Surfer Granola

I love granola. There are so many different variations of it and you can adjust it to your tastebuds, perfectly. This granola is not overly sweet, all of the sweetness comes from the dried fruit and coconut. You get the saltiness from the pumpkin seeds. This granola has a few more steps than my other granola, which is very equally as delicious but does not have any fruits or coconut. The good thing about granola is that it make take you an hour to make it, but at the end you have a huge container full of it.
Source: Mrs. Regueiro's Plate

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups of Old-Fashioned Oats
1 tablespoon of Flaxseeds
3/4 tablespoon of Sea Salt,divided
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger
1 cup of Water, warm
1/3 cup of Honey
4 tablespoons of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil,divided
2 tablespoons of Light Brown Sugar, firmly packed
3/4 cup of Pecans, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup of Pumpkin Seeds, shelled {pepitas}
1/3 cup of Sunflower Seeds, raw
1 tablespoon of Sugar
1/2 cup of Cranberries, dried
1/2 cup of Apricots, dried
1/2 cup of Mango, dried
1/2 cup of Coconut, shredded and sweetened

Directions:

First, pre-heat your oven to 300 degrees.

Next, prepare two baking sheets. Coat them with non-stick cooking spray.

Now, get out a large bowl and mix the oats, flaxseeds, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, cinnamon, and ginger together. Add the cup of water and give this a quick stir and let sit for 15 minutes to soften the oats.

Next, in a small saucepan over high heat, combine the honey, 2 tablespoons of oil, and brown sugar to a boil.

Now, stir the honey mixture into the oat mixture. Spread the combined mixture evenly onto one of the baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, 50-60 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes. When done, let cool.

After the oat mixture is done, increase your oven heat to 350 degrees.

Now, get out a medium bowl and mix the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 2 tablespoons of oil, sugar, pecans, and pumpkin seeds. Spread this mixture out evenly on the other baking sheet. Bake these until they are toasted, golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. When done, let cool.

Next, get out another medium bowl and mix the cranberries, apricots, mango, and coconut together.

Finally, after the oats and nuts have cooled, combine all three components, the oats, nuts, and dried fruits in a large bowl. Stir to combine well. Store in an air-tight container.

Serve with yogurt, milk, on top of ice cream, or eat it alone!

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
The Barbee Housewife