Christmas Pumpkin Granola Recipe

Breakfast really is the most important part of the day - it kick starts your metabolism and if you eat breakfast then you're less likely to over-eat later on in the day. Breakfast eaters, particularly those who include a source of protein with it (e.g. eggs, milk, yoghurt etc.) tend to eat less calories over the whole day.

I first blogged about home-made granola back in March and thought I'd revisit this delicious breakfast idea with a Christmas twist - making it the perfect start for Christmas morning!

Home Made Pumpkin Granola

Makes: 9 Servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 20-30 minutes

Serving Suggestion: 50g granola with low-fat natural yoghurt & chopped fresh fruit

Ingredients: 130g (2 cups) porridge oats, 55g (1/4 cup) pumpkin puree,

60g (1/2 cup) of mixed nuts & seeds,

2 tbsp of agave nectar or honey, 1 tbsp of vegetable oil,

100g (1 cup) dried fruits (e.g. mixed raisins)

Optional - 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice

How to make:

1)   Pre heat your oven to 180 degrees C
2)   Mix the pumpkin, honey and oil in a bowl
3)   Add the oat and mix well, then add the nuts/seeds (plus pumpkin spice if using) and mix well
4)   Spread the coated oats onto a baking tray and bake for 10-15 minutes, then stir and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until golden (to make extra crunchy pieces squash together clumps of the oats together!)
5)   Once cool, mix your oats and dried fruit together

Nutrition Per 50g Serving: 139 kcal, 4.5g Fat

Nutritional Benefits: High in soluble fibre & antioxidants

(Lower in calories and fat than shop-bought granola: 212 kcal, 6g Fat)