Pumpkin Spice Granola Bars

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Fall is here!

leavesLove the changing colors of the leaves…Autumn in New England is SO gorgeous.

In the spirit of the season…I decided to try some pumpkin spice granola bars!  After all, if small amounts of  canned pumpkin are low FODMAP then why not add a bit of pumpkin-y deliciousness to a recipe?   MMMMMmmmm.

First, I started with a generous handful of walnuts…and chopped them up!walnutsThe ingredients looked so good…I sneaked a taste. Yup, I helped myself to a spoonful of the mixture. 🙂 and it was yum.

granola bar mixture

Then…I baked ’em up…let them cool.  And ate one. pumpkin granola barsSo…here’s  the deal about US pumpkin and FODMAPs:  1/4 cup canned pumpkin per sitting is low FODMAP but portions in the 1/2 cup range are high.  Portion DOES matter when it comes to FODMAPs. But, I bet you already knew that!  It’s been a long time in coming. I sent the Monash team 4 cans of pumpkin a while back for testing…but they are so busy testing foods that we finally just got the scoop.  Be sure to keep on and eye on  Monash’s new FODMAP research blog found here for the latest! And I  hope you get a chance to stop by my new website too!  And for those who are patiently waiting….I started my probiotic/ gut microbiome post today….stay tuned. Promise… I will get it done!

15 replies on “Pumpkin Spice Granola Bars“

  • Christy

    Thank you so much for these recipes! You are a godsend. I am travelling next week and these will be perfect for the plane, etc.

  • Jill

    I notice you used just Cinnamon and All Spice. I tried a Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie recipe last Thanksgiving and still had problems. I’m hoping this year to determine what hurt me. I used McCormick’s Pumpkin Pie Spice and I’m starting to think it may be the nutmeg based on this recipe and the fact that I use ginger all the time without issues. Nutmeg seems to be the one ingredient I don’t typically use that’s not listed in this pumpkin spice recipe and is in Mccormick’s Pumpkin Pie Spice. Is there any scientific evidence to prove my theory?

  • Joanna Thies

    Hi Kate. These look delicious. I’m allergic to walnuts. Would almonds work (and would a single granola bar have a low-FODMAP serving of almonds (i.e., 10 or less)? Thank you!

    • katescarlata

      Joanna, I might try pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds) which have a bit less FODMAPs–or use sliced almonds but reduce the amount in the recipe by 1/2 The almond cut off is 10, you are right. But that is the upper limit–and 1/4 cup dry oats is the upper limit—so if you have both in one bar–you might have too much of a FODMAP load.

  • Susan R.

    For some reason, I already thought pumpkin in small amounts was fine! For breakfast, now that it’s fall in New England, I make overnight oats using approx. 1 tablespoon (heaping tablespoon) of canned pumpkin. Should I use less? I ask because 1/2 cup is ‘too much’ and 1/4 cup is ‘okay’ but this granola bar recipe which makes 10 servings only calls for 1/2 cup which seems like hardly anything per portion. Thanks for helping to parse it out!

    • katescarlata

      You can use the 1 tablespoon –that is fine. I just used 1/2 cup because that was plenty for the recipe—no one wants a mushy granola bar! 🙂 PLus it’s important to look at all the components in a recipe. Since the granola bars contain oats which should be limited to 1/4 cup dry (1/2 cup cooked)…I didn’t want the overall granola bar to be too much of a FODMAP load. Make sense?

  • Stefanie

    I made these granola bars earlier today. They are fantastic and very easy to make! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe! I will absolutely be making them again!!

  • Julie

    Thanks for this info and this recipe! I love pumpkin so will definitely be trying this sometime soon. Your blog is always so helpful 🙂

  • Jeanne Burt

    My daughter has IBS and cannot tolerate oats. Would quinoa flakes be a good substitute?

    Is the canned pumpkin used true pumpkin puree (i.e. with no other additives)?

    • katescarlata

      Not sure Jeanne that quinoa flakes would be suitable–they tend to hold onto the liquid and would likely make these too dry. I might mix some cooked and well drained quinoa in to the bars or a mixture of the quinoa flakes w/ cooked quinoa maybe. Yes, canned pumpkin–no other additives. {Not pumpkin pie filling!}

  • Wendy

    I’m in Australia, where we don’t have canned pumpkin. Can I just use mashed boiled pumpkin? Or are there other ingredients in canned pumpkin?

  • Christine

    Hi Kate

    I love your recipes! They improve so much my life quality! Today I tried the pumpkin granola bars, but they did not get firm. Is there a trick how to do it? Thanks a lot!

    Christine

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