Berries for Breakfast

Raspberries, Strawberries and, soon Blueberries - Hooray, the day has finally arrived - Berries for breakfast, berries for snack, berries for dessert.  As many as we can eat.  It's so nice to begin the day with an early morning trip to the berry patch.

For many years my favorite breakfast has been a large buttery scone served shortcake-style with vanilla yogurt and lots of berries.  Oh, yummm.  Now that I've given up butter it's harder to make a luscious scone.  I do miss them and may decide to indulge once in a while, but for now I'm chosing to eat my berries on fresh granola, often topped with yogurt.  Very satisfying and cholestoral friendly.

My granola recipe seems to vary each time I make it, but  here is a close approximation of the recipe:

Susan's Homemade Granola

6 cups organic old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup, or more, shredded coconut
1 cup chopped almonds
                                                       1 cup raw sunflower seeds
                                                       1/4 cup flax seeds
                                                       3/4 cup olive or canola oil
                                                       1/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate
                                                       1/2 cup honey
                                                       2 tsp. vanilla
Mix all ingredients together until the nuts and oats are coated.  Pour onto a large baking pan or cookie sheeet with sides.  Bake at 350F for approximately 45 minutes, making sure to remove from the oven to stir or turn the granola every 15 minutes (or 10 as it begins to brown), so that it brown evenly.  Watch closely near the end so that it doesn't over cook.  Remove from oven and let cool.  Then stir in any variety of raisins, dried cherries, dried apricots, etc. of you choosing.  Serve with milk or yogurt topped with berries!