Granola

This granola may not be the sweet type you are used to but it has amazing flavor!  It is free of added sugars but tastes great with a drizzle of local raw honey over it or you can enjoy it just the way it is. This recipe is easy to follow and very versatile so it can be easily adapted to your personal preferences.  

Ingredients: 

7 cups of old fashioned oats
11/2 cups of nuts
1/2 cup of raisins or dates
1/2 cup of sunflower seeds
2Tbsp of flax seeds
2 Tbsp of chia seeds
3 Tbsp of cinnamon
1/4 tsp of nutmeg
1/8 tsp of ginger
3 Tbsp of vanilla extract
11/2 cups unsweetened applesauce  

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 275˚.

2. In a large mixing bowl combine all the dry ingredients.

3. In another smaller mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Then add the wet to the dry and toss until the granola mixture is well coated. Use your hands and get dirty for best results. If the mixture seems to dry, you can add more applesauce but you want everything just coated, not soaking wet.

4. Spread the mixture evenly on rimmed baking sheets. You want the granola about ½ inch thick or so.

5. Bake the granola in the oven for about 40-50 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes so it browns evenly.

6. Once sufficiently dry, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the trays.

7. Once cool, store in a sealable container like a large mason jar.