Honey Almond Granola

Honey Almond Granola

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. "Why?" you might ask. Because it is the only meal where sweets are considered acceptable to eat as a main course. French toast, pancakes, cinnamon rolls, toast with nutella, granola, the list goes on and on. Although I do try to reserve french toast and cinnamon rolls for special occasions (nutella is always ok), there is no better way to start the day than with a delicious bowl of homemade granola. The crunch, the sweetness, the toasted coconut. Ah yes, with the perfect ingredients, granola can be quite the treat! And the best part is, if you make it yourself you can determine exactly what goes in it. How much sugar, how much fat.... it's all up to you!

I've been attempting homemade granola for quite some time now. With each attempt I am always pleased, yet there often seems to be something missing. Not enough crunch, too sweet, or the dried berries are too crunchy. It was not until I fiddled around with a few different recipes, that I finally stumbled upon the most magnificent, the most delectable granola you will ever try. So good that I may just be eating it in handfuls as I type this out (truth). So here you go ladies and gentlemen. The granola you have all been waiting for... (drum roll please).... the world's greatest Honey Almond granola! Ok, enough with the silliness. But still, it is pretty dang good. Go ahead, give it a whirl, and taste what you have been missing. Enjoy!

Honey Almond Granola 

~makes 6-8 cups~

Ingredients:
~ 3 cups rolled oats
~ 2 cups chopped almonds
~ 2 cups coconut flakes
~ 1/4 cup flax seeds
~ 2 Tbsp evaporated cane juice sugar (or brown sugar)
~ 1 tsp sea salt
~1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
~ 1/2 cup honey
~1/4 cup olive oil
~ 1 large egg white, beaten
~ 1 cup dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, etc) 

Combine wet and dry ingredients in large bowl

Preheat oven to 300 F. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix until combined. Add in wet ingredients and toss until mixture is fully coated. Spread granola out in 1-2 large rimmed baking sheets.

Spread granola mixture in rimmed baking sheet

Bake granola for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown. Toss the mixture every 10 minutes to make sure it all cooks evenly. The color of the coconut flakes is a good indicator of readiness. Once the coconut flakes are deep golden brown, the granola should be done. Let cool for 20 minutes. As the granola cools, it will harden. Break apart granola in a large bowl, add in dried fruit and store in an airtight container.

Best served with yogurt or milk!

Food for thought:
~  Granola has always been considered a 'healthy' breakfast. Unfortunately most store-bought granola is not that healthy for you, as it is high in calories, fat, and sugar. If you look at the ingredients of store-bought granola you will notice that for most types the second ingredient is some form of sugar. Also high up on the list will be vegetable or palm oil. Although each homemade recipe will differ, most do not contain as much sugar or fat as their store-bought counterpart. If you are looking to limit your sugar or fat consumption, the nice thing about making your own granola is that you are able to do so. You can also choose which types of sugar (or oil) you want to add, without sacrificing the taste.