Bringing Back the Granola

Granola is quite possibly one of the best energy boosters when you're chasing a toddler around all day. I was totally bummed when I couldn't have granola or granola bars anymore because they're always made with dairy, nuts and seeds. That is, until I discovered how easy it is to make my own! I found this recipe on 100daysrealfood.com and then tweaked it to fit our needs. Of course it won't be as busy and exciting without all the nuts and seeds, but it's still good for you and if you close your eyes you might not even know they're missing :) I'm still working to make this recipe better, but the first batch didn't turn out too bad.

Homemade Allergy-Free Granola
3 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup raisins
1 cup dried cranberries
(feel free to add any other dried fruit you have on hand!)
2 t. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
6 T. dairy-free margarine (I use Fleischmann's unsalted)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 t. salt
2 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Place the oats, fruit and spices in a large bowl and toss to combine. Heat the margarine and honey in a small saucepan until the margarine melts. Stir in the salt and vanilla and remove from heat. Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until evenly distributed. Turn the granola onto the prepared pan and press firmly until even. Bake until the granola is lightly browned and firm to the touch, about 1 hr and 15 minutes. Cool completely and then break into chunks.