Homemade Cinnamon Granola

Jana here with a recipe I make almost weekly at my house!  The past few months, we have been striving to eat fewer processed foods.  One of our first things to replace was store-bought cereal.  I tried a few different homemade granola recipes, to replace the processed cereal, and this recipe was adapted from one that I really liked.  Her Noble Character posted a recipe that I found while searching, and it was the closest to what I wanted to make.  This granola is very filling (1/2 cup serving will go a long way), healthy, and delicious!  Everyone in my family loves it, and it's good to eat dry or with milk. 

Cinnamon Granola

5 cups old fashioned oats

1 1/2 cups chopped or sliced almonds

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup flax seed

1/3 cup natural applesauce

2 tablepoons olive oil

1 cup honey

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup raisins or other dried fruit

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, mix applesauce, olive oil, honey, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt.

3. Add oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, flax seed.

4. Stir together well, making sure to evenly coat the dry ingredients.

5. Spread onto baking sheets (I like to use two cookie sheets), and bake for 35-45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

6. Remove from oven and let cool....then add raising or other dried fruit.

Store in an airtight container.  It will last at least 2 weeks, if not longer!  The size of almonds will make a big difference in the texture of the granola.  I chop mine in a small food chopper, and make them pretty small.  If you buy sliced almonds, the granola will be chunkier.  We have added raisins, dates, and dried blueberries for the fruit.  They are all very good, and it's even great without added fruit!  (as the picture shows)  Enjoy!!