Nutty, Nutty Granola

Directions

1. 1
   Soak your nuts prior to using them as this releases certain enzyme inhibitors that would otherwise make them difficult to digest. Put your raw nuts in a bowl, add a pinch of salt and enough water to cover them. Let them soak for 8 hours, then drain them and spread them out on a baking sheet in a warm dry place to let them dry for about another 8-12 hours. Now they're ready to go.
2. 2
   Heat your oven to 225F. Place your nuts in a food processor and pulse them until they're just very roughly chopped.
3. 3
   In a small saucepan, combine the honey and the butter (or ghee or coconut oil) and warm them together until the butter melts. Stir in the vanilla.
4. 4
   Add the honey mixture to the food processor along with the coconut and chia seeds (if using). Pulse a little bit more just until everything is chopped to about the sized of steel cut oats.
5. 5
   Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat and spread your granola out on it. Bake it in the oven, stirring it up just once or twice during the process, until it is toasty and mostly dry, about 45 minutes. Take it out and let it cool completely. At this point you can stir in some dried fruit if you'd like (I like to stir in chopped dried figs.) Store the granola in an airtight container in a cool place (the fridge works well for longer storage because it prevents any of the fats in the nuts from going rancid).
6. 6
   Enjoy your granola with any variety of milk, yogurt, or kefir - dairy or non-dairy - or by itself as a little snack.