The Best Granola Ever - total time 30 minutes

You know the phrase "that's so granola"?  Describing something that is plain and boring...   Well those people have never had this granola!  I pretty much make it every week mainly for breakfast parfaits, but it also makes a great snack, especially when you need a few bites in between meals. 

You might buy granola in the store... it might taste good... but it is probably expensive, maybe three servings at best, and you don't know all of the ingredients, or maybe you don't like some of the ingredients.  Granola is soooo easy to make at home!  I had my doubts at first too.  But it really is just combining all the ingredients in a bowl and then spreading it on a cookie sheet, ten minutes in the oven and woop, there it is. ;)
I definitely save money too.  We would normally go through three bags of granola a week plus cereal and English muffins.   I get the main ingredients from bulk bins and the others are usually local and last through many, many batches of granola.  It also keeps me full longer in the mornings, so less snacking before lunch.  And you can make it into granola bars for a snack on the go.

So, chocolate and peanut butter... best combination ever, right?  You probably can't eat Reese cups every day, but this granola is actually healthy and has just enough sweet.  Whole grains and great protein from the seeds and nuts.  Plus it is naturally sweetened with a little honey and maple syrup... oh... and the dark chocolate chips of course... which are totally healthy, I promise!  :) 

4 cups rolled oats

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup pumpkin seeds 

1 cup sunflower seeds

.5 cup crushed cashews

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

Handful of dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine peanut butter, honey, maple syrup, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl and stir.

3. Add oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and cashews... Combine together using a spoon... Or your hands...

4. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up, then spread the granola mixture across the pan.  Sprinkle the dark chocolate chips on top.  

5. Bake for 10 minutes.  Enjoy it warm right out of the oven (I always eat a spoonful warm), otherwise let cool and store in a covered container in your pantry.