Pumpkin Pie Granola

It's heeerrrre!!

Get ready for the first of many pumpkin recipes to come this season!

I've been wanting to make granola for awhile now. It is simple to make, plus it is healthier and less expensive than most store-bought varieties.

The idea struck me sometime in the middle of work today to incorporate pumpkin into granola (inspiration strikes at odd times, doesn't it?).  I looked at some recipes that use applesauce and thought it made perfect sense to sub pumpkin for the applesauce...one fruit for another, right?

I mixed oats, slivered almonds, walnuts, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and sucanat in a large bowl.

Added some shredded coconut as an afterthought (not pictured).

Mixed in pumpkin, vanilla extract and maple syrup.

Spread it on a sheet pan greased with a little coconut oil.

And put it in the oven.

Let me tell you, this stuff made my kitchen smell all kinds of delicious while it baked!

I added some dried cranberries during the last few minutes of baking.

The granola gets all nice and crispy as it cools.

(I overcooked mine trying to crisp it up, so trust me on this one)

Pumpkin Pie Granola

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/3 cup sucanat (or brown sugar)

1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

1/3 cup shredded coconut

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup slivered almonds

2/3 cup pumpkin

1/3 cup maple syrup

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Coat 2 baking sheets with coconut oil (or cooking spray).

2. Combine oats, sucanat, spices, coconut, almonds and walnuts in a large bowl. Mix pumpkin, vanilla and maple syrup in another bowl. Stir the pumpkin mixture into the oat mixture until combined. Spoon granola evenly on to prepared baking sheets.

3. Bake for about 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes until lightly browned. Mix in dried cranberries at the end.

4. Breathe in deeply the aroma of pumpkin pie filling your kitchen.

5. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature (if you can wait). Store in airtight container. 

Yum, tastes like FALL! 

What is your favorite way to use pumpkin?