Pumpkin Spice Granola

I think one of my very favorite things about fall is the ability to put pumpkin in everything. I know a lot of people (including my husband) find it super annoying, but the pumpkin flavor really thrills me. This week I had the urge to try making granola for my very first time and I thought that there wasn't a better way to attempt it than to make a pumpkin spice granola. Surprisingly it was super easy to make and I've been loving eating this on top of my Greek yogurt in the mornings. 

My favorite part about this granola is that I was able to make it with mostly organic ingredients. We've been really trying to incorporate the 80/20 rule of organic and all natural foods in our home over the last year and so when I'm able to purchase organic foods at grocery stores like Kroger it really makes the goal a lot more obtainable. 

Kroger's organic food section has really been killing it lately with great prices and a huge selection of foods and beauty products to choose from. Right now through October 27th you can Get 1 FREE dozen Simple Truth (Cage-Free) Eggs when you purchase any 3 participating products - Silk, Kashi, or Noosa items. That's basically everything you need to get your day off on the right foot. 

I've been on the hunt for a great tasting Greek yogurt for years now. I basically want my Greek yogurt to not taste like Greek yogurt and I was pleasantly surprised when I tried Noosa and it fit the bill. My friend Janssen, and her sister Merrick, have both talked about this yogurt a ton over the last few months but I didn't think any yogurt could really lived up to that much hype. Then I tried it and my mind was blown. I hate super sour/tangy yogurt and this one was super smooth, creamy, and even a little sweet. It's definitely my go to from now on. 

Another great way to eat this in the morning would be over some Silk Almond Milk. When we moved to North Carolina and realized how expensive regular milk and dairy products were we started using Silk as a way to save a bit of money and now it's something that we usually have on hand all the time. It's also super delicious in smoothies while we're on the breakfast topic. And you can totally put this granola on top of your smoothie for an extra bit of deliciousness. And now that I've given you a thousand breakfast ideas using this granola, Silk, and Noosa, lets get onto the recipe!

Ingredients:

1/3 cup pumpkin seeds

1/3 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

2 1/2 cups rolled oats

2 1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp ginger

Nutmeg, to taste

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tbsp molasses 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large bowl mix together all the dry ingredients. Then in a separate bowl, mix together all the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix well. 

Spread the granola mixture out in a 9x13 baking dish and then bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Flip the mixture over with a spatula, and then bake again for another 10 minutes. Once the time is up, decrease the heat in the oven to 325° and toss the mixture together again and bake for another 20 minutes  or until the mixture is golden brown, and not wet anymore. Remove the mixture from the oven and then it will continue to crisp a little as it cools on the counter. Serve over yogurt with berries. 

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Kroger. The opinions and text are all mine.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of WhiteWave Foods. The opinions and text are all mine.