except the honey, syrup and dried berries.

Combine the honey and maple syrup in a small saucepan and bring to simmer over medium heat. Pour the heated liquid over the oat mixture, stir and toss until everything is mixed well.

Spread granola on the baking sheets and bake for about 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through.

When granola is cooled completely, add the dried berries.

Be advised: I know the ingredient list looks intimidating. Of course you may use whatever combination of nuts, fruits and spices you want! There are tons of ways to make a great batch of granola tailored to your liking. Experiment with brown sugar, butter, dried banana or apple, or spices like cardamom and even cayenne pepper!

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