Bonjour everyone! Are y’all ready for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year? I am totally ready for some time off and tomorrow is my last day before a week off. Then we have two weeks of school before we have another 3 weeks off. I wish we could just combine both and have 5 weeks off in a row. I am going to France for Christmas and for once I will have to come back a week before going back to work. We have strict policies at work to keep everyone safe and healthy, so I will have to stay home 5 days after I come back before taking a test. We have strict rules, but we have been able to remain open and healthy since September, so kudos to us!!
I know all these rules and protocols are tiring. We all want this virus to just disappear. Remember that wearing a mask, staying 6-feet apart, and washing your hands often is a good way to keep this virus away. AND, let’s not forget that eating healthy, and taking care of our immune system can also help us stay healthy.
We are all tired of hearing about it, so let’s move on to something else that we all love: food. That’s a common theme between all the holidays that are coming up. I have made some stuff in the kitchen lately and I am going to share them so that will give you some ideas for the holidays. I made some granola (I love making granola), and this one tastes like Fall. It is made with pecans, cashews, seeds, and you won’t need pumpkin purée to make it. It is pretty simply like every other granola.
what do you use granola with?
I love adding this pecan pumpkin granola to my cottage cheese or greek yogurt along with some vanilla whey protein. I rarely eat it by itself now, but I used to eat it just like cereals.
how long will it take?
As I mentioned in the recipe, it will take you about 5 minutes (or more) to prepare this pecan pumpkin granola and 25-30 minutes to bake it. You might want to check it often when it bakes so you won’t burn it. You probably want to bake it less then I did, it is up to you.
what kind of syrup did you use?
I like using ChocZero syrup whenever I make granola. I like using sugar alcohols and sugar-free syrup, as long as they do not contain Sucralose or aspartame. I know that regardless of what you are using your brain still knows that you are eating something sweet. I prefer using them because they are healthier than sugar and artificial sweetener. If you prefer, you can still use honey or maple syrup.
where do I find pumpkin and pecan flour?
It isn’t something that usually can be found at the store. I bought Glean pumpkin flour which I found at Marshalls, and I bought Nature’s Eats pecan flour.
how many servings will it yield?
I am not really sure. It will make a lot of servings that’s for sure. I made mine a few weeks ago and I still have plenty. I am also the only one eating it and I only use a few tablespoons in my cottage cheese 2-3 times per week.
how to store it?
Just like all nuts and seeds, it should be stored in the fridge. You will be able to keep it longer and fresher. And yes, nuts and seeds need to be stored in the fridge so they won’t turn rancid.
Pecan Pumpkin Granola
Ingredients
- 225 g cashews
- 225 g pecans
- 75 g pecan flour
- 25 g pumpkin flour
- 100 g hemp seeds
- 100 g sunflower seeds
- 100 g melted coconut oil
- 1 tbsp pumpkin spice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 80 g sugar-free syrup (I used ChocZero)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F, and line baking pan with parchment paper.
- Add cashews, and pecans in a food processor and pulse a few times. You want to break them into small pieces, but not into a powder.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt coconut oil and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add all the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Stir in melted coconut oil and syrup. Stir until well combined.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Stir and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
As always, I would love to hear from you. Leave me a comment to let me know how you like this recipe. Every feedback is helpful to improve my posts and recipes. Don’t hesitate to let me know if there is a recipe or topic you would like to see on my blog.
