Vanilla Almond Granola

Ever since I first studied in Vienna for a semester, I've been in love with granola. I've experimented in the past with making it, and while I thought it was pretty good, the recipes I tried always required a really long baking time and lots of stirring (not hard, but annoying to babysit a recipe) or lots of honey (expensive and not the healthiest to have tons of sweetener). Anyway, I finally found a recipe that I love and adore! It's tastier and faster and cheaper than those other recipes: win win win.

Vanilla Almond Granola

• 3 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• sprinkle of flax seed*
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 Tbsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all dry ingredients. I always add the flax for a health boost, but of course that's optional (doesn't change the flavor if you're just doing a bit). Add other ingredients and stir it up really well. I cheat and eyeball the honey in the same measuring cup I used for the oil--it's just so handy to have the honey slip right out and not make a mess. Spread on a cookie sheet (sprayed with non-stick cooking spray--or use parchment paper) and bake for 12-15 minutes. You just want it to be lightly golden; you'll have to experiment to see how long your oven takes and how you like it the best. Remove granola from the oven and let it cool before removing from the cookie sheet. Letting it cool first makes it so you get some nice granola clumps, which I love. If you don't like that, you can stir once in the middle of baking and also when you remove from oven. Store in an air-tight container.

I pretty much always have a batch on hand these days, and I usually double it. We eat it with yogurt or even just with milk, like cold cereal. It's healthier and cheaper than cold cereal--and it sticks with us longer. The kids love it and are always asking for more granola. This recipe is also really adaptable--add in dried fruits if that's your thing or change the type of nuts or whatever else you wish. I actually don't like nuts very much, but I really like sliced almonds in this. They're subtle but a good protein/flavor boost.

Here's where I got the original recipe.