Crunchy Pumpkin Spice Granola

My daddy likes granola and I found this recipe and thought I would try it and surprise him with it this past weekend.  Normally I am not a fan of granola because it is so hard, but this was pretty good, especially when it was warm. This recipe allowed me to try some ingredients I had not used before.  Always looking for new things to try.

I know it looks like a lot of stuff.  Yes that is coconut oil in front.  That was a first for me.

In a large bowl add 3 3/4 cups old fashioned rolled oats.

2/3 cup pumpkin seeds.  The recipe also calls for unsweetened coconut but I could not find any.  If I had gone to a health food store I probably could.  I didn't want to use the sweetened because I was afraid it would burn.

1/4 cup uncooked quinoa.  I tasted the quinoa to see what it tasted like uncooked.  It had a nutty flavor so it was a good addition.  Of course I had these little beads all over my kitchen.

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/8 teaspoon salt.

Mix all together.

A little hint here.  These round oat containers are really good for wrapping Christmas presents in.  Will drive people crazy trying to figure out what is inside.

In another bowl add 2 egg whites.

Whisk the egg whites for about a minute until they are frothy.

Add 1/2 cup pumpkin puree.

1/3 cup pure maple syrup.

Here is the coconut oil.  This oil is suppose to be really good for you too.  It is a solid, so you will need to melt it but not burn it.  I scrapped out 1/4 cup.

Put it in the measuring cup, and melted it in the microwave for about 20 seconds at a time until it melts. When it cools a little bit pour it in the pumpkin mixture.

Add 3 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Whisk that all together well.

Add to the oat mixture.

Mix well.

Take two cookie sheets and line them with parchment paper.  Then divide the oats between the two sheets.  Spread out pretty well.

The second sheet.  Place the sheets in a preheated 325 oven.  Bake for 40 minutes.  Stir every 15 minutes.  I used one oven and rotated the pans when I stirred them as well.

After one of the stirrings.

Finished product fresh from the oven.  Let cool a little bit.  The recipe suggested leaving it on the sheets for 20 minutes.

Measure out 2/3 cup dried cranberries.

I put it back in the bowl and added the cranberries so that I could mix well.

Then store in an airtight container.

Crunchy Pumpkin Spice Granola Recipe

3 3/4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
2/3 cup unsweetened coconut**
2/3 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup uncooked quinoa
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven 325. Bake 40 minutes.  Stirring every 15minutes.

This recipe has some decisions too.
You can leave the unsweetened coconut out.
You can change dried cranberries to some other dried fruit.
You can change the pumpkin seeds to another nut.
You can add chocolate chips, white chocolate chips or butterscotch chips.
You can use honey, agave, or brown rice syrup instead of maple syrup
You can use vegetable oil instead of coconut oil
You can leave the quinoa out.
You can add 2 Tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder to the wet ingredients for chocolate pumpkin granola

** Today I found unsweetened coconut at Fresh Market.  So if you want to include it you can find it there.