Granola Time!

I have read about it, friends have blogged about it (love you MK), friends have made it and gave it to me (Yum! JV), but I have never really felt the desire to make it.  So....I have been buying Cascadian Farms Organic Granola.....YUM!!!

But I ate the last bowl of CFOG and hubby went to the pantry to get a bowl of granola last night and it was...well....gone.  :-)

So, I decided to make a batch today and see what I think.

I bought the book "Eat Right for You Blood Type" months ago and remembered a granola recipe in the book that I had bought the ingredients for, but alas, had never made.  So....here it goes.....

Maple-Walnut Granola
4 cups rolled oats (I did not soak over night this time, but will next and will post more)
1 cup rice bran (lady at Whole Foods had to help me find this...BUT wow is it packed with FIBER!!!)
1 cup sesame seed (I had 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (I used ALOT more)
1/2 cup dried currants (could not find)
1 cup chopped walnuts (I used 1/2 cup, I am not a huge nut in my food person)
1/4 cup flax seeds (my addition)
1/4 cup organic canola oil (the only cooking oil we use now except for olive oil of course)
1/2 cup maple syrup (yep...the real stuff....OH so yummy on pancakes!)
1/4 cup organic honey (Whole Foods or Meijer)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.  In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, rice bran, seeds, dried fruit and nuts.  Add the oil and stir evenly.

Pour in maple syrup, honey and vanilla and mix well until evenly moistened.  Mixture should be crumbly and sticky.  Spread mixture in a roasting pan or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake for 90 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes for even toasting until the mixture is golden brown and dry.  Cool and store in a glass airtight container.

Enjoy!!