Pumpkin Spice Granola Bars

I saw some pumpkin spice granola at Trader Joe's last week and thought, "I could make that."  I glanced at the ingredients section and came home and made this.  I am very proud of it because it's pretty tasty and incredibly healthy.  It seems to be Simran's new favorite thing, and it's sweet and chewy enough that you can't really tell there is no sugar or oil.

Ingredients:
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup sesame seeds
3/4 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)
14 oz. pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling, just the pumpkin part)
15 medjool dates, pitted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

2. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. 

3. Toast sesame seeds and chopped pecans in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Make sure to keep them moving so they don't burn.  When they start to smell toasty (1-2 minutes), remove from heat.

4. If you have a high-speed blender, I recommend putting the pumpkin puree and pitted dates and vanilla in it and blending them up.  If not, chop the dates as finely as you can and add them to the puree and vanilla.

5. Combine rolled oats, nuts, salt, and spices in a large bowl.  Add pumpkin mixture, and stir in raisins.

6. Pour granola into prepared baking pan and smooth out evenly.  Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.  Store in an airtight container for up to a week.