This recipe is for some great tasting, and very healthy for you, home-made granola. Be prepared to have the smell of "Banana Bread" wafting through the house as you bake this and get ready for some awesome breakfasts (or anytime snacks).

Ingredients:

5 cups        Large rolled oats

1/4 cup       Sesame seeds

1/4 cup       Pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup       Sunflower seeds

1/2 cup       Almonds, sliced

1/4 cup       Chia seeds

1/4 cup         Cashews, pieces

2 tsp.        Cinnamon

2 tsp.          Pure Vanilla (or use a bit more extract)

1/4 cup       Maple syrup

4        Bananas (I thaw out frozen ones we usually have on hand)

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line glass baking containers with parchment paper.

Add all dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir to mix together.  Put the bananas, cinnamon, vanilla and maple syrup in another bowl and stir thoroughly (or blend) making sure you have a smooth paste.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix thoroughly making sure the dry ingredients are coated.  Loosely pat down granola in the glass containers, spreading the mixture thinly (less than 1/2 an inch) and evenly.

Put in the oven.  Check every 10 minutes to stir and break up the granola.  It takes approximately 20 minutes before the granola is dry enough to remove.  However, it depends on how crunchy you want it!  I usually leave the granola in for 30 minutes or more. Let it sit on the counter to cool before breaking it apart.

Once the mixture is ready, you can keep it all in a large airtight container.  This will last for about 2 weeks.  (but we never have it last that long!)  Great for travelling too!

My husband will put his almond mylk in a bowl with the granola and put it in the fridge overnight.  He likes his granola 'softer'. And, for a different taste, you can experiment with adding fruit too! I've had mine with blueberries.

Loreli loves to exercise and loves to eat too!  Her fitness company, Alter Ego Fitness Experience, offers Personal Training, Group Fitness (boot camp) and YogaFit training options.  She's very aware, due to personal experience, of the value of healthy food that not only nourishes the body, but also nourishes the mind and pleases the palate!

“One cannot think well, love well, or sleep well, if one has not dined well.”