Name: Pumpkin Chai Granola
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Ingredients: 4 cups old-fashioned oats; 2 cups mixed nuts & seeds (I used walnuts, pecans, almonds & pepitas); 1/2 cup pumpkin puree; 1/4 cup brown sugar; 1/4 cup real maple syrup; 2 Tablespoons butter (or peanut butter … or 1 Tablespoon of each. I used butter this time); 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice; 1/8 teaspoon cardamom; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 cup flaxmeal (optional); 1 chai tea bag; 1 Tablespoon chia seeds; 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds; 1 cup dried fruit such as apricots, raisins, or apples

Ingredients

Scale

4 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups mixed nuts & seeds (I used walnuts, pecans, almonds & pepitas)
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup real maple syrup
2 Tablespoons butter (or peanut butter … or 1 Tablespoon of each. I used butter this time)
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/8 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup flaxmeal (optional)
1 chai tea bag
1 Tablespoon chia seeds
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
1 cup dried fruit such as apricots, raisins, or apples

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. In a large bowl, mix the oats and nuts. Set aside.
In a separate small bowl, mix the pumpkin, brown sugar, maple syrup, butter (or peanut butter), spices, salt, and flaxmeal. Microwave on high for a minute, stir, and then microwave another minute more until the mixture is good and hot. (Or heat the mixture in a saucepan. Either way will work.) Submerge the chai tea bag into the mixture and let it steep for about 10 minutes.
Remove the chai tea bag, scraping off as much of the yummy pumpkin mixture that is sticking to it as you can before discarding the bag. If the pumpkin mixture has cooled too much, reheat it in the microwave for about a minute. Mix in the chia and sesame seeds.
Pour the hot pumpkin mixture over the nutty oat mixture in the bowl. Stir it all up until it’s well mixed.
Spread all this wonderful stuff out into a thin layer on a large jellyroll pan (or other big flat baking pan with an edge to it).
Set it in the oven and bake for about an hour and 30 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. It should be browned to a lovely brown color and smelling fantastic.
Let the granola cool, then add the dried fruit.
Store in an airtight container. It will keep well for a month or so. I’ve never run into a problem with my homemade granola getting stale, though … it always gets eaten well before that point.

Notes

RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/

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