A Bowlful of Goodness

Everyone knows breakfast is the most important meal of the day. With that in mind, it makes sense to start the day with an added dose of goodness: whole-grains, nuts, dried fruit, and delicious taste. Homemade granola is a breeze to make and costs about 1/4 of the price of its store-bought counterpart. Here is my favorite recipe.

Crunchy Granola

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup water
4 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg and/or cinnamon (optional)
8 cups rolled oats (you can substitute other dry goods, such as flaxseed, for a portion of the oats)
2 cups chopped nuts (I like pecans and almonds)
1- 2 cups dried fruit (I like raisins, coconut, and dried cranberries)

Preheat oven to 275.
Spray two cookie sheets with cooking spray and set aside.

In a Pyrex 4-cup glass, mix brown sugar and water. Microwave on high for 5 minutes (or until sugar is completely dissolved). Remove from microwave and add vanilla, salt and spices.

In a large mixing bowl combine oats and nuts. Pour brown sugar mixture over dry ingredients and stir until oats are evenly moistened. Spread the granola onto the cookie sheets and bake for about 1 hour, stirring halfway through.

When mixture comes out of the oven it is still soft. Add the dry fruit immediately and stir. Granola will harden as it cools. Once completely cool, store in an airtight container.