Pumpkin Spice Granola

A few years ago I found this amazing pumpkin spice granola recipe on The Healthy Maven.  It quickly became a favorite and staple in our house.

When I first got married, I wasn’t a great  cook.  Add to that I was a vegetarian and my new husband was more a meat and potatoes kind of guy.  We ate A LOT, I mean A LOT  of spaghetti that first year.  He usually added some variety of meat to his. So what better way to serve newlyweds than to share some recipes and tips.

 

I could tell you so many amusing stories…. Like the time there were worms in his oatmeal (NOT ON PURPOSE!).  The time I made soup with apples in it…  The time I came home begged him to fix me steak when I was a couple months pregnant–my body knew what it needed!

But instead I’ll share my slightly modified version of the pumpkin spice granola recipe, because the recipe, is what we all want when we look up a recipe.

 

Pumpkin Spice Granola

Prep time:  10-15 minutes  Bake time:  30 minutes

Ingredient:

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup pecans
• 1 cup pumpkin seeds/pepitas
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 2 tsp pumpkin spice (The Healthy Maven has a great DIY version to make it yourself)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup pureed pumpkin(not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1/4 cup oil, coconut, canola, olive (I’ve used each of them at one time)
• 1/3 – 1/2 cup sweetener (I like to use a mix of molasses and honey–while the original recipe calls for maple syrup)
• honey gives it a more mild flavor while molasses adds some zing

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Mix all dry ingredients together.
3. Add in vanilla, pumpkin, coconut oil and maple syrup and stir to combine.
4. Place mixture on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray or  lined with a silicone mat/ parchment paper
5. Bake for 15 mins.
6. Remove from oven and stir/ turn over granola
7. Place back in oven for another 15 mins.
8. Remove from oven, and let cool for 20 mins before placing in a sealed jar or container.

If you’d like a little more protein, or clumps of granola, beat an egg white and mix it in one granola is on baking sheet.

 

I’m not a food photographer, and I didn’t get out my good camera, but here a couple quick cell phone pictures of my pumpkin spice granola

 

Recently engaged?  Check out wedding planning tips here:  Top 5 Things to do When you Get Engaged   and  The Next Steps: What to do After You Get Engaged

To learn more about the Simply Seeking Photography wedding experience click here:  The Wedding Experience 

 

The Healthy Maven DIY Pumpkin Spice 

Original recipe from The Healthy Maven The Ultimate Pumpkin Spice Granola