That's Grrrreat Granola!

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• 6 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup wheat germ
• 3/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1 cup walnuts or 1 cup almonds, chopped coarsely
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
• 1/2 cup corn oil or 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup honey (i used orange blossom flavored honey)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar ("sucanat") or 1/4 cup unbleached cane sugar ("sucanat")
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (not imitation)
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup tart dried cherries
• 1/3 cup dried strawberries

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• 2 in a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, walnuts or almonds, cinnamon and cardamom.
• 3 in a heatproof glass bowl, microwave the oil, honey and brown sugar for 1 minute. stir in vanilla extract. stir oil/honey mixture into oatmeal mixture and combine well. (the mixture will not be very moist.).
• 4 divide and spread the oatmeal mixture onto 2 baking sheets.
• 5 bake in preheated oven for about 40 minutes; check the granola periodically and stir to avoid burning. bake an additional 15-20 minutes or until medium golden brown.
• 6 turn off heat and allow granola to cool in oven.
• 7 stir in the dried fruit. if necessary, add more cinnamon or cardamom, to taste.
• 8 store granola in airtight container and refrigerate.