Simple gluten free maple syrup granola

Last winter I made this amazing granola. I've made it a few times a month ever since. My husband's favorite off-the-shelf cereals all cost $4.99 for about 3 bowls full (a box). So making our own cereal has been a great way to know exactly what is in our food and save some grocery money at the same time. I love that it has iron (raisins/sunflower seeds) and omega-3 (pumpkin seeds and flax). We also make it sodium-free, dairy-free, but you could use real butter or add salt to taste.

The recipe has morphed over the past year as follows:

Maple syrup granola

Ingredients:
5 Cups whole GF oats
1 Cup raw pepitas (unsalted pumpkin seeds)
1 Cup walnuts or sliced almonds
1 Cup raw sunflower seeds (unsalted)
1/3 Cup ground flax
2 Tbl cinnamon

4 Tbl Earth Balance buttery spread
1/2 Cup Maple syrup
(2 Tbl brown sugar) - I sometimes skip
1 1/2 tsp GF vanilla extract

Toppings for after baking:
4 Tbl flaked coconut
1 Cup raisins

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Melt butter in a small bowl.
3. Add Maple syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla to melted butter.
4. Whisk until no sugar lumps remain.
5. Combine dry ingredients (oats, seeds, nuts, flax and cinnamon) in a large bowl.
6. Pour maple syrup/butter liquid contents into dry ingredients and stir until evenly coated.
7. Spread out onto two cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
8. Bake for 35 minutes total, stir at least once and switch the lower- to the upper-baking sheet about half-way through cooking.
9. Once the baking sheets are removed from oven, sprinkle with raisins and coconut flakes (if desired). [Do not bake with the raisins-- they just swell up and then become little pebbles -- learned that the hard way!]
10. Once cool, store in air-tight container. It lasts us around 2 weeks.

I eat it as a topping for hot quick oatmeal; my husband enjoys it with milk.

Tonight it is predicted to snow 4-6 inches, so it is a good raw day to make the house smell delicious! Enjoy.