nuts » Living Lou

Pumpkin Spiced Granola

I’ve had this Pumpkin Spiced Granola up my sleeve for a while, but I wasn’t quite sure what to write about it. It hit me yesterday; I finally figured out exactly why I love this granola. Apart from being utterly delicious, the real reason why I love it is because I can eat it in my car.

Yesterday I tweeted* that I eat more meals in my car than anywhere else. I’m here to tell you that that is a fact. I tend to eat my lunch on the way to class from my internship or from class heading to my internship. However today, I ate breakfast, lunch and dinner in my car – while driving. And this granola was part of all of those meals. It’s an easy thing to munch on while driving, every time I stop at a red light, I can grab a handful of granola. Plus it packs a nutritious punch – lots of nuts and seeds in there for that protein which is pretty important when constantly on the go. While this granola isn’t enough for lunch itself, it’s a good start. I like to pack a bunch of things in my lunchbox – I’ll show you all soon!

*Can’t believe I just said “tweeted”. All my friends know I can’t stand the word “tweet”. No.

Pumpkin Spiced Granola
Recipe by Lou

Ingredients

3 cups toasted oats (toast for 15 minutes at 375 degrees)
1 cup chopped almonds
1 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp Vanilla
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup honey
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Directions

Preheat oven to 250.

In a large bowl, combine toasted oats, almonds, coconut, pumpkin seeds, walnuts and cranberries.

In a small saucepan, bring pumpkin puree, vanilla, canola oil, maple syrup, honey and spices to a boil.

Remove from heat and stir into dry ingredients. Stir in toasted oats.

Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray and press the granola mixture into pan.

Bake for 30 minutes at 250, then turn the heat down to 200 and cook for another 2 hours.

Remove from oven and allow to cool before breaking up and storing in an airtight container.

Please tell me I’m not the only one who eats meals in the car? If you’re like me, definitely pack this Pumpkin Spiced Granola along for the drive.

- Lou

Chipotle Roasted Almonds

I’ve seen roasted nuts – almonds, peanuts and walnuts everywhere, but I never had the urge to try them until recently. The real reason I made these Chipotle Roasted Almonds is for a new recipe coming your way next week. Here’s a hint: it has to do with ice cream and it is to die for. Back to the roasted nuts, what’s so special about them? Here’s what’s special – they are so good and so addicting. The perfect blend of sweet and salty with a slight smoky and spicy aftertaste that makes your taste buds sing. I can see many variations of roasted nuts becoming a staple snack in my house. I always thought that I loved almonds but this takes our relationship to a whole new level. What’s your relationship like with almonds? I can almost guarantee that after trying these, you might fall in love all over again.

These make a great protein packed snack or a fabulous appetizer to have at your next gathering.

Chipotle Spice Roasted Almonds (makes 2 cups)
Recipe by Lou

Ingredients

2 cups raw almonds
3 tbsp honey
3 tbsp water
1/8 cup sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 325. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine sugar, salt and chipotle chili powder, set aside.

In a medium pot bring honey and water to a boil.

Add almonds and stir to coat in honey/water mixture. Continue boiling and stirring until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

In one layer, pour almonds onto the prepared baking sheet.

Roast for 30 minutes – stirring almonds every 10 minutes to ensure even cooking.

Once fully roasted, pour almonds into a large bowl and sprinkle with sugar mixture. Tossing to coat.

Allow nuts to cool, tossing every little while to ensure that they do not stick together. Store in an airtight container.

I hope you enjoy these Chipotle Roasted Almonds as much as I do.

- Lou