Granola is a food group I eat often. I eat it most days sprinkled on yogurt or I sometimes just snack on it throughout the day. 

It is just so dang expensive! As I was putting oatmeal in my shopping cart the other day, a lightbulb went on... why don't I just make it myself! 

I have all the ingredients at home already - and I know exactly what is going into it. I don't bother much with calories or points or sugar content. What matters to me is that I am putting in whole ingredients that support a healthy diet and make choices based on that.

This recipe has fiber, protein and good sugars found in honey and maple syrup, not brown sugar.

I did base my recipe off of some I found online for guidance with measurements and went rogue from there!

It ONLY resembles birdseed because I grind mine up a bit to reduce the big grains of oatmeal. You wouldn't have to grind it like birdseed, believe me!

I think its perfectly sweet with honey and/or maple syrup which really helps to bind it together in the second half of baking. I do like when the chunks hold together so I can eat those on the go.

And one final word - this recipe is totally flexible! If you don't like the nuts, or the berries, substitute what you love like walnuts, pistachios, dried apricots or raisins.

Total time 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1.5 cups oatmeal
1/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins or both (optional)
1 Tablespoon chai seeds
1/8 cup flaxseed
1/2 cup Two Bees & A Bud honey
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon coconut oil
dash of vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon or more to taste
1/4 tsp salt

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Rinse quinoa and pat dry.

Place a silpat on baking sheet or spray with oil.

Place quinoa, oats, pecans and almonds on baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.

While that is baking, in a big bowl, add the rest of your ingredients and stir.

Remove baking sheet from oven.

This step is optional: Pour half of the sheet pan ingredients in a food processor and pulse one or two times to break up the large pieces. I find this step helps bind everything together in the second baking which makes for bigger chunks.

Pour all ingredients into bowl and stir well.

Dump bowl ingredients onto the sheet pan and bake another 6-10 minutes, watching to see it does not burn.

Remove from oven and let sit until cool. Put cooled ingredients in glass container or ziploc in pantry for up to 3 weeks.

Let me know how you enjoy it!