Pumpkin & Date Granola
An unusual combination but it really works – trust us! A crispy and chewy, moreish, nutritionally loaded combination to eat on its own, as a topper to yoghurt or to enjoy with a milk of your choice.We use the ‘Tractor’ pumpkin variety, a red kabocha which is perfect for puree. Combined with Medjool dates (generous in size and flavour) these are the star performers for taste and consistency. You can use other pumpkin or date varieties but these two mentioned are the best for this recipe.Certain seeds can be omitted, just double up quantities of another, but I do recommend you mix a variety of seeds and nuts as it adds to the flavour and offers increased nutritional health.You can mix and match seeds and nuts to your taste, overall you need 250g
Equipment
- 1 oven
- 1 Baking tray
- Baking paper
- 1 Blender or food processor
- 1 bowl
Ingredients
- 300 g jumbo oats finer oats would do but jumbo is best!
- 10 (approx. 250g) Medjool dates cut in half and stones removed
- 250 g fresh pumpkin puree can be prepared the day before
- 2 tsp mixed spice or Spice Pots ‘Sweet Spice’ mix
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 3 tbsp coconut sugar or maple syrup
- 50 g sunflower seeds
- 50 g pumpkin seeds roast the seeds from the pumpkin or the green ones commonly available
- 50 g blanched whole almonds halved
- 50 g chia seeds
- 50 g linseed/flax seeds
- 50 g dried sultanas
- 50 g dried cranberries
Instructions
Pumpkin puree
- You can do this first part a day ahead. Cut the pumpkin in half, remove seeds the seeds and keep for roasting. Quarter the pumpkin, drizzle with a little olive oil and bake in the oven at 180℃ for about 30mins until soft.250 g fresh pumpkin puree
- Let the pumpkin cool and scoop away the flesh from the skin. You can add the skin to other recipes or discard.
- Blend the pumpkin flesh in a food processer or equivalent and set aside.
- This recipe requires 250g of pumpkin puree. If you have more weight you can double the other ingredients and make more granola or use the remaining puree for something else. It is excellent baby food as it is or season it with salt, pepper and nutmeg to enjoy as a pureed veg or add to a big pot of soup.
Pumpkin Seeds
- Take the pumpkin seeds, separate them from the stringy part and dry them with a paper towel. Scatter the dried seeds on a tray, spray with a little olive oil and roast them in oven, watching them to make sure they don’t burn.
Make the Granola
- Line a large baking tray with baking paper and set preheat the oven to 180℃.
- Blend the pumpkin puree, Medjool dates, mixed spice, ginger and coconut sugar or maple syrup in a blender until you have a thick paste.10 (approx. 250g) Medjool dates, 250 g fresh pumpkin puree, 2 tsp mixed spice, 2 tsp ground ginger, 3 tbsp coconut sugar
- Place the oats, seeds and nuts into a bowl with the pumpkin and date paste, mixing to coat all the ingredients.300 g jumbo oats, 50 g sunflower seeds, 50 g pumpkin seeds, 50 g blanched whole almonds, 50 g chia seeds, 50 g linseed/flax seeds
- Spread the mix onto a baking tray and roast for 15mins, remove from the oven and break up the granola a little to create chunks. Put back in for another 15 mins being careful to watch edges don’t singe.
- Take the mixture out of the oven, toss again and leave to cool. It becomes chewy and crispy as it cools. Once cool add the sultanas and cranberries.50 g dried sultanas, 50 g dried cranberries
- Keep the Granola in an airtight container. It will keep fresh for a while like this, but I doubt it lasts very long!
Notes
Did you know?
We know that pumpkin is packed with good carbs, vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin A; but this recipe also has Medjool dates, which are naturally sweet, densely fibrous and, like pumpkin, are rich in potassium. Dates also contain vital calcium and iron too. Seeds & Nuts are wee gems of nutrition goodness, a good protein source to support cell regrowth, healthy fats, vitamin and a stack of vitamins and minerals. This recipe is a slow release carb, keeping you fuller for longer and an excellent support for gut health.Top Tip!
In case you are tempted, please don’t bake pumpkin flesh and seeds at the same time. The steam from the pumpkin while roasting will make the seeds soggy. We are aiming for crispy seeds!This recipe has been lovingly created for Kilduff Farm by Sonia Lee, LeeLifeNutition.
Sonia is a business mentor and accredited coach but also an enthusiastic cook, nutritionally conscious recipe writer and food photographer. She has a Diploma in Culinary Medicine and Applied Nutrition. As a mother of two she is passionate about nutritional content, wellbeing and the intelligent sourcing of ingredients in her cooking. Sonia greatly supports the genuine care and attention that the team at Kilduff Farm invests into their pumpkins and is excited to be working with them to develop and promote their use.