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Orange-Vanilla Granola

When you're traveling through Florida or California and it is orange season, it's not hard to think healthy, and pick up fresh fruit along the way. Put fresh-squeezed to good use with this tasty recipe that keeps well, is low-fat and gives you plenty of energy for sightseeing. Makes about 5 cups.

What you're going to need:

  • 3 cups rolled (not flakes or instant) oats
  • 1/4 cup wheat germ (optional)
  • 1/2 cup flaxseed meal
  • 1 cup chopped nuts, such as walnuts, pecans or almonds, or any mixture of your favorites
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/2 tsp orange peel, minced
  • 1/3 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon real vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut

What to do:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine orange juice, honey, cinnamon, vanilla extract and orange peel in a saucepan and heat over medium-high, stirring, until honey melts. Set aside.
  2. In a large glass bowl, combine oats, wheat germ if using, flaxseed meal, and chopped nuts. Pour the honey-orange juice mixture over the oat mixture and mix until oats are thoroughly coated.
  3. Spread oats in a thin layer on a baking sheet and place it in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring the granola once at about the 15-minute point. Add coconut during the final ten minutes of baking.
  4. Remove from oven and cool. Store granola cooled granola in airtight container for about a week or refrigerator for two. Can also freeze.