Crisp orange leaves that crunch beneath your feet. Bins overflowing with pumpkins and squash outside every grocery store.

Apple cider, apple pie, homemade applesauce.

That’s right, FALL IS HERE! 

(you know you are a true Oregonian when the first rainy day of the season feels like Christmas morning... sometimes I forget that I'm actually a Californian)

I’m am so excited to be back cooking with you and ready to share some new fall recipes that have been making it to our table these past few weeks.

A few things to note before we get cooking… and eating…

1. If you are curious what this page is all about, click at the top of the page where it says “learn more about The Kitchen”.
2. In these weekly posts you can count on finding plant based meals that are pretty easy to make and use all real and fresh ingredients. I am passionate about sharing recipes that satisfy your taste buds AND benefit the body God has given you.
3. You should be warned butternut squash is now in season and I’m slightly obsessed. I will try not to bombard you with too much of it but I make no promises.
4. All of the warm comfort foods and baked goodness we love to enjoy on cold rainy days can be made with real ingredients and actually be good for you! I will do my best to recreate some of those “comfort” foods and be sure to pack them with fresh and healthy ingredients.
5. I would love to hear from you! Please leave comments and feel free to ask questions. It fuels me to keep creating when I am in conversation with you!

ENJOY!

Elizabeth

PUMPKIN SPICE GRANOLA

INGREDIENTS:

4 C  oats (slow cooking)

1 C chopped pecans

1 T pumpkin pie spice

¼ t salt

½ C canned pumpkin

¼ C real maple syrup

¼ C honey

¼ C coconut oil

1 C raisins or dried cranberries

TO MAKE:

Preheat oven to 300F.

In a large bowl combine oats, pecans, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a bowl and stir well.

In a smaller bowl combine pumpkin, maple syrup, honey and coconut oil and whisk all together. It’s ok if there are small clumps of coconut oil after you have mixed it all up.

Add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir well. Make sure that you evenly coat the oat mixture.

Divide into two baking sheets and spread it out so that you have a thin layer on each sheet.

Bake for about 45 minutes total, stirring half way through. You want the granola to get brown and crispy.

Allow it to cool completely, then mix in the raisins.

TO SERVE:

We love it with unsweetened vanilla almond milk. It is also delicious with fresh fruit on top.

ENJOY!

[print_this]

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 C  oats (slow cooking)
• 1 C chopped pecans
• 1 T pumpkin pie spice
• ¼ t salt
• ½ C canned pumpkin
• ¼ C real maple syrup
• ¼ C honey
• ¼ C coconut oil
• 1 C raisins or dried cranberries

TO MAKE:

Preheat oven to 300F.

In a large bowl combine oats, pecans, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a bowl and stir well.

In a smaller bowl combine pumpkin, maple syrup, honey and coconut oil and whisk all together. It’s ok if there are small clumps of coconut oil after you have mixed it all up.

Bake for about 45 minutes total, stirring half way through. You want the granola to get brown and crispy.

Allow it to cool completely, then mix in the raisins.

TO SERVE:

We love it with unsweetened vanilla almond milk. It is also delicious with fresh fruit on top.

 [/print_this]