Breakfast is hard in our home. Due to my sons dairy, egg, and peanut allergies a lot of the yummy breakfast foods that the rest of the world consumes are just not possible for us. I have been able to adapt some of my favorite breakfast foods like waffles, pancakes, and even French toast. Since I have to make them from scratch it takes a lot of time to make enough of them for our family of 6. So, most mornings we opt for cereal, sunflower seed buttered toast, or sausage. 

I have been working on a recipe for granola though, and have finally figured out the perfect combination to get those larger granola clusters and taste delicious! 

My all time favorite way to eat granola is with yogurt. If I had my way I would add it to some vanilla Greek yogurt (because Greek yogurt and honey are delicious!). Since we try and keep things as dairy-free as possible for my son, my go-to yogurt is dairy-free Silk almond milk yogurt in the vanilla flavor. You can also find it in a sugar-free version -- which would be yummy with this granola too. 

Let's talk ingredients:

When it comes to granola, you can add just about anything you want. This means you can make it as healthy, or not, as you want it to be. I keep mine simple because if I start adding too much to it my kids won't eat it. My absolute favorite add ins are old-fashioned oats, shredded coconut, vanilla protein powder, and sliced almonds. 

The key to a good granola is in the liquids and sweeteners you add. That's what allow it to form into those chunky, crunchy, clusters. I like to add in some almond butter for a protein boost. Then I stick with some brown sugar, honey, and coconut oil. 

Make it personal:

If you are trying to cut down on your sugar intake, consider leaving out the brown sugar and just using the honey. If you want to add even more protein, throw in different mixed nuts (I prefer them sliced though). Consider adding some dried fruit, chia seeds, or chocolate chips. 

Consistency is key:

I'm not talking about making granola on a consistent basis ... but about the consistency of your mixed granola before you bake it. I am not a huge fan of measuring things out when I make granola. I add in what I feel like and then make sure that when it's all mixed up it has a moist, but not runny or gooey consistency. The ultimate goal is to make sure that all of your dry ingredients are coated in the wet ingredients. This will ensure those nice granola bites that we all love. If your mixture seems a little on the dry side -- meaning you still have dry ingredients that aren't coated yet -- add a touch more honey and keep stirring until everything looks "wet". 

Basic Recipe:

• 2-3 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 3/4 c sliced almonds
• 1 heaping scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 1 tsp coconut oil (melted)
• 1/2 tsp of sea salt (for sprinkling)