*

So, you enjoy granola and have a favorite brand you purchase only to see its been discontinued when you go shopping to replenish your stash. Maybe you’re bored with the same old thing anyway. Why not try making your own? It’s easy and you can use your choice of ingredients.

When shopping for ingredients for this recipe, I suggest purchasing them from the bulk section of the market to keep the cost down. I also suggest not skipping the orange oil in this case. This ingredient truly adds a unique flavor that separates it from any other granola you ever tasted. The oil can be purchased either online at a baking supply site or at a specialty food store. For extra shelf life, store the oil in the refrigerator.

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup raw cashews (whole or pieces)
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp orange oil (for baking)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup dried cherries roughly chopped
1/2 cup dried apricots, sliced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a 1/2 sheet pan (18″x13″), with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, add the rolled oats, cashews, almonds and coconut flakes. Mix well and put aside. In a small bowl, add the canola and orange oils, honey, cinnamon and salt. Whisk until completely blended. Pour the wet ingredients over the oat mixture and blend well. Pour the mixture onto the sheet pan. If you don’t have a sheet pan this large, use multiple sheets. The mixture should be spread out evenly for proper baking. Place pan on the top 1/3 of the oven. Bake for 1 hour, stirring the mixture every 15 minutes. In the meantime, in a small bowl or a large measuring cup, add the cherries, apricots, cranberries and pumpkin seeds and mix well and put aside. Once the granola is done, take it out of the oven and let it cool for about 20 minutes. Once cooled, place the contents of the sheet pan into a large bowl, add the remaining ingredients of dried fruit and mix thoroughly. Place in an airtight container. Yields approximately 8-1/2 cups.