My Basic Granola Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup of a sweetener (maple syrup, sugar, brown sugar, honey, or a combo)
1/2 cup of a neutral oil (avocado, vegetable, coconut, or canola)
1/2 t salt
2 cups of chopped nuts
5 cups of whole oats

(Optional) 2 teaspoons of vanilla and/or 2 teaspoons of cinnamon

(Optional add-ins) chia seeds, ground flax, hemp hearts, and/or sunflower seeds

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 325F.

Combine the sweetner(s), oil, salt, and vanilla/cinnamon in a bowl. Add the chopped nuts and mix. Add the oats and thoroughly mix until everything is combined (takes a couple minutes).

Spread the granola mix onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment. Using the back of a spatula press the mixture firmly, this helps create big granola chunks after. Bake the granola 40-45 minutes. Let cool completely, and then break up into pieces. Store in an air tight container.

NOTE: I do like to add dried fruit but I prefer to mix them in with the granola after it bakes and cools. I find the dried fruit gets too hard if baked with the granola.