Allergen-Free Granola

I must start by giving credit where credit is due. I follow the bulk of THIS RECIPE, omitting the nuts.

If you have an allergy to coconut, this is not the recipe for you.

This recipe was born out of prayers for inspiration for a nutritious breakfast that everyone in our multiple-allergy family could eat. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

At the bottom I've included a list of where I've some of the more expensive ingredients, at the best price. If you know of a better price, please let me know!

For ingredients and directions for this granola recipe please see the link above, with this exception:

Omit the almonds and sunflower seeds*, substituting 1 cup raw shelled pumpkin seeds (aka pepitas), chopped. Add these at the end, along with the dried fruit, so they remain raw. I use Craisins, chopped, as the dried fruit in this recipe.

*While my children aren't allergic to sunflower seeds, they have developed hives due to cross-contamination of the bulk seeds. Additionally, I feel the sunflower flavor is overpowering in the granola. I much prefer the neutral flavor of the raw pumpkin seeds.

Baking time - Since ovens differ, this require a bit of experimentation. I found an initial bake of 13 min followed by 7 minutes to be perfect for my oven.
*Note - granola crisps as it cools. The granola is done baking when it has a light honey color. If baked past this point it will be bitter.

I've been playing around with the quantities of the sweet ingredients, trying to get them down to a minimum without compromising taste. For a start, I use unsweetened coconut flakes.

Best prices:

Coconut Oil - Amazon.com $18 for 29 oz ($.50/oz)

I know Trader Joe's sells this, I think it's more expensive there, but to be honest I'm not sure.

Coconut Flakes - Amazon.com $15 for 4, 12 oz bags

Unsweetened coconut has been hard to find. Please let me know if you know of somewhere else to find it! Additionally, these flakes are rather large and require chopping prior to adding to the recipe.

Raw Pumpkin Seeds - Trader Joe's, $6.50 for 1 lb.

This is the best price that I've found. It seems they they are universally $9/lb everywhere else.

Craisins - Sam's Club - $8 for 48 oz