How to Make Your Own Granola - So Easy & Yummy!

Have you ever seen the price of granola in the stores?? It is expensive!! And I LOVE granola! So I found a recipe to make it on my own - for WAY cheaper & still just as good- if not better. Oh, and it's the easiest thing ever. It only takes 5-10 min to prepare.

Here is the Recipe: (I got it from a friend once, so I don't know who's recipe it is - sorry! I've also modified it a little to work better & be the kind of granola I like)

Granola

4 c oats

1/2 c water

1/4 c oil 

1 Tbsp vanilla

1 c brown sugar

cinnamon as wanted

1 tsp salt

sugar for sprinkling

*can add wheat germ or crushed flax seed for added texture & nutrition!

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. 

Put the oats in a bowl. 

Add water and oil, mix.

Add vanilla and brown sugar, mix.

I like mine a little more cinnamony so I usually add probably 1-2 tsp cinnamon. 

Add the salt, mix again.

I like my granola clumpy, so if it looks too dry at this point, don't be afraid to add a little oil and/or water until it will stick together a little better. I usually just drizzle it with a little water and a little oil. Are you loving my measurements here? :) 

Put the mixture on a cookie sheet (I put it on tin foil for easy clean up). 

Sprinkle with sugar. I don't like mine too sweet, so I actually don't do too much, if any.

I also like to push down on the oats with either the wooden spoon I mixed it all with or my hands to get it to stick together and clump a little more. 

Put in the oven for 30 min. 

Then use a flipper (spatula pancake flipper thing... what are those called?) and flip. I like to use the biggest flipper I have and try to keep the pieces together and clump as much as I can. The first time I made it I wasn't careful in my flipping and pretty much just stirred it around, and it wasn't clumpy, so it didn't turn out as well as I like it. It will come apart but try to be gentle in your flipping to actually flip it over.

Then bake it for 30 more min. 

Your house will smell soo yummy at this point! 

Let it cool and enjoy!!

Also, can I just add - Did you know oats count as a whole grain? This is totally healthy! There is no butter, shortening, etc. Mmm I love it. 

My serving suggestion: Eat it as cereal. Is that weird? I am totally NOT a cereal person, I never have been. I could count on one hand how many times I have cereal a year. EXCEPT... for when I make this! It is soo yummy. Just put it in a bowl of milk and enjoy the best cereal of your life! (And most healthy!)