I love granola.  Maybe it’s the crunchiness.  Maybe it’s the fact that you eat a super tiny bowl and are stuffed, so you feel virtuous.  However, I have made lots of granola and the incredible amount of oil that is used in the recipe offsets the virtuosity of eating a tiny bowl.  So began my quest for an even healthier option for granola.  I found this recipe in a library book years ago and fell in love with it!  I think the thing that intrigued me the most was the use of coconut milk to coat the granola.  I thought that was brilliant!  While it still has quite a bit of sugar, the oil content is drastically reduced.  So enjoy!

Coconut Almond Granola

3c. oats

1c. wheat germ

3/4c. raw almonds, roughly chopped

3/4c. brown sugar

1/2c. shredded, unsweetened coconut

1t. salt

3/4c. canned coconut milk

2t. vanilla

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  Combine the wet ingredients together and drizzle over the dry items, tossing to coat completely.  Spread out mixture on a half sheet pan in one even layer.  Bake in a 300 degree oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes for the first 45 and more often the last 15 minutes.  It should be browned and toasty!  I always double this recipe.  First, because I’m lazy and don’t want to make granola all the time.  Second, because 1 can of coconut milk is a double batch, so it’s perfect!