Slow Cooker Fruit and Nut Granola

i believe i'm in the middle of a love affair with my Crock Pot.

while i've been very much enjoying making my own snacks, staples and pantry items instead of relying on preservative/chemical filled foods from the grocery store, one thing i do NOT enjoy is a hot house during the  Summertime! to avoid this uncomfortable affect of baking during the heat waves of Florida's summer i normally just prep everything during the day and then put it in the oven at night after the sun goes down. yes, this is a bit inconvenient and requires some planning ahead. ENTER: the CROCK POT. the miracle mini-oven. i LOVE that it takes such little energy and everything can be cooked right there in that tiny (compared to an oven) space of a pot.
VOILA! Dinner!!


OR... BRRRREAKFAST!!! yes, that's right... Breakfast in a Crock Pot!

Ingredients:
5c oats
1c nuts, chopped (i used walnuts)
1c dried fruit
3/8c sweetener (i used 1/8c honey + 1/4c agave nectar )
1/2c seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, etc.)
4 Tb butter (next time i'm going to try coconut oil... of course)
1/4c coconut
2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Place all ingredients in slow cooker and set to high for 2-3 hours. Place a chopstick or other utensil under the lid so it doesn’t close all the way. Check and stir the granola around every 30 minutes, or when it becomes fragrant. Once it looks a bit browned and toasted, it’s ready to go. Turn off slow cooker, let granola cool, then store in airtight bag in fridge.

*This recipe makes cereal-like granola – if you like really clumpy, trail-mix granola, and aren't so concerned with fat and sugar content, add more sweetener and butter.

Bon Appetit, my friends!

(recipe adapted from here)