Good-For-You Granola

This is a vegan granola recipe with added protein from hemp powder and flax seeds. It's a basic recipe with lots of room for alterations and additions- you can add different chopped nuts, dried fruits, and other seasonings like ground clove or ginger. I usually add more hemp powder, as I hardly notice the flavor.

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 12-15
• Yields: 8 cups

Ingredients

• 1⁄3 cup brown sugar
• 1⁄4 cup applesauce
• 1⁄4 cup ground flax seeds
• 1⁄4 cup  ground  hemp seeds
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  almond extract
• 2  teaspoons maple syrup (or honey or agave nectar)
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1⁄2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1⁄2 cup  pumpkin seeds
• 5  cups old fashioned oats, uncooked
• 2⁄3 cup  dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, cherries)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Combine all ingredients except the dried fruits.
3. Spread onto baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, until the granola along the edges of the sheet starts to toast.
4. Use a spatula to move the toasted granola away from the edge and re-spread the mix in the pan.
5. Bake for another 8-10 minutes, or until toasted to your taste.
6. Add dried fruit.