Pumpkin Spice Granola

Who is ready for granola?!? 

As a nutritionist, I just truly love the foods that come along with fall. It's comfort foods, but it's also some of the most healthy comfort foods you can eat. And what a great relationship to have with your food- to draw comfort from it's ability to nourish body and soul. The spices that are generally thrown into the mix are both the nostalgic flavors that keep us looking forward to the season as well as effective antioxidants for fighting toxicity, pain and disease risk. Maybe it's the innert goodness and healthiness of the spices and pumpkin that signals an unexplicable comfort within our souls. Or maybe it's just plain yummy. Either way, I'll keep eating it, cooking it, and enyoying it. 

Ok, here's your Pumpkin Spice Granola Recipe

1 ripe banana

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1 TBSP melted nut butter of choice, melted in microwave 15 seconds

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 TBSP Stevia (powdered)

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 TBSP vanilla 

optional: 1/4 cup mix ins like nuts, dried fruit, or seeds. 

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. 

2. In a medium bowl, mash the banana with a fork. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the oats. 

3. Mix well and add oats. 

4. Smoosh the mixture onto a greased baking pan as thinly as possible. 

5. Bake in oven for 15 minutes and then stir. Bake another 10 minutes and stir, repeat another time or two until golden brown and thoroughly dried. 

6. Cool and then add in desired mix ins (nuts, seeds, dried fruit)

Just a note here to say thank you to Bella for engineering this recipe. She did great!