My husband called me the other day while I was at work and started the conversation with, “I have some bad news.”

After I picked up my heart off the floor, he continued with, “we lost all of your most recent pictures from the camera.”

Phew, the child is fine, no one died. Just pictures lost, that’s acceptable.

Until I realize WHAT pictures were on the camera.
Pumpkin Butter Brown Sugar Cheesecake Bars.
I know, they sound amazing, right? They were super buttery, and cinnamony, and just perfect. Apparently my camera thought they were good too, since it ate the pictures. Sigh.
I’m moving on with life…

It’s fall. We need fall recipes (because the Internet doesn’t have NEARLY enough of them to choose from). I think a delicious sweet potato granola qualifies as a delightful fall treat, don’t you?

In a bowl of milk for breakfast, crumbled over frozen yogurt for dessert, or just by the handful to snack on all day.

The granola is low fat.
The granola has clusters.
The granola isn’t overly sweet like dessert, but appropriately sweet and spiced just right.

Ya, it’s fantastic, pretty much the perfect fall granola.

Sweet Potato Granola
Makes about 3 cups worth
Tim: 1 hour

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups old fashioned oats (you can try instant, but I have no idea what the texture will turn out like)
1 1/4 cup rice cereal (this helps give it the ‘clusters’)
1/2 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato (you can sub mashed pumpkin or mashed butternut squash)
2 tbsp applesauce (sweetened, unsweetened, cinnamon, whatever flavor you want)
1/4 cup corn syrup (honey, maple syrup, agave or molasses will probably work too)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch ground cloves
pinch ground all spice
pinch cardamom
1/2 cup chopped raw almonds (or any other nut)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat.

Mix the sweet potato, applesauce, corn syrup, vanilla, salt, and spices in a bowl. Mix the oats and rice cereal in another bowl. Dump the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix until all of the dry ingredients are covered.

Dump and spread evenly onto the lined baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, then sprinkle the chopped almonds on top of the granola. Bake for another 20 minutes.

At this point check the granola and see if the edges are turning brown. If they are, the granola is done. It will get firmer as it cools.

I like my granola REALLY crispy, so once the edges brown, I mix up the pan of granola and continue baking another 5 or 10 minutes. THEN I let it cool. It’s up to you and just HOW crunchy you like your granola.

Notes:
-You can leave out the almonds all together and it won’t change the consistency of the granola.
-Once the granola has baked and cooled, toss in some chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, or any other little snacky snack to make a homemade trail mix.
-I made a few variations of this in 1 night, so I have a bit left in my house. It’s been over a week and it’s still super crunchy and delicious. SO it lasts a while. It would make a great healthy gift!



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