Vanilla Chia Granola

I’m not sure how many of you know that I used to sell baked goods at the local farmer’s markets.  I used to come up with interesting recipes and share them with my customers.  They loved how original I was and the things that I came up with.  I took staples and put my twist on them.  One of my biggest sellers was my Vanilla Chia Granola.
People would come from all around to for it.  Our market was held on the grounds of our local hospitals and I can remember a nurse coming out just for it.  She loved it and looked forwards to it every week.   It always made me smile when people told me how much they love my treats.

When I stopped doing markets, I stopped making new recipes,  & I stopped baking.  But it’s been a few years and now my kids are asking for some of my delicious treats.  My youngest son has been asking me to make it for 8 months or so.  I would always plan to then something would get in the way.  Well yesterday, I made sure nothing and I mean nothing got in the way of making the granola for my son.
As soon as he walked through the door, he could smell the vanilla/honey combo and knew I finally made it.  He was a happy guy.  I’m sure you’ll please any granola lover in your life.  The best part of this recipe is that you can change the ingredients depending on your tastes and still get the same great granola.

Vanilla Chia Granola

Ingredients:
8 cups oats
2 c sliced almonds
1 c brown sugar
1 c dried cranberries
2 TBSP chia seeds (reg or white)
1 tsp salt
1-1.5 tsp cinnamon
3/4 c oil (of your choice) 
1 c honey (I used local honey but any will do)
4 TBSP vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Combine the 1st 7 ingredients in a bowl.
3. In a saucepan combine the oil, honey, & vanilla over medium heat.  Bring to boil and let boil for 1 min.  It will get fluffy looking which is what it’s supposed to do.
4. Remove from heat and pour over the mixture in the bowl.
5. Stir well, making sure all of the ingredients are mixed together and everything is covered in the honey oil mixture.
6.  Once fully combined, spread granola on cookie sheet spread it out.  You want a layer of granola covering the whole pan.  Usually I do my granola on two pans.
7. Place in oven and cook for 15 mintues.
8. Take out and stir the granola.  Put back in oven for 10 minutes.
9. Take out of oven and let cool for 15-20 minutes.
10. Once cooled, the granola will be hard till you start moving it around.  Then it’ll be fine.  ~And enjoy~  
Simple….Easy….Delicious….

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A Creative Princess, The Jenny Evolution, Nancy On The Home Front, Create With Joy, I Should Be Mopping The Floor, A Life In The Balance, Lou Lou Girls, Sew Crafty Angel,