Kid-Friendly Treat: Best Ever Granola

Granola can be great tasting hippie food, but buyer beware. On one side, some of the packaged brands cram a lot of unfamiliar flavors in the mix. While these ingredients are often healthy, the flavors can be tough to swallow for kids. On the flip side, the more mainstream brands cram a lot sugar and artificial ingredients into their products which put them on par with the nutritional value of a candy bar. Sticking to basic ingredients is the trick.

Simple flavors - oatmeal, pecans and cranberries baked with natural goodness. This recipe is so simple, that homemade granola may soon become a staple in your house for breakfasts and snacks! Best Granola Ever is perfect for family members 3-99 years old.

Best Granola Ever

4 cups of old-fashioned oats

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup cooking oil

1/4 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat over to 300°F (150°C). In a large bowl, mix the oats, pecans, salt and cinnamon. In a saucepan warm the oil and honey and stir in the vanilla. Carefully pour the liquid over the oat mixture. Stir gently with a wooden spoon until the mixture is evenly coated.
2. Spread the granola onto a large cookie sheet (15X10X1 inch). Bake 40 minutes, stirring carefully every 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. Stir in dried cranberries.

Storage: Store granola in an air-tight container at room temperature for one week or in the freezer for 3 months.

Makes 9 to 10 servings.

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About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children and founders of Fresh Baby ( www.FreshBaby.com ). They are the creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit and Good Clean Fun Placemats, available at many fine specialty stores and national chains including Target and Whole Foods Markets.