tasty treats:

It could be the type-A (ahem, control freak) that lives within me, but I love the idea of making anything and everything from scratch. It’s always nice to know exactly where your food is coming from and I can’t help but enjoy being in charge of the items I fuel my body with on any given day. Up until somewhat recently, I would purchase bags full of sugar-laden granola to add to my morning yogurt, ingesting unnecessary calories and questionable ingredients to boot. Upon discovering how simple (and delicious!) it is to make my own, I vow to never go back to the grocery-store variety, and I’m convinced you’ll make the switch yourself if you give it a shot. The results are crunchy, in that satisfying kind of way, and make for the perfect snack at any time of the day*. Plus, if you’re feeling fancy, you’re free to add and take away ingredients as you see fit (walnuts? chia seeds? dried apricots? the choices are abound!)

*I love unintentional rhymes

::what you’ll need::
1 1/2 c. rolled oats
1/3 c. slivered almonds
1/4 c. unsweetened coconut
1/3 c. pumpkin seeds
1/4 c. dried cranberries
2 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

::what you’ll do::
.preheat your oven to 325 degrees F
.stir together the dry ingredients
.in a sauce pan over low heat, melt butter, honey, vanilla and cinnamon
.add the melted mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to coat
.line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the granola mixture evenly
.bake for 15 minutes, stirring at the halfway mark, until golden brown
.remove the baking sheet and let it cool on a wire rack. Try not to touch it; the granola will crisp and clump up as it cools.
.enjoy it over yogurt, ice cream, or by the handful (if you’re anything like me!)

It will keep in a sealed container for up to two weeks