Pumpkin-Maple Granola

Recipe from Pink Parsley

I love granola.  It’s healthy and a great snack!  This recipe was delicious with the pumpkin pie spices and maple mixture.

I used homemade pumpkin puree for this recipe, which is really simple to make.  Just roast some pumpkin and put it in your blender! 🙂

When I make granola, I do have some trouble knowing when to take it out of the oven, so this was just slightly overdone.  I’ve noticed it doesn’t actually get crunchy in the oven, but begins to crunch as it cools. I think next time I may try to turn the temp down and cook it low and slow and maybe this will avoid overcooking.

I made a few changes from the original recipe, skipping the flax seeds, pepitas, raisins and figs.  I didn’t have any on hand (not exactly sure what pepitas are), but it still tasted delicious!

Ingredients:
3/4 c pumpkin puree
1/2 c pure maple syrup
1/4 c canola oil
2 T honey
3 c old-fashioned oats
1/2 c whole almonds (I did almond slivers)
1/3 c sunflower seeds
2/3 c coconut
2 T cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1/4 t ground ginger
1 t salt
1/2 c dried cranberries


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix the puree, syrup, oil and honey in a large bowl.  Add the remaining ingredients except the cranberries and mix well.

Pour mixture onto the baking sheet and spread out to uniform thickness.  Cook about 30-40 minutes, mixing every 10 minutes, until granola is golden brown and crispy.

Cool to room temperature and then mix in the cranberries.  Store in an airtight container.

 

Crockpot Granola

Source: A Year of Crockpotting

This recipe, unlike the yogurt, actually worked! 🙂 It has a really good taste to it, but next time I may try to add more honey and butter, to try to get it to cluster a bit.

Make sure you keep checking it. I ended up mixing it every 1/2 hour to make sure it didn’t burn. (I thought my 4 quart crockpot runs a little hot.)

Ingredients:
5 cups oats (not instant)
3/4 c honey
1/2 c melted butter
1/4 c slivered almonds
1/4 c soy nuts
1/4 c sunflower seeds
1/4 c dried cranberries

Directions:
Mix the oats and other dry ingredients together in the crockpot.

Mix together the honey and melted butter, then stir into the dry ingredients.

Place the lid on the crockpot, and vent with a chopstick.

Cook on high for about 3-4 hours. Stir frequently. If you begin to smell the granola, it’s probably going to burn soon.

You want to get a nice consistent golden brown color. When it’s done, dump on some parchment paper and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container. Enjoy like cereal with milk, over yogurt, or with some fresh fruit! It also freezes well.