Breakfasts have looked pretty different for me during this elimination diet.  Instead of eggs and avocado on toast or granola with almond milk or green smoothies (too cold!), my breakfasts have consisted of leftover veggies, kale, and sauerkraut.  This has been nice for a change, thinking outside of the box for breakfast, but the other day I really wanted granola, so I set out to make a granola I could eat (gluten-free, nut-free, maple syrup/honey free).  I came across a genius base recipe, and tweaked it to suit my tastes and make it nice and spicy for fall.  It’s only sweetened with puréed fruit, and honestly I don’t miss the extra sugar.  The granola scented the house with cinnamon, ginger, clove, and nutmeg as it baked and it was perfectly sweet from the apples, pumpkin, and dates. Packed with vitamins and minerals from the seeds and fruit, this will definitely make its way into our breakfast rotation even after the elimination diet is through.

Fall Spice Granola

Ingredients:
5 dates (soaked to soften), pitted and chopped
1 apple, cored and sliced (you could easily use 2 apples and omit the pumpkin if you’d like)
1/2 c pumpkin puree
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
2 tbsp fall spices (I used homemade pumpkin pie spice, but you could use cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, etc)
1 inch piece of ginger, finely grated
3/4 c pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
1/4 c chia seeds
1/2 c flax seeds
1/2 c sunflower seeds
1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup raisins

Directions:
Heat oven to 250°F.  In a food processor, combine dates, apple, and pumpkin until smooth.  With blade running, slowly drizzle in the coconut oil.  In a large bowl, mix together all remaining ingredients, aside from the raisins.  Add fruit mixture to dry mixture, and stir until well combined.  Divide between two large baking sheets, making sure to spread granola evenly across the pans.  Bake for 45-60 minutes. Rotate granola pans and stir every 20 minutes until golden and crunchy (remember it will continue to harden as it cools).  Toss in raisins.  Allow granola to cool completely and store in an airtight container.