Millet & Oat Granola

We've been in the mood for granola lately. With all the fresh strawberries we have, it's the perfect combination!

Due to all of the horrors of the dairy industry, I buy organic yogurt. We've tried & enjoyed a variety of yogurts from Stonyfield, but our new favorite is a raw milk yogurt from our local real food emporium.

Now I have to take a moment & do a little plug for this emporium. I'll be the first to admit that some of their products are pricey. It's a small, local store, & it's a matter of business fact that they are going to have to charge more than the super stores.

But where else are you going to get to the register with your $15, only to have your bill total $15.75, & have the owner tell you to just bring the 75 cents next week? We were prepared to put one of the items we wanted back on the shelves, but he said no need, you can owe us. SO NICE!

We also love the Bee's Juice Bar that's in the emporium. The fresh juices are fantastic. I can't wait to try the vegan ice cream on one of our visits. It sounds so good!

So this granola...it's crunchy, it's low in fat, & it's delicious. Granola is very flexible, so if you don't have puffed millet, you could use puffed rice or more oats. Sub another nut for the walnuts. Use almond butter instead of peanut butter. It'll still be delicious, I promise.

Millet & Oat Granola

Adapted from Chocolate & Toast

4 c rolled oats

2 c puffed millet cereal (like this from Arrowhead Mills)

1 c flaked coconut
1 c raw walnuts, chopped
1/2 c ground flax seed
1 c applesauce
2 T maple syrup
2 T honey
3 T natural peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 T cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Mix the first 5 ingredients together in a large bowl.  Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over dry ingredients. Mix well.  Using either 1 very large baking pan or 2 smaller ones, spread mixture in an even layer.  Bake at 325 for approximately 1 hour. Every 15 to 20 minutes, remove granola from the oven and give it a stir. Granola will continue to crisp once you finish baking it, so keep that in mind when gauging how done it is.

Once granola reaches your desired level of crunch, allow it to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.