Sugar Free Granola

We go through a LOT of granola in this house.  Peter eats a yoghurt parfait everyday and now that the boys want to be mini-Peter they like to eat them too.  Also baby three seems to think granola is the greatest thing ever.  We also try to avoid refined sugars in our granola but it is hard!  It is either 5 or 6 bucks a package or get the cheap stuff that has all kinds of added sugar.  So I decided that this month was my granola experimenting month.  I'm also attempting granola bars but all I've done so far is buy the oats!

This is a recipe modified from Foods of Our Lives.

7 cups old fashioned oats

1 and 1/2 cups slivered almonds or chopped pecans (I use almonds)

1 and 1/2 cups shredded coconut 

3 T cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground ginger

3 T pure vanilla extract

1 and 1/2 cups sugar free applesauce

1/4 cup honey or maple syrup or agave

1 package Craisins 

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  The one area I cheat in this recipe is the shredded coconut.  It is impossible to find coconut that doesn't have a little bit of added sugar.  I know you can get it at bulk food stores and eventually I will get around to getting a TON of coconut but for now I use the shredded version I find at the store.

Mix the wet ingredients in a bowl.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and toss until it's coated.  The dry mixture should be coated but not super wet.  If you still have loose oats rolling around you can add additional applesauce.

Spread the mixture out evenly on baking sheets.  You'll want to use the kind with rims so you can mix it.  Bake at 275 for 40-50 minutes.  Stir the mixture every 10 minutes or so.  Once it's dry remove it from the oven and let it cool.  I think it is better to take it out earlier than later.  The last batch I made is bordering on overdone but baby still loves it!

This is not super sweet.  If you want it to be sweeter but still don't want to refined sugars you could either double the honey/syrup or add coconut sugar.  That's what I'm going to try next time!

It makes a LOT of granola!

This is a great recipe for little helpers!!

I hope you enjoy!!