Sugar Free Granola

Ingredients:

• 4 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup sugar-free honey (or optionally, peanut butter, or half & half)
• 1/2 cup butter (melted)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 cups dried fruit (no sugar added)
• 1/2 cup of chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

Prep Time: 10 min Total Time: 30 min Yield: 12

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. In separate bowl mix together melted butter, sugar free honey, vanilla, cinnamon and salt.
3. Pour honey mixture over dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. (if you’re going to add nuts, add them at this time).
4. Spread mixture evenly onto a large cookie sheet that has shallow sides. (make sure the mix is spread evenly and goes to the sides all the way around.
5. Bake for 15 minutes in oven. You want to bake the mixture till it gets golden brown all over. The sides will start to darken before the middle.
6. After 15 minutes take out of oven and stir well, put back in oven and watch carefully as it will darken fast. Total time depending on oven is generally about 20-25 minutes.
7. Take out of oven when the granola is golden brown. The mixture will appear wet and you will think it's not done, but as the granola cools it gets crunchy.
8. While the mixture is cooling on the baking sheet, I add the 2 cups of dried fruit and mix it well. The heat will help the fruit release some of its natural flavors without drying it out. I have tried baking the granola with the fruit and found cranberries especially get a little too hard.
9. If you want granola in bars, cut while still warm but not hot to the touch.
10. After about an hour the granola will be crunchy and ready to eat.
11. Optionally: And typical granola bar topping can be added, like chocolate chips, etc., just won’t be sugar free.

Approx. Calories 335 per serving