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The recipe title you see up there, while that is the short version.
Yeah, the short one.
The original recipe name also included, pumpkin, pumpkin seeds and honeycrisp apples, but I realized that was just way too ridiculously long. Like come on, I cannot have a title that is three-lines long (well I could, but I shouldn’t). That is just too crazy, even for me. So autumn harvest granola came into play and it stuck. I like it better anyway. Did I ever tell you that harvest, is one of my very favorite words and autumn is probably my second? Because they totally are, hence the whole Half Baked Harvest thing.
Have I also ever told you that I despise the “Half Baked” part of Half Baked Harvest? Because I do, and if I could I would delete the Half Baked and just be Harvest, but at this stage of the game it’s not worth the confusion. Really though, I hate it and for reasons that were clearly not obvious to me as a young and naive sixteen year-old.
And I say sixteen because I actually bought and registered my domain name a full year and half before even writing my first post. It took me all that time to build up the courage. Pretty glad I finally did though!
Also, time stinking flies. I know we all say this all the time (especially me), but whoa!! It just flies.
Which is why this year, I am SO not ready for the snow or Thanksgiving and not even Christmas. I mean I am beyond excited for both because they are my two favorite holidays, but this year I really just want to enjoy Halloween… without snow and before all the holiday talk. It’ll be kind hard though because snow is predicted for this week and with snow, I begin to think all things red, green and candy canes. Not gonna lie, one hour of my Sunday was spent looking at the most adorable Christmas bedding at Pottery Barn. SO CUTE. I want it.
Um ok, but back to all things fall. It’s the last day of September and I am so excited for October. I love Halloween. It’s my third favorite holiday (can you tell I love all end of the year holidays?). I am pretty excited to create some fun treats this year and um, dig into a lot of candy. Hey, what is October without a complete sugar high? Actually, I take that back, what is October, November and December without a complete sugar high? Isn’t that what January was made for? I think so.
Before we start that sugar rush though, how about some pretty top-notch, healthy granola? Promise, it tastes so good. Maybe not like a Reese, but good in its own awesome way.
This is my first time adding quinoa to granola and I think it will be a regular from now on. I like the extra chew you get and it adds a ton of protein too, which will be good since we need our strength to lug those bags of candy around. You know, the ones you are going to be stealing from your kids at the end of October… yeah, those.
Obviously, now is the time to start building up people. I call it power planning.
The only fall ingredient that’s missing in this granola is pomegranate arils. I am not a fan of baked pomegranate arils because I love them so much raw, so I added them on top with some yogurt or milk. Delicious.
I used a few honeycrisp apples, some pumpkin, pumpkin seeds and lots of pecans. This granola definitely fits the “autumn harvest” category.
Brown Butter Pecan + Maple Quinoa Autumn Harvest Granola.
Servings: 7 Cups
Calories Per Serving: 710 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 cup raw pecans
- 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds pepitas
- 1 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 3 small-medium honeycrisp apples chopped
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree homemade if possible
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or 1 more tablespoon butter
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- In a large bowl combine the oats, cooked quinoa, pecans, pumpkin seeds, cranberries and chopped apples. Toss well.
- In a skillet or small sauce pot melt the butter over medium heat until just browned. The butter will melt, foam and froth, then begin to brown along the bottom. Whisk browned bits off of the bottom of the pan. Once the butter is browned quickly remove from the heat and slowly stir in the maple syrup, pumpkin and coconut oil. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Stir in the vanilla.
- Pour the warm mixture over the dry oat mixture and stir to fully combine. I normally stir for a good 3 to 5 minutes.
- Spread the granola out onto two parchment lined baking sheet with sides and drizzle with 2 tablespoons honey. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes stirring every 15 minutes so the granola will get evenly toasted. The last time you stir the granola, drizzle it with the remaining 2 tablespoons honey. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before storing. Store up to one week or longer if kept in the fridge.*
Notes
*Because of the apples used in this recipe, I recommend eating this granola within one week of baking. I have kept mine a solid two weeks and it is still delicious, but I live at 9,000 feet, so food stays fresher for longer up here. *Adapted from my [Brown Butter Pumpkin Seed and Expresso Glazed Big Cluster Granola | https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/brown-butter-pumpkin-seed-espresso-glazed-big-cluster-granola/].
Good till the last bite. PS. fresh apples in granola is SO awesome.
Your titles and blog name are very important! I find that, most of all, they give personality. No one else in the world has a recipe called “Sweet Tea Oven-Fried Chicken Sliders w/Jalapeño Cheddar Corn Slaw + Crispy Onions. (with Salted Honey Butter Cornbread Brioche Burger Buns.)” That is YOU! Your trademark. And your blog name is perfect. It includes “Harvest”, like the fresh, (sometimes) healthy ingredients you use and the homemade, old-school style cooking that you do. “Half-baked” brings out the chaos of your family, your intensely involved and fun recipes, and of course, the long crazy titles. Never never change!
Also, I just made this. Local pumpkins and apples, delicious combinations, marvelous. I have not tasted it yet, but if there were a candle with the scent that it made, I would buy it in a heartbeat. Just sayin’.
Love your fall photos and I know this granola would be dangerous to have around because I would snack on it all day long! 😉
This looks amazing, T. Love all the pumpkin and apple photos. I never want autumn to end!
This looks just way too good to even be true, but I am so glad that it is!! And I totally hear you on the title. I always feel the need to include every ingredient in the title because each part of it is SO IMPORTANT. It;s what makes the recipe so awesome and needs that attention and love. Truth? Even if your titles were just a single punctuation, or even 50 words long, your food and photography is so awesome, I don’t think I would even question it!
1) I feel you on the long title problems. I always feel like I’m missing out on something important when I shorten them =(
2) Your pictures are amazing, this sounds delicious, ah!
3) Those milk shots? Teach me, please!
This looks amazing, pinning to try it later!
All of my granola-making adventures have never led me to putting quinoa in… and now I have to try that! Are you partial to a certain type (color, I mean)?
Oh my gosh I have been coveting those sheets from PBTeen since I first saw them. I think a splurge might be in order! 🙂
This granola looks SO GOOD. Also, those milk pouring pictures are gorgeous!
Blog names are just so difficult! But I love yours! And this granola looks so yummy! Homemade granola is just so much better than the store bought kind. I actually did a post a few days ago with a similar granola recipe! The maple syrup is the best part!
I’ve made granola before but haven’t tried quinoa in it–yet!
You can call this blog anything you want and your granola any name you want. Both make me hungry 🙂
I love quinoa in granola! I usually use it uncooked though. This will be different!
We’re glad you got the courage to write your first post as well! Love this one 🙂
haha, whatever the title is, this looks awesome! Loving the recipe!