Good Morning Granola

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Have two cookie sheets, lined with a silpat silicone liner or parchment paper, on hand for baking.
Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.
Mix wet ingredients in a small bowl.
Combine with dry ingredients and stir well to incorporate.
Spread granola mixture equally on both cookie sheets.
Bake granola for 1 hour. Remove granola from the oven every 20 minutes and stir gently to prevent it from sticking.
Let cool and add raisins.
Store in quart size mason jars or in an airtight container for up to two months. Enjoy on yogurt, on pancakes, or just as a little snack.

For the granola cluster-loving folks out there, add one beaten egg white (foamy and frothy!) to the granola mixture, just before you bake. Add the egg to the bowl with all ingredients and stir well to coat. Pour onto sheet pans and bake. For this method, resist the urge to stir as this will preserve the clumps.
I buy “Grade A Dark Amber” maple syrup. It’s typically the least expensive syrup, it has the most flavor, is the thickest, and the most nutrient dense. Because it’s so rich, a little bit goes a long way and therefore you don’t need to use as much. From what I understand, the grade of syrup is from the initial and the final tapping of the maple trees.
Be sure to get rolled oats, and not quick cook or steel cut oats.
One of our favorite breakfasts is: whole milk plain yogurt or kefir, granola, frozen blueberries (that we’ve defrosted so they’re really juicy) and a spoonful of almond butter. YUM!
All of the above ingredients can be purchased at Trader Joe’s for a great price. We often buy organic versions of all of these ingredients. Raisins are a must for organic as grapes are heavily sprayed with pesticides.
If you don’t care for one of the nuts I’ve called for, swap them for one you like. Or if there are any allergies in the family, you can totally customize the nuts and seeds, just keep the base the same.
Don’t cook any higher than 250 – your granola will likely burn!