Pumpkin season is among us, folks!  It’s early on…I know, but can you really have too much pumpkin goodness?  I know I can’t!  My initial interest was in creating some snacks to have on hand because my schedule at work has been really busy.  I don’t typically fall into the “snacker” category, but I have found that if I have things readily available and keep myself satisfied I am less likely to want things that I shouldn’t be eating!  Occasionally, I fall into the Larabar or Epic bar trap — and while I stand by what those companies are doing — they’re expensive, and homemade is always better if you can help it.

Anyway, I’ll be real with you — these were SUPPOSED to be bars.  But bars didn’t happen.  And ingredients should never be wasted.  The consistency didn’t suit well for a bar…so, rather than feeling like I had failed…I crumbled that mess up!  And guess what, ended up with an incredibly tasty “granola.”

The other noteworthy thing about this mix — is that I wanted to leave out nuts.  People just use and eat too many nuts now-a-days if you want my personal opinion.  Not only are nuts expensive, they can be easily over-eaten, and if you’re like me — eating them makes your nose stuffy.  Don’t ask me why…but they do.

So, let’s get right to it.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 2 tbsp. coconut nectar
• 1/4 cup sunbutter
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp. pure pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp. pumpkin-pie spice
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup roasted/salted sunflower seeds
• 1/3 cup plain raw sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup raisins

Process

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the coconut oil, coconut nectar, sunbutter, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Continue to whisk occasionally, until it is well blended.
3. Meanwhile, mix the pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, shredded coconut and raisins together in a medium-sized bowl.
4. Whisk the pumpkin-pie spice into the warmed sunbutter mixture, and remove from heat.  Allow this mixture to cool slightly.
5. Once cooled, pour it into the bowl with all of your seeds/coconut/raisins.  Mix well.
6. Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper.  Pour in your mixture, spread it out evenly, and press it down with your hands.
7. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes.
8. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for a while on a wire rack.  Break it apart into large chunks and store in an air-tight container.

Ways to enjoy your granola —

* Eat it as trail mix type snack

* Enjoy it with some grassfed milk or coconut milk spooned on top

* Eat it warmed up with a dollop of grassfed cream on top for a simple dessert

* Enjoy it crumbled on top of some grassfed yogurt