Need a vacation? This granola can just about get you there. This recipe is much lower in sugar than many similar granolas found in grocery stores, yet it still packs a ton of flavor. So take a bite, close your eyes, and let the taste of coconut, vanilla, pineapple and mango take you on a mini-vacation to the beach!

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped or slivered unsalted almonds
  • 2 teaspoons orange zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup flaked unsweetened coconut
  • 1 cup cup mixed dried fruit (such as pineapple, mango, apricots, guava, and cranberries)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
  2. Combine oats with flaxseed, almonds, orange zest, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Set aside.
  3. Place a saucepan over medium heat and whisk honey, almond milk, and coconut oil until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour wet ingredients over oat mixture and stir to coat.
  4. Line a large baking sheet with parchment and spread oat mixture evenly over top, making is no thicker than about 1/4 inch. Bake for 30 minutes, or until nice and toasty.
  5. Remove pan from oven and break up some chunks. (Leave a few big clusters—they’re the best bits!)
  6. Turn oven up to 325 degrees. While you’re waiting for the temperature to increase, add flaked coconut to pan. Bake for another 15 minutes.
  7. Remove pan from oven and let cool. It will be soft at this point but will become crunchy as its temperature falls. Mix in dried fruit and store in a sealed container.