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Sweet ‘n’ Spicy Roasted Butternut Squash Pizza w/ Cider Caramelized Onions + Bacon.
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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.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Good till the last bite. PS. fresh apples in granola is SO awesome.
Beautiful photography! I am in love with that bowl
I made this recipe tonight, and while the flavor is amazing, the texture was way off. I just couldn’t get the granola to dry and I have ridiculously moist (albeit tasty) non-granola. Halp!
Hey Natalie, was your baking sheet crowded? Did you bake the granola long enough? Sorry for the trouble!
Thank you for the inspiration, fun writing and stellar pictures! I’m making a version of this recipe right now:) you rock!
Hope you love it!
Dang girl. You know where the granola is at!!
Thanks!
This looks soooo yummy! I can’t wait to make it.
Thanks Bonny!
I made this granola last night and it’s amazing! The only substitution I did was I didn’t have dried cranberries, but dried cherries on hand in the pantry. Worked out great. ai
I wanted to let you know another service idea for the granola – a crunchy/chewy topping on top of a fall salad with a vinaigrette dressing. I’m eating it right now as such and it’s fantastic! The salad has romaine, baby kale, radicchio, carrots, celery and roasted golden beets. Put the granola on top just before serving and then some vinaigrette dressing. Wow!
The granola looks so delicious and healthy! Can’t wait to make it and bring it to my office! It will make a great snack 🙂
I love your blog name! I 2nd what J.Carr said in above post. We are going riding in the mountains for a week & I’ve been agonizing over what to bring~now I know! 3 hungry boys will now have a snack w/ them @ all times while riding, thanks. hmm, also a great snack while hunting.
Thanks Sarah!! You are so sweet! Are you horse back riding? Sounds fun and hope you love the granola!
No horses, MX riding…well everyone but me. I’m such a mom, I get stuck on the 4 wheeler, someone has to tote the drinks & food. It’ll be a blast thou & give our neighbors a much needed break. I did make this & it’s already gone! Will have to make again the day before we leave, no make that the hour before we leave, as it’d be nice to have some on the trail. Thanks for another great recipe!
Omg this is amazing.
Thank you!
Whoa! That is indeed the ultimate fall granola – yum!
Thanks Alanna!
This is my favorite time of the year and I love granola in the autumn. Will be trying this recipe soon, as it looks amazing!!!!!
Mine too! Thanks Heather!
First of all, amazing ingredients. And my granola eventually turned out perfectly crunchy but I had to increase the temp to 375 , toasted it for an hour +, then broiled at the end in order to get it crunchy. All that said, it’s absolutely delicious and I will 100% make it again.
Sounds like it turned out amazing! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe 🙂 xTieghan
Halloween is my third favorite holiday, too! I’m thinking instead of giving out candy this year I should give out some of this granola — oh wait, that’s preposterous. I’m keeping all of this granola for MYSELF.
Haha! 🙂 Awesome!
Thanks Stephanie!
Oh my goodness, the TEXTURE in this granola, the colors, the flavors. Amazing!!
Thank you! Hope you are having a great weekend!
Okay, this needs to happen. Like, yesterday. You had me at brown butter. Then you threw pecan and maple at me!!!
OK the steel cut oats I eat for breakfast could use some dressing up. Your cereal bowl really looks good.