Homemade Nutty Granola

For breakfast during the work week, I like to have blueberries with greek yogurt topped with granola. MMMM. However, store bought granola has so many added oils and sugars. I've been searching the web for a "healthy" granola recipe for quite sometime. I knew I wanted lots of raisins and very little oil (I don't like to start the day off with empty calories). I was surprised that I couldn't really find what I was looking for. So I compiled a couple different recipes and came up with my personal favorite, which I'm calling Nutty Homemade Granola.

And I don't think I'm ever going to buy generic granola again because it was so easy to make!

Nutty Granola Recipe

6 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup roughly chopped roasted pecans
1 cup roughly chopped almonds
1 cup large coconut flakes
1/4 cup flax seeds
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup honey
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup refined coconut oil 
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups raisins
1 cup dates, chopped

Preheat oven to 300°F. 

Line an 18 by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set pan aside. In large bowl, toss together oats, nuts , flax seeds, spices and salt.

Combine coconut, maple syrup and honey in a microwave safe bowl. Warm mixture until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Gently stir the mixture frequently.  Add vanilla extract. Stir to combine. 

Pour sugar-mixture over oat-mixture. Stir with a wood spoon to combine. At first, the granola will be thick and sticky. Continue stirring, breaking up any lumps of sugar/oats with the back of the wooden spoon, until the honey mixture is evenly distributed.  Stir in fruit and mix well to combine.

Press mixture very firmly into prepared pan. Bake until golden brown and aromatic, about 30-45 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Add raisins and dates. Immediately break granola into pieces.  Allow granola to cool. Store granola in a covered container.

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