Granola

Granola is a standard for me, I tweeked and tweeked until I got it to this recipe.  You really can't go wrong adding or removing anything from the lineup but this is the combination that I enjoy.   Adding or substituting other dried fruits, nuts, raisins will give it your special flavor.  Having tried different products but I came back to Old Fashioned Quaker Oats and  Ocean Spray Craisins, the other items I usually buy in bulk from a couple different local stores in our neighborhood.  You definitely want to use good quality products to get the best flavor.


Rolled Oats (this is the base so I use about 3 cups)
unsweetened coconut
sunflower seeds
almonds (sliced)
walnuts (chopped as finely as you like)
pecans  (chopped)
pumpkin seeds
wheat germ
ground flax
cinnamon
canola oil
honey or Blue Agave syrup


Mix in large bowl I don't measure just keep adding probably about 1/2-3/4 cups for everything after the oats.  Mix it well, then drizzle oil & honey over mixture stir again, drizzle both again & stir again.  Some clumping is good and you can squeeze mixture if you want more clumping.  Spread onto foil lined baking sheet and toast in oven at 300 for about 20 minutes don't over toast, I usually set timer for 10 min and stir mixture up a bit.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with following ingredients:
(I add these after toasting because the soy nuts get to crunchy and the cranberries get tough)


soy nuts
dried cranberries


Let mixture cool completely and store in air tight container.  I like to label the ziploc with the date since there are so many nuts in this mixture but rarely does this last long enough to go bad.  I enjoy it with milk on it and a cup of Darjeeling tea.  Mixing it with yogurt, sprinkle on ice cream or just straight like a trail mix are also ways we enjoy it.