Crunchy Granola Breakfast Cereal

Ingredients

• 6 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup freshly ground flax seed meal
• 1 cup steel-cut oats
• 1 cup oat bran
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 0.5 cup wheat germ
• 0.75 cup agave nectar
• 0.5 cup canned pumpkin
• 0.5 cup brown sugar
• 0.5 cup water
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup finely chopped dates
• 1 cup miniature chocolate chips

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Mix together rolled oats, flax seed meal, steel-cut oats, oat bran, pecans, and wheat germ in a large bowl until well combined. Whisk together agave nectar, pumpkin, brown sugar, water, canola oil, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and sea salt in a separate bowl, stirring until brown sugar and salt are dissolved. Pour pumpkin mixture over oats mixture; stir to coat. Spread mixture on the prepared baking sheets.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Stir dates into granola and continue baking until granola is lightly golden brown, 20 to 30 more minutes, stirring once. Let cool completely.
4. Mix chocolate chips into cooled granola until evenly combined. Store in an airtight container.