Pumpkin Granola

Up until a few months ago, I ate cereal for breakfast almost every weekday. It's quick, delicious, and doesn't make me feel queasy like an egg breakfast can. However, one morning while chowing down on my favorite TJs cereal, I had an epiphany. Given that I make lunch and dinner from scratch every day, why on earth do I eat breakfast from a box?

It seems obvious, but the fact is, I ate cereal for so many years, I didn't consider it a convenience food. But it is. By definition, cereal contains highly-processed grains, and frequently, a bunch of other additives I would never eat the rest of the day. Plus, it isn't exactly cheap. After my epiphany, I decided to treat breakfast like my other meals and make it from scratch.

One of the first homemade breakfasts I tried was this granola from David Lebovitz. It completely cemented my resolve to leave boxed cereal in the dust. The unique aspect of this recipe is the fruit puree - it makes the granola crisp without a lot of oil. As long as you have a scale, it's a cinch to make and totally customizable.

I put together this adaptation recently since, like the rest of the foodie world, I'm currently obsessed with pumpkin. The spices come from my mom's pumpkin pie recipe and capture the flavors of Thanksgiving without the guilt. Happy cooking!

Pumpkin Granola
Adapted from Feast, by Nigella Lawson, via David Lebovitz

400 g multi-grain flakes or old-fashioned rolled oats
70 g walnuts, coarsely chopped
50 g pecans,  coarsely chopped
30 g ground flax (optional)
100 g sunflower seeds
70 g packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons dried ground ginger
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon sea salt

150 g pumpkin puree thinned with 50 g water
80 g agave
60 g maple syrup
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat the oven to 300 F. In a very large bowl, mix together the grains, nuts, flax, sunflower seeds, brown sugar, spices and salt.

In a small saucepan, warm the pumpkin with the agave, maple syrup, and oils. Mix the fruit mixture into the dry ingredients until thoroughly dispersed, then divide and spread the mixture evenly on two baking sheets. (If you have ones with sides, use them.)

Bake the granola for about 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the granola is golden brown. Remove from oven, then cool completely. Store the granola in a large, airtight container. It will keep for up to one month.