This granola recipe is the love child of my mothers incredible baking skills, one of her favourite cook books, and the acquired taste for sweets of yours truly. You could surely guess why I call it my signature Sunday granola - I make it almost every Sunday, and it prepares me for breakfasts (and lunches) for the whole week. It's simple, easy, healthy, and delicious.

Ingredients

1 cup almonds

1/2 Cup Walnuts (Pecans are ok too!)

3/4 Cup Rolled Oats

1/4 Cup Sunflower Seeds

1/4 Cup Steel Cut Oats

1/3 Cup Shredded Unsweetened Coconut.

2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt

*Feel free to add whatever spices you would like, if I’m feeling festive I’ll add a 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves!

1/3 Cup Maple Syrup

1/4 Cup Coconut Oil (melted)

2 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 Cup Dried Fruit (Optional, but if so use cranberries, they’re the best!)

Note: Ensure that all of the nuts you are using are raw and unsalted!

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Measure out all of your dry ingredients into a large bowl, except for the Almonds, Walnuts, and Dried fruit.

3. Measure out your dried fruit and set aside.

4. Measure the almonds onto a cutting board, and give them a rough chop - you can leave a few whole too, for an extra hearty bite. Add the almonds to your dry ingredients, and do the same with the walnuts.

5. Stir the dry ingredients thoroughly, in order to coat all of the nuts with the salt and spices.

6. Warm up the coconut oil until just melted in a pan. Once melted, add the maple syrup and vanilla. Mix, and add to the dry ingredients.

7. Mix all of your ingredients (except the dried fruit if you have chosen to use them) together thoroughly, and make sure everything is evenly coated and homogenous.

8. Prep a sheet pan with parchment paper, and pour the ingredients directly in the centre of the pan. Gingerly spread the mixture around, whilst ensuring that no gaps in the mixture form - you want this layer to be thin, but not so thin that the nuts separate as they cook. It should be one succinct layer.

9. Once your oven has come to temperature, bake granola for 30 minutes - I usually bake mine for 30 for it to come to a light golden brown colour.

10. Remove your granola from the oven and let sit untouched for at least one hour - this step is crucial to allow the ingredients to cool in formation in order to create those delicious clusters of granola.

11. When ready, break apart your granola, mix in your dried fruit, and put into a jar to store on your countertop for up to two weeks!

Ways to Use:

In your yogurt bowl with some berries or banana on top (my favourite yogurt is Olympic’s Krema Yogurt, in the flavour heavenly honey)

In a bowl with some milk of your choosing. Top with bee pollen or fresh fruit!

In a smoothie bowl, along with any of your other favourite toppings!