make: pumpkin granola

I am pretty sure I ate a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast everyday for a solid five years. Maybe straying due to travel or brunch plans. I like a routine. And oatmeal was a critical part of my morning routine. Looking back, I can pinpoint the switch to the day I discovered Greek yogurt. And homemade granola. Now my breakfast routine is all out of whack. It's more like breakfast phases. I have oatmeal phases. And granola phases. Banana and peanut butter phases.

I had been craving oatmeal cookies for about a week now. Since it's fall, and I must take advantage of all opportunities to use pumpkin, I did a search for pumpkin oatmeal cookies. What caught my eye in the results was pumpkin granola. Light bulb moment and I decided pumpkin would be an easy switch for the applesauce I usually use in my granola. A few more swaps made included pumpkin seeds instead of almonds, almond butter instead of peanut butter (I had an open jar and I don't know about you, but that's how I make kitchen decisions), and currants instead of goji berries. Forty minutes later and another canned pumpkin use for my back pocket.

make: homemade granola

I like sugar as much as the next girl. Which is to say, I like sugar too much. Sugar doesn’t like me. I crash. Hard. Exhibit A: NYC brunch equals a time to just go for it. Go for the decadent French toast. Two hours later become a whiny, agitated child. Embarrass yourself terribly. Remember why you don’t eat sugar at breakfast. I also love granola. But all granola has added sugar. I’m looking at you agave and honey. You count too. The only solution is to make your own. My recipe isn’t much of one, but here it is:

1.     Combine oats, walnuts, hazelnuts, unsweetened dried coconut flakes, and freshly ground sea salt.

2.     In a separate bowl, combine about ½ cup of unsweetened applesauce, 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp peanut butter.

3.     Mix applesauce mix into the oat mix.

4.     Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Take out of oven, stir around, and bake for another 15-20.

5.     Let cool, then add in dried goji berries.

Note: When assembling ingredients for an attempt at a pretty before shot remember to then set the goji berries aside and not bake with the granola. This will make for blackened goji berries and the after shot will not be speckled with vibrant red prettiness. See above.