Ahhh! Christmas is just a few days away and that means only one thing…panic! Oh, and bake. Even if you are limping to the finish as I probably will be doing, you may have time (after Christmas) to try this recipe over winter break. It’s a nice way to mix in some healthy food along with all of the other tempting and delicious options out there. The spices also really add to the flavors of the season.
Recipe adapted from Cooking Classy
Pumpkin Pecan Granola
Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
6 Tbl flaxseed meal
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
2/3 cup dried cranberries
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Toss together oats, flaxseed meal and pecans in a large bowl.
2. Tear off 3-4 sheets of paper towels and lay on clean surface. Scoop pumpkin puree onto towels to absorb some of the moisture. Blot the top and sides of the puree as well.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, honey, canola oil, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cloves until combined. Pour over oat mixture. Toss with a rubber spatula until mixture is evenly coated.
4. Spread mixture onto a baking sheet into an even layer. Bake in oven and toss mixture every 15 minutes to ensure mixture does not stick together and bakes evenly. After a total of 45 minutes, add the pumpkin seeds and bake another 10 minutes. If more crunch is desired add 5-10 minutes more to the final cooking time. Toss in dried cranberries, allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container.
Thanks to G for the inspiration on this one. I was munching on the granola you gave us last year for Christmas well into the good part of January.
Home Is Where The Haggis Is 