Are you a granola lover? (Oatmeal’s crunchy cousin!) I love anything made with oats so naturally, I love granola too! I could eat it all day, every day.

Typically I toss granola in my afternoon yogurt. By 3 pm I’m feeling pretty tired and I need something to fuel me so I can keep chasing kids.

With rising food costs I’ve been looking for ways to save money. So I’ve started making granola. I’m not sure I’m saving any money though as I tend to eat a lot of it when it first comes out of the oven, it’s so yummy!

It’s not just about saving a few cents though, I also like being able to change it up and add different ingredients. If I’m feeling peanut butter, I’ll throw it in, because I can!

And it’s so easy to make. My favourite kind of recipe. Easier than running to the store to grab a new box. Microwave a few ingredients, mix with your oats and toss on a pan. Bakes in the oven and makes your house smell heavenly.

I have been working on this recipe for a while. My oven is giving me a run for my money but I think I have it figured out.

The trick is that you don’t want to overbake the granola. It hardens as it cools so don’t be fooled if it seems underdone. I’ve made this mistake and while I still ate it, I wasn’t a fan of the overdone taste.

Other than that this granola is sure to hit the spot for breakfast or a snack! Your kids will love it too (if you let them eat it).

Easy Homemade Granola

Ingredients

• 3 cups oats (instant or rolled)
• 3-4 TBSP brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 3-4 TBSP honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a medium sized bowl mix oats, brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In a microwave safe bowl (I use a glass measuring cup), melt the coconut oil and honey until it is completely liquid. Stir in vanilla.
4. Pour mixture over oats and stir until they are well coated.
5. Spread in an even layer on the baking sheet.
6. Bake for 26-30 minutes. Turning halfway through. If you prefer smaller chunks of granola, stir it when you turn your baking sheet.
7. Granola is done when it is lightly browned and fragrant. Do not over-bake.
8. Let granola cool on pan and then transfer to a container and seal tightly.

Notes: Sometimes I do half coconut oil and half peanut butter for a different flavour.

I’ve done this recipe with instant and rolled oats and there isn’t much of a difference. I prefer instant oats.

You can reduce the oats by half a cup and substitute shredded coconut.

I’ve also tossed in 1/4 cup of almond flour for extra protein.

This granola will keep for about a week on the counter in a sealed container (if it lasts that long!)