Pumpkin Spice Granola featuring Nature's Pride Bread

A recipe post! Hold onto your hats!


As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, and in promotion of the upcoming blogger festival, I received an email about a recipe contest with Nature's Pride Bread. 

I wanted to think 'outside the box' and find a way to uniquely feature this wholesome bread. Brainstorming beyond sandwiches, French toast and bread pudding recipes, one idea began to develop... a granola made from bread.

You see, I love finding new ways to use leftover foods. My world was rocked with blogosphere favorites such as frozen banana soft-serve (using bananas that would otherwise get tossed) and oats in a jar (using the last of a jar of peanut butter as a vehicle for hot oatmeal). Finally, a recipe to help use those leftover slices / end pieces of bread! 

Of course, this recipe was made using fresh Nature's Pride Nutty Oat bread :-)

Influenced by Autumn flavors, I researched different recipes for pumpkin granola and came up with this one. Using coarse bread crumbs made from Nature's Pride Nutty Oat bread, adding hearty rolled oats and focusing on pumpkin, honey and maple syrup for great Fall flavors, then slow roasted in a warm oven, this recipe turned out deliciously good. The finished product has the perfect amount of light crunch, pumpkin spice flavor and just a hint of sweetness. 

Friends, behold... Pumpkin Spice Granola featuring Nature's Pride Bread!

Pumpkin Spice Granola featuring Nature's Pride Bread

Ingredients

• 2 cups Nature's Pride Honey Oat bread (about 4 slices), coarsely processed and packed firmly in measuring cups
• 1/3 cup rolled oats
• 2/3 cup canned pumpkin (100% pure)
• 1-1/2 tablespoons Wisconsin honey
• 1-1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup - Wisconsin Grade A, Dark Amber
• 2 tablespoons and 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1-1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 tablespoons dried currants
• 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons flax seeds (whole)
• 
  

• 
• Materials

Baking pan with raised sides (like a jelly roll pan)
Food processor
Measuring cups 
Measuring spoons
Spatula 


Directions
1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Coat baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Process the Nature's Pride bread slices in a food processor, pulsing the processor until bread is in small, coarse crumbs.
3. In a large bowl, combine the Nature's Pride bread crumbs with rolled oats. Pour onto baking sheet and put into preheated oven for 7 minutes.
4. In food processor, combine the canned pumpkin, honey, maple syrup, brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Process until smooth, adding up to 1/3 cup canola oil (depending on desired amount).
5. Remove the Nature's pride bread crumbs and rolled oats mixture from oven and put back into the large mixing bowl. Add the pumpkin mixture, and stir to combine.
6. Add the dried currants, dried cranberries, chopped walnuts and flax seeds; stir to combine.
7. Re-spray the baking pan. Pour the mixture onto the pan, spreading out into a thin layer so the entire surface of the pan is evenly covered.
8. Bake in preheated oven, stirring every 10 minutes, until lightly browned and crispy, about 1 hour or a little longer,  until desired level of toastiness / crunch is reached.
9. Remove from oven; cool to room temperature. Enjoy :-)
10. Store in an airtight container. 
11. Cross your fingers that this recipe will be selected as a winner for the 2010  Foodbuzz blogger festival and make me a Nature's Pride Bread Ambassador :-D


Disclaimer - I was told via Foodbuzz that I would receive a coupon for a free loaf of Nature's Pride Bread, however haven't yet received it. The product was purchased with my own money, and the opinions expressed about the recipe are my own. 


I am very pleased with the end results! And apparently so is Zak, who made more than half of the batch of granola disappear by the time I got up the next morning. I guess I will have to whip up some more this weekend?

Mmmmm....


Question of the Day: What's your favorite recipe for using up leftover food? 

Since discovering the frozen banana soft-serve recipe, I have not wasted a single 'nana. It's that good!