My Favorite Granola

I realize that granola is already vegan, but after making a batch today, I couldn't pass up sharing this recipe with you. It is a very versatile recipe, which yields itself to fun experimentation. I've made date-pecan, cranberry-orange, cinnamon-coconut-raisin, and cherry-almond variations. It's not "clumpy" so if you're looking for that consistency, you will be disappointed.

Ingredients:

8 cups rolled oats

2 cups flaked coconut, unsweetened

2 cups sliced almonds

1 cup brown sugar

4 tsp. cinnamon

2 cups dried cherries, coarsely chopped

1/3 cup oil, emulsified in 2/3 cup water (to make 1 cup liquid)

Instructions:

Mix dry ingredients (except cherries) in medium bowl. In a large glass measuring cup (or small bowl) mix oil and water together. Pour enough of the wet mixture over the dry ingredients to dampen and mix all together. Pour onto cookie sheet and bake for approximately 30 minutes (or until golden brown) at 300 degrees. Check frequently to make sure it does not burn. Add the chopped cherries after you have removed the granola from the oven. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container.

Like I said, you can adapt this recipe to suit your tastes. Instead of using almonds, you could use pecans or walnuts. You could substitute craisins or raisins for the cherries and omit the coconut.

This is one of our favorite breakfasts. My daughter and I ate granola and yogurt every morning for about a month. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!