"Hearty" Granola

Replace the boxed cereal in your cupboard with toasty homemade granola!  This one satisfies hunger and heart health. It's easy to customize into your own perfect fit for a daily "hearty" breakfast.

Yield: 8 cups, 16 servings

Ingredients:

• 5 c quick oats
• 1/2-1 c coconut
• 1 c walnuts or pecans, chopped or blended fine, or sunflower seeds
• 3/4 c honey
• 1/4 c oil
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t salt

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350.  In a large bowl, mix oats, coconut, nuts, and cinnamon. 
2. In a small saucepan over med heat, bring honey and oil to boil. Alternatively, pour these ingredients in a microwave save bowl and heat until bubbling, ~ 2 min.
3. Pour over dry ingredients.  Mix well, then spread onto a cookie sheet.  
4. Bake 10 min, stir.  Bake 10 min more.  Stir again immediately from oven. Let cool ~20 min before transferring to airtight storage container. 
5. Serve with yogurt, milk, apple sauce, or munch on it plain.  For an extra treat, sweeten your serving with dried fruit, frozen berries, fresh fruit, honey, jam, or apple butter.  The possibilities are endless! 
6. My personal favorite is this layered bowlful: 2 big scoops plain yogurt, cover amply with granola, slice 1/2 banana over top, sprinkle with favorite frozen berries (blueberries or cranberries will fit the bill), and top with just enough milk to douse the crunch. Enjoy!!

Cocoa-nola 

Try this recipe with a chocolate twist (original recipe from food52).

Ingredients:

• 3 c quick oats
• 1/2-1 c coconut
• 3 c walnuts and/or almonds (chopped or whole)
• 3/4 c honey
• 1/4 c oil
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t salt
• 2 beaten eggs, optional
• 1 c dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 c cocoa nibs 

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350. Mix the first 7 ingredients, then add eggs into the mixture. Follow steps above for baking.
2. When granola is done baking, remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips and nibs over hot granola. Let soften for 5-10 minutes.
3. Gently mix melting chocolate chips into granola. Let cool on cookie sheet at least 3 hours, or until chocolate has solidified, before storing. Enjoy!