Cinnamon Roasted Nutty Granola

I made some really delicious granola this morning and thought I should share the recipe with bloggy land. Not the best picture, I know, but the recipe is great!

1. First make the cinnamon roasted almonds. Mix 1 egg white with a tsp of water and whisk until frothy. Add in 1-2 Tbsp of brown sugar, 1-2 Tbsp of white sugar, a half tsp of salt and 3 Tbsp of Cinnamon. Stir together until the almonds are evenly coated.

2. Pour mixture out onto a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread out into an even layer. Bake @ 300 for 1 hour, stirring every 15 mins or so.

While the almonds are roasting...

3. In a large bowl mix together 2 C old fashioned rolled oats and 1 C flaked unsweetened coconut. Add in 3 Tbsp oil and 3 Tbsp honey. * I like to add in a Tbsp oil and then a Tbsp of honey alternating because that way the honey just slides out of the spoon.

4. Pour mixture out onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake @ 300 for about 30 mins stirring a couple of times during the baking process.

While the almonds and the granola finish off...

5. In the large bowl you used to mix up the oats and coconut, mix together 1/2 C rasins, 1/2 C dried cranberries and 1/2 C flax meal.

6. When the almonds are done pour half of the mixture into a bowl *you can keep these around as a snack (not that they will last long!) or package them up in cute cello baggies for your friends! Take the other half of the almonds and roughly chop them up on a large cutting board. Throw these into the bowl with the dried fruit mixture. When the granola is done toasting pour that into the big bowl too. Stir all of the ingredients together so that they are well combined.

Enjoy this granola on top of some greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey, on top of some cottage cheese, with some keifer or your favorite milk! Makes a delicious topping for ice cream or just a great snack! The thing I love about granola is that it is totally adaptable. You can add in whatever dried fruits you like rather than the rasins and dried cranberries, diced dried apricots or dried cherries perhaps? Or try to make the cinnamon roasted almonds with a different nut, I think pecans would be amazing. You could also throw in other stuff you like such as mini chocolate chips, yogurt chips, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds... the combinations are endless. Try making some granola today!