I was looking for a granola recipe that was light and didn't have all the fat, sugar and preservatives you get in boxed granola. I soon discovered that it didn't exist. Through trial and error, I've come up with a recipe that is delicious and as "lite" as it can possibly be, without sacrificing taste and texture. You can substitute any kind of nuts or dried fruit you prefer.

Vegetable cooking spray
4 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup almonds (halved)
1/2 cup pecans (halved)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 1/2 cups sweetened coconut
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup Splenda brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract


  Preheat oven to 325*F. Lightly coat a cookie sheet with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine oats, almonds, pecans, coconut, cinnamon, and salt (the cherries go in after
baking).
In a small sauce pan, stir in oil, honey, and sugar. Don't worry if the oil doesn't thoroughly combine with the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Pour over oat mixture and stir until it's completely combined.
Pour onto prepared cookie sheet (you may need 2 depending on size) and spread evenly. Bake for 20 minutes or until it's lightly golden brown. Stir once or twice during the baking process, and keep a close eye on it to prevent it from burning. Remove from oven and stir in the cherries.
Let it cool completely before breaking it into pieces. Store in an airtight container.