There is a Hidden Tree Hugger in All of Us

"We have to move," I said to my husband in a self realization panic.  "What?  Why?  What are you talking about,"  he responded with a mixture of concern and whatever emotion comes along with eye rolling.  "I made my own granola today,"  I said quickly in hoped that the faster it came off my tongue the less true it would be.  I explained further,  "We live in California and I made my own granola, so we have to get out of here soon."  

Confession: We haven't moved and I haven't stopped making granola, cause it is so darn yummy.  

Here is a recipe but I encourage you to have fun.  I have used various dried fruit instead of dried cranberries including a yummy fruit medley from Trader Joe's that has mangoes and some other fruits,  as well as banana chips and dried blueberries.  Today's batch has dried cranberries and dried blueberries.  I use more pumpkin seeds than it calls for (I like the whole kind but Trader Joe's also sells just the pumpkin seed "meat" if you'd rather) because I omit the nuts for the finicky baby- but I am sure almonds would be delich in this!  Here is the recipe- adjust cooking time depending on whether you want crunchy or chewy granola (chewy less time, crunchy is more):

Fruit and Seed Homemade Cinnamon Granola (okay add nuts if you want)

Ingredients

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• 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cranberry juice (not Ocean Spray cocktail- this is yucky unsweet, dare I say bitter, pure cranberry juice but great for this purpose)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped roasted and salted almonds (I omit these but would be good I am sure!)

Directions

(If you don't buy the already roasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread the pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds on a baking sheet . Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly toasted. Set aside to cool.

Preheat or Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. 

In a small saucepan, combine the maple syrup, brown sugar, cranberry juice, and cinnamon cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves.

In a separate bowl mix together the oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and almonds (if using).

Pour the maple syrup mixture over the oats and seeds and stir.  Spread this mixture onto the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Stir in the cranberries (or whatever other fruit) and bake for an another 10 to 15 minutes until the mixture begins to brown.  Let cool but eat some warm as this is my favorite time to eat it!  Keeps up to a week but our doesn't last that long.  My husband loves it to go as a white trash parfait (in a Tupperware) with yogurt and fresh berries for his commute.