How to make your own granola

I love eating greek yogurt and granola for breakfast.  There are tons of granola options in the grocery stores but some of them are full of sugar, some of them actually don't taste all that good, and a lot of them contain nuts.  My son is allergic to some nuts so I figured it would just be easier to try and make my own granola. And I was right!  This recipe is easy to make and inexpensive in comparison to buying a box from the store each week.  I also love that I can customize it and change it up depending on what I have around the house.  I adapted this recipe from Rose Reisman's Family Favourites cookbook.  I usually double this recipe as it's very popular in my house and doesn't last long.  You can freeze the granola for up to 2 months.

What you need:

2 cups large rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 and 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
3 tbsp canola oil
1/4 apple juice
3 tbsp pure maple syrup
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped

What you do:

Preheat oven to 300F, line a baking sheet with foil and spray it lightly with cooking spray.
Combine all except the last two ingredients, stirring well to combine.
Spread mixture on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes, tossing once to prevent burning.
Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Add the raisins and cranberries and stir. Store in an air tight container.

I have used dried apricots, dates and dried strawberries before and they all tasted delicious too! If you did want to add nuts to this recipe, add 1/2 cup of whichever nut you like and mix it in the the bulk of the ingredients so they toast up in the oven.

As mentioned, I love this granola with greek yogurt but my kids love it with milk. Also makes a great snack when you are out and about, tastes great all on its own!