{Recipe} homemade granola

This is my favorite granola recipe with the perfect balance of sweet and salty. This energy-booster is packed with oats, nuts, and seeds, and can be served as a snack or for breakfast with yogurt and fresh fruit.


Recipe*
Yield: makes approximately 8 cups; ~32 (1/4-cup) servings

Ingredients
4 1/2 cups oats
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1 cup raw almonds
2/3 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
2/3 cup sunflower seeds
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup raisins

Directions
Heat oven to 300 degrees.

Mix oats, ground flaxseeds, nuts and seeds, salt, cinnamon, ginger in a large mixing bowl.

Heat honey, oil, and brown sugar in the microwave or in a small saucepan on the stove, stirring until sugar dissolves.

Add honey mixture to oat/nut mixture and toss to coat. Spread out evenly on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes or until just getting golden brown. Keep an eye on the oven because the granola can quickly go from perfect to "burned."

Let mixture cool once out of the oven. Stir raisins into granola in a large bowl.

Store in an airtight container. Granola may stick together a bit--no problem--just shake container or break up stuck-together pieces by hand.

Nutrition
This granola is packed with fiber and nutrient-rich whole grain oats and healthy fats from the nuts, seeds, olive oil, and flax. It IS granola, though, so will be energy-dense. Just measure out your portion and enjoy each bite mindfully!

Each 1/4-cup serving contains 153 calories.

Pro Tips
I keep a 1/4 cup measuring cup right in the granola container--makes portion control a cinch.

*Recipe variation: you can leave out the honey, oil, brown sugar, and skip the baking for a delicious muesli. I alternate versions regularly.


Enjoy!