Pumpkin Seed and Pear Granola

In this week's installment of "How To Get Carbs in My Mouth": Pumpkin Seed and Pear Granola!

This recipe is like fall in all its hearty crunchy glory.  Obligatory oats? Check.  Toasty salty seeds?  Check.  Sweet chewy golden raisins?  Check.  A little sweetness (in the form of applesauce)?  Check.  Chunks of subtly sweet pears?  Check.

That's the checklist!  And the recipe actually.  Granola is so insanely easy (and CHEAP) to make that I wonder why anyone would buy store bought.  Don't get me wrong, store bought can definitely be tasty but it often has a lot more junk in there that boosts the calorie count like CRAZY.  

And I don't wanna feel guilty muchin' on my 'nola, you know?  

Because if I'm gonna "spend" my calories anywhere, it's gonna be in the form of spoonfuls of Nutella straight to my pie-hole.  The American way! Not on crunchy granola drowning in cool pools of almond milk or mixed with dollops of tart greek yogurt.  

LOTS of crunchy granola drowning in cool pools of almond milk or mixed with dollops of tart greek yogurt.

Here's the recipe!  

Pumpkin Seed and Pear Granola

Ingredients

• 3 cups of rolled oats
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 pears, cored and chopped into bite size pieces
• 1 cup shelled roasted pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees and lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.  Set aside.

2.  In a large bowl, combine oats, cinnamon, chopped pears and pumpkin seeds.  Mix until combined. 
3.  In a medium bowl, combine applesauce, honey, vegetable oil, and vanilla and whisk until incorporated.  Make a well in the center of the oat mixture and pour the applesauce mixture in the center.  Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, combine ingredients until well coated and evenly mixed.  
4.  Pour onto prepared baking sheet in an even layer and bake for about one hour,  stirring every 15 minutes while baking.  Granola should be golden brown and slightly crisp when done.  Allow to cool on baking sheet.  When cooled, stir in chocolate and golden raisins. Store in a sealed container to keep fresh.    

Recipe an Annie's City Kitchen original