Pumpkin Pie Granola

Thanksgiving time is over and we are quickly moving into the winter holidays. Yay! I love this time of year! One thing I don't love? Food waste. Hate it. So after thanksgiving I had partial cans of pumpkin puree leftover and I know that they are not expensive, but its the principle... what to do with partial pumpkin? I made Against All Grain's pumpkin spice latte and then decided to make some granola with the remaining little bit... turns out it is so delicious and I couldn't stop snacking on it! I ate it plain, ate it with yogurt, milk... pretty much every time I walked into the kitchen. Bonus! It makes your house smell good :) 

Pumpkin Pie Granola

- 1/3 Cup Pumpkin Puree

- 2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

- ¼ Cup Maple Syrup

- 1 tsp Vanilla

- 3 Cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

- ¼ Cup Ground Flaxseed

- 2 Tbsp Chia Seeds

- ½ Cup Pecan Halves or Pieces

- ¼ Cup Mini Chocolate Chips

- Pinch of Salt

Preheat Oven to 300 Degrees

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, pie spice, syrup and vanilla. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until everything is coated.

2. Spread the mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using another small piece of parchment, push down on the granola making a flat and even layer - the more together it is now the better the granola “chunks” will turn out.

3. Bake for 40 minutes. Do not stir or flip or do anything during this time aside from rotating the pan if necessary. Let the granola cool completely (about 30 min) before breaking it apart into large pieces, or whatever size you want.