Homemade (Gluten-Free!) Pumpkin Spice Granola from The Sprouted Kitchen
With all the beautiful food and health blogs in the world, I still enjoy a good, solid cookbook to hold in my hands and dog-ear my favorite recipes. Sara Forte's The Sprouted Kitchen has been a favorite of mine since it was published, and before that, her blog Sprouted Kitchen won my heart. I even saw her speak at Book Larder in Seattle — and she's the genuine sweetest! And her husband's photography? Nothing short of mouthwatering.
I remember the very first time I made Sara's pumpkin spice granola. My entire house smelled like heaven. And it's healthful, but without trying too hard. I prefer dried cranberries to raisins, so I sub in those. And I used melted coconut oil instead of olive oil because I think the flavor pairs better with the overall recipe. But...it's your choice. I eat my homemade granola over thick-strained full-fat yogurt, or mixed in with some kefir and fruit.
Ingredients
2½ T olive oil (I use melted coconut oil)
½ tsp. sea salt
¾ tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or equal parts ground ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon with a dash of allspice)
⅓ cup Grade B maple syrup
⅓ cup pumpkin puree
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (certified gluten-free if you're sensitive)
½ cup roughly chopped raw pecans
3 T sesame seeds
½ cup golden raisins (I use dried cranberries as well)
Procedure
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together oil, salt, pumpkin pie spice, maple syrup, and pumpkin puree until smooth. Add in the oats, pecans, and sesame seeds and stir until well-coated — but NOT the raisins/cranberries.
3. Spread the granola evenly onto a large rimmed baking sheet, trying to keep as many granola clusters intact as possible. Bake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes or until the granola is dry and golden-brown in color, stirring every 10 minutes or so by scooping the granola on the edges back into the centre and then spreading back out into an even layer.
4. Let the granola cool for a few minutes, then stir in the dried cranberries. Allow to cool completely on baking sheets before transferring to an airtight container for storage. Finished granola will keep for about a week — if you don't eat it before that!