Mom's Simple Granola

Hadice's Note:

My Mom literally makes this granola every other day. It barely makes it off the cookie sheet before it is gone. Great as a cereal with milk, as a snack, as a topping to yogurt, OR dare I say, a topping to create fruit crisp. I like to make mine with milk chocolate chips or dried cranberries, but you can add any extras you like!

• Total Time: 20 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 1 cookie ...

• 6 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 cup coconut
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 1/2-1 cup sliced almonds (or any nut of choice)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or almond extract or a combination of both)
• chocolate chips (optional)
• dried cranberries (optional)
• raisins (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix first seven ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.
3. In a glass measuring cup or bowl, microwave honey, oil and vanilla extract for one minute.
4. Pour honey mixture over dry ingredients.
5. Stir until mixture is well coated.
6. Spread into a lightly grease cookie sheet.
7. Bake for 8 minutes.
8. Stir granola and spread out again.
9. Bake an additional 6-7 minutes.
10. Cool completely.
11. Break up granola and add desired "extras" (chocolate, dried fruit).
12. Enjoy!

Reviews

[paynetamaz]

This is TERRIFIC!!!! I followed fairly close to the recipe with a couple minor exceptions. I used Butter in place of the oil, and I added about 2 T of maple syrup. This was needed because I processed about a cup of the oats in my blender so I could make some "nuggets" of granola. Also, my coconut is all natural and not sweetened. I love it and will be making this again and again. Couldn't even wait for it to cool, Had to have some on my yogurt for an afternoon snack! Thank you so much

[Cookgirl]

This was simple to make and I was able to use up odds and ends
of dried fruit and nuts. Took about 16 minutes to cook. Nuts/seeds added:
cashews, almonds, flax, sunflower, sesame. Fruit: cranberries, raisins, currants.
Added both vanilla and almond extracts. Used fresh local pear honey and
clover honey. Tastes delicious on a scoop of Nancy's whole milk yogurt. Reviewed for
Veg Tag/October.

[UmmBinat]

Taste is very good we ate ours with plain rice milk. Watch it I overcooked mine :( I used unsweetened coconut, dark brown sugar and a pinch allspice in replacement of the nutmeg because of its intoxicant properties, used the sliced almonds, did the melting/cooking on the stove not in a microwave using creamed honey, canola oil to be soy free and Halal vanilla paste in a bit less amount. Added dark Thompson raisins. I want to try this again for sure.