Winter is tiptoeing its way in. Frosty mornings have arrived, along with the first dustings of snow, though it has yet to linger. I’ve nicknamed this month No-fun No-vember due to the mess of schoolwork I can never seem to actually catch up with. With the days getting darker earlier though it is slightly more conducive to getting cozy with my textbooks. And I can’t whine, even when I try to cut back on the fun and ramp up the studying, I always seem to find time for some fun — there just aren’t enough hours in the day.

I always have a little notebook with me in which I like to write down things that flit through my mind, and this summer I jotted down a whole bunch of different combos of ingredients for “seasonal” granolas. In my head I imagined bright, sunny flavours for summer, and spiced warmth in the colder months. Most of these little inspirations that get written down never see the light of day, but I managed to make one of my “fall” granolas the other day. Pepitas, apple, spices, and maple syrup might help make these cold mornings warmer.

Fall Granola: Apple Spice
3 cups rolled oats
½ cup olive oil
⅓ cup maple syrup
½ tsp brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ground ginger
½ cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)
1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1/4 cup slivered almonds
½ cup chopped dried apple
½ cup dried cranberries

Mix all ingredients except for dried fruit in a big bowl.
Spread thinly over two baking sheets.
Bake for ten minutes at 325°F, take out and stir. Repeat.
Add the dried cranberries and apple and bake for five minutes more. Serve over yogurt, with milk, or snack on it plain. For extra sweetness, drizzle maple syrup on top.

Enjoy! xo