When I think of summer I think of the bare feet, surfing, BBQs with friends and Janis Joplin's 1968 rendition of the hit "Summertime." Her raspy voice belting "One of these mornings you're gonna rise up singing/ and you'll spread your wings and you'll take to the sky" is the sound of summer. We can't claim to start your summer morning better than Janis, but this Summertime Granola recipe comes pretty close to making you spread your wings. 

Ingredients:

4 Cups of Oats

2 Cups of Dried Coconut Flakes (I use unsweetened)

1 Cup of Blanched Almonds

1 1/2 Cups of Dried Cherries (finely chopped)

1/2 Cup of Coconut Oil

1/2 Cup of Honey

1/4 Cup of Flax Seeds

1/4 Cup of Chia Seeds

2 Teaspoons of Orange Zest (1 Large Orange)

1 Teaspoon of Cinnamon

1 1/2 Teaspoons of Almond Extract

Directions: 

Set oven to 300 degrees.

Zest one orange.

Combine oats, coconut flakes, almonds, flax seeds, chia seeds, and cinnamon in large bowl. Mix thoroughly. 

In a small bowl mix coconut oil, almond extract, orange zest and honey. Mix thoroughly and then pour the mixture into the large bowl.

Mix the dry and wet ingredients together with so the oats are covered with the wet mixture. 

Pour mixture (using a rubber spatula is helpful) onto a large baking tray that is covered in foil. Do not pack the tray because only the top layer of the oats will bake. 

Cook for 40-45 minutes, stirring the mixture every 10-15 minutes until the oats are a golden brown. 

Remove mixture from oven and allow it to cool. Once cool, add the mixture to a large bowl and stir in dried cherries.