Homemade Coconut Cardamom Granola

I love granola, always have.  When i was a kid my "treat cereal" was Quaker Harvest Crunch, which at the time seemed really healthy, but in actual fact was pretty loaded with sugar.  Super yummy though.  

The past 10 years or so, i've been making my own granola.  I rarely eat it as breakfast cereal; usually it's as a snack by the handful, or as a topper on smoothie bowls or "nice cream".  I like to make a batch and then store it in the freezer and use as needed.  But it will keep in an airtight container in the cupboard for several days too. 

This recipe is kind of a mash-up of a bunch of recipes I've tried over the years, and to me has that perfect balance of crunch, sweet, salt and spices. I'm not a huge fan of dried fruits so you won't find any raisins or dried cranberries here, but feel free to add them in if they make you happy.  Play around with it, make it yours! 

It also makes a sweet little gift when made fresh and packed in a mason jar, tied with a ribbon, and really shows you care.  And we can all use a bit of that these days!