Awesome Granola Recipe that the Whole Family Loves

Eventhough it is easy enough to google "best ever granola" or whatever dish we're inspired to create there is nothing like a good friend who knows you well sending you a recipe that she loves with her little reflections and comments.

I love feeding my children healthy food and when they enjoy a new dish - so nice. If you've been over and have been present at one of these glorious moments you know that when they love something they often start to chant, "put it on the list, put it on the list". Some of you know that we have a running list on a now pretty old, tattered piece of paper that we add to so we can remember what the food "hits" were. I like variety and tasty food and generally aspire to be a "everyone eats the same thing" cook so building this list has certainly helped.

So thank you soul sistah Zhiish for this vegan, gluten and nut free, super tasty treat ! It being nut-free means it can be thrown into the school snack repertoire at both of my children's school. Here you go ...

Ingredients

2 cups raw, unsalted sunflower seeds
2 cups raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds
1 cup of sesame seeds
1-1/2 cups ground flax seed
1/4 cup of powdered maca root (nice adrenal nourisher)
3/4 cup of dried currants
2/3 cup of melted coconut oil
3/4 cup of maple syrup or honey
1 tbsp of cinnamon
1 tsp of nutmeg
1/2 tsp of sea salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet (11" x 17") with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, add the seeds, ground flax, maca root and currants and mix together until uniformly distributed.
3. In a small bowl, add the melted coconut oil, sweetener, and spices and salt, and mix together until uniformly distributed.
4. Pour the small bowl of liquid over the seed mixture and mix well, ensuring that all of the seed mixture is well-coated.
5. Spread the mixture onto the lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and toss well, making sure to spread the mixture onto the baking sheet evenly again.
6. Place the baking sheet back into the oven, and toss the mixture again at 10-15 minute intervals, making sure that it doesn't burn! (Ask me how I know). Bake for a total of 35-40 minutes.
7. Cool for about 30 minutes (or as long as you can stay away from it!) and enjoy on its own, or topped with fruit, yogurt, or the milk of your choice.

Zhiish's note: "I put 2/3 cup of maple syrup and no currants.  Girls love it!"