Today, I had so many ideas for my oatmeal challenge that I could hardly decide which one to try. So I decided to try one that I have been waiting to try for a while: HOMEMADE Pumpkin Cranberry GRANOLA. About a month ago, I tried a different homemade granola recipe and it did NOT taste that great. Because of this, I did a little extra research and found a recipe that I thought would taste better. The original recipe is for plain granola, but since I love pumpkin and it's wonderful health benefits, I decided to add some pumpkin and adapt the recipe to my taste. I hope you enjoy it!
Before I get started on the recipe, let me give you two more reasons why you should love oatmeal just in case you're not yet convinced.
1. It costs a $1.49 for a 42 oz container (at the commissary)
What you need:
4 cups of oatmeal1 cup craisins (dried cranberries)
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup finely ground flax seeds
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup honey
1/2 can of pumpkin (I used the 15 oz can)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
parchment paper
*I changed a few things from the original recipe. I added pumpkin because I enjoy the flavor. I also added pumpkin pie spice to bring out the flavor of the pumpkin, but if you don't have pumpkin pie spice all you need is cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg (not sure of the exact measurements). I also added an extra 1/2 cup of oatmeal because of the extra liquid from the pumpkin. I swapped out the sunflower seed for flax seed because of the extra fiber and I did not have any sunflower seeds in my pantry. This recipe is very flexible and can easily be played with so have fun using what you have in your pantry!
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| Little Bear: always willing to help! |
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| Yummy! Ready to cool! |
How to make it:
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Cover a rectangular baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix the dry ingredients: oats, almonds, pecans, coconut, flax seed and spices together in a large mixing bowl.
Heat the butter, honey, and pumpkin together in a small saucepan over low heat. Once the butter melts stir in the vanilla.
Pour the hot liquids over the dry ingredients and stir together with a rubber spatula until evenly coated.
Spread mixture onto prepared pan in one even layer. Bake for 75 minutes.
The granola will become crisp as it cools at which point you can break it up into small chunks by pounding it in a zip lock bag. Store in air tight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Add it to a smoothie or yogurt for a great crunch or put it in a bowl with some banana and milk. Enjoy!
*Something to remember: Depending on the size of your baking sheet, you may need to split the mixture between two pans. If it is too thick it will not cook completely and become crunchy.
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