This is delicious to enjoy in the mornings, over a bowl of organic vanilla ice cream or jar it up with a recipe card as a great home-made holiday gift.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups whole oats (use old fashioned, not instant)
• 2 cups puffed or cluster-type cereal
• ¼ cup flax seeds
• ½ cup toasted almond slivers
• Handful of sweetened coconut flakes  (add ¼ cup brown sugar if using unsweetened)
• ½ cup organic pineapple juice
• ½ cup organic apple juice
• ½ cup organic prune juice
• Juice from ½ orange
• 1 T ground cinnamon
• Pinch of nutmeg, ginger, cloves, allspice and cardamom
• Zest from one lemon or orange
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Handful each; dried blueberries, cranberries, currants, green raisins
• OPTIONAL: add salted peanuts for a salty mix

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325°.

Combine the juices, spices and coconut oil in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer until reduced by half.  This should take about 20 minutes.

While this simmers, combine the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl.

Remove juice mixture from heat and allow to set for 3-5 minutes.

Add honey and vanilla.

Toss sweetened warm juice mixture with the oats mixture.

Mist 2 cookie sheets with olive oil.

Spread mixture onto cookie sheets in a thin, even layer.

For variety, try adding salted peanuts to one pan.

Bake at 325° for 20-30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until golden and crunchy.

Cool slightly, then stir in dried fruit.

Store granola in an airtight container like a zip lock bag or large ball jar.