Pumpkin Spice Breakfast Granola
Granola care packages for your family
Think how happy a loved one will be to receive food from you. One of the great joys of the holiday season is my ability to spread love to family through good eats. My ideal person is my dad, since he is diabetic and lives thousands of miles away from me. He has been diabetic for over 17 years, whilst maintaining a very healthy lifestyle. Am always thrilled to come across raw, vegetarian or vegan recipes (such as this pumpkin spice granola) that will make his day worthwhile. And yes, I’ll admit am a daddy’s girl!
All it takes to send a successful care package during the holidays is a little love. Don’t send vegetables or meat though— avoid things that will turn into mush or fall apart crumbling. Do send baked goods though; a delicious outlet that easily accommodates all dietary needs.
Am sharing a great vegetarian base recipe I’ve tested and tweaked for a healthy granola. The recipe originates from Kathryne’s Cookie + Kate blog. It is also a healthier granola option, versus store-bought granola since it’s naturally sweetened, made with whole grains, and unrefined oil. I keep my granola fresh by storing it in airtight containers. Keep in mind, the ingredients are not limited to what’s listed below.
I used walnuts in this batch, but you can use whatever you have that inspires you during the fall holidays. I always, try to use what’s on sale in my neighborhood farmer’s market. I hauled a great big batch of walnuts and am glad that I did.
Once you have the base recipe down, you can add or play with your own combination of nuts, dried fruit and/ or chocolate (example; shaved coconut, dried papaya, dates, chocolate chips etc.) Luckily, this recipe is versatile and can be a game changer for summer as well, with combinations like dried pineapple, and toasted coconut– yum!
Pumpkin Spice Granola
Ingredients
- ½ cup Honey or Maple syrup
- ¼ cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed (optional)
- ½ cup Coconut Oil or Olive Oil
- 2 tsps Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup Pecans or Walnuts roughly chopped
- 4 cups Old-fashioned Oats
- ½ cup Pumpkin Seeds raw
- 1 tsp Orange Zest finely grated
- 1 tbsp Pumpkin Spice
- ½ tsp kosher Salt
- ½ cup Sweetened dried Cranberries
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, nuts, pumpkin seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Stir to blend.
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Pour in the oil, brown sugar, maple syrup and/or honey, orange zest and vanilla. Mix well, until every oat and nut are lightly coated. Spread out granola on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and bake, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 20–25 minutes (mixture will still look wet but will dry as it cools).
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The granola will further crisp up as it cools-- Let granola cool on baking sheet, then break into clusters. Mix in cranberries.
Recipe Notes
- Granola can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
- Regular ground cinnamon can be used if you don't have any pumpkin spice on hand.
- The brown sugar can be omitted for a less-sweet alternative.
- For toasted coconut variation: Stir the coconut flakes into the granola halfway through baking (otherwise they will burn if added in the beginning).
- Use it for cereal or add it to yogurt and fruit compote for a delicious parfait.
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