In the spirit of getting away from processed foods, making it yourself, and reducing sugar, I wanted to share a great granola recipe, given to me by my friend Stephanie B. I am now making it about once/week, and while it does have brown sugar and honey in it, you can reduce what the recipe calls for, and I think we’ve got ours well below what processed granola or box cereals would contain.

Vanilla-Scented Granola

4 cups old fashioned oats (I’m now making about 6-7 cups at a time)

1 cup sliced almonds/cashews/shredded coconut (I do none of these, esp because I have a peanut/tree nut allergy kid)

1/4 cup golden brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon (I actually put in about 2 teaspoons)

1/3 cup oil/butter (I use butter)

1/4 cup honey

4 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup raisins/dried cranberries

Position rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees F. [I cook it in the convection over at 275.] Grease large baking sheet. Mix first five ingredients in large bowl. Combine oil/butter, honey, and sugar in small saucepan; bring to simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour hot liquid over oat mixture; stir well. Using hands, toss mixture until thoroughly mixed.

Spread granola on prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, stirring occasionally, about thirty minutes. Add raisins/cranberries at last minute. Cool granola completely. (Can be made two weeks ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)

This granola is perfect with plain yogurt, as the tartness complements the sweetness of the granola. You can play around with the recipe, adding different nuts, less sweetness, more cinnamon. You can also cut back on the butter by adding water to the liquid mixture. We’ve found that butter and coconut oil work best. Enjoy! [My sons like it with sliced bananas on top, and I do have to admit when I give it to them with plain yogurt, I add a little maple syrup; the comment by the recipe's author about the "tartness" and its complementary nature doesn't work for them!]