Nutty Granola

I have become obsessed with granola since my pregnancy. I can eat a whole box of Cascadian Farms granola cereal in one sitting. Their granola doesn't have any nuts and uses sugar so it is not as healthy. Since we are trying to avoid prepackaged foods, I have to make foods for us to snack on. I have been experimenting with granola recipes and this is what I have come up with. My husband loves this stuff and he normally does not eat anything with oats.

Nutty Granola

1 cup raw almonds, chopped

1 cup raw walnuts, chopped

1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds, chopped

2 tbsp chia seeds

1 1/2 cups rolled oats (gluten-free if you have allergies)

1 cup crisp rice cereal (I used unsweetened)

1/3 cup coconut oil

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup almond butter (I have made it without this)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

*All of the ingredients above are organic.

Preheat oven to 175F. Grease 9" x 13" glass casserole dish.

Melt coconut oil on stove top for a minute if it is solid. In a large bowl, mix together coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Mix in all the other ingredients, ensuring everything is coated well with the maple syrup mixture.

Dump the mixture into prepared casserole dish. Bake for 2 hours minutes. Shut oven off oven and leave the granola there for another couple of hours to crisp.