Cranberry Almond Granola

Making your own granola is easy and much healthier than store bought because you control what goes into it!

• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup chopped, sliced, or slivered almonds
• 1/3 cup shredded, unsweetened, coconut
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 3 Tbsp virgin coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1 tsp almond extract

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees
2. Coat a 9-by-13-inch metal pan with cooking spray
3. Mix oats, brown sugar, salt, almonds, and coconut in a bowl 
4. Bring syrup, oil, and water to a simmer in a saucepan over low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the almond extract.
5. Drizzle over oat mixture, and stir to combine.
6. Pour mixture onto prepared pan.
7. Working a handful at a time, squeeze cereal to form small clumps.
8. Bake for 40 minutes. Stir in dried cranberries.
9. Continue to bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes longer. If you want your granola even crispier, leave it in the oven for another 10-15 minutes. Let cool.

sooooo good on yogurt, ice cream, applesauce, or plain!