Homemade Muesli

Ah, Tuesday morning has arrived, the sun is shining, the sky is clear and the day is beautiful.  And today I have decided I need muesli.  And not just any store bought version, I need something a little more special than that.  I have a fridge full of juicy, plump, heart shaped strawberries that are singing out to be gobbled up and the cutest punnet of tiny blueberries that also need to meet their maker.  And in my mind I can think of no better way for these two delicious fruits to be eaten celebrated than alongside a bowl of creamy luscious yoghurt and homemade muesli. 

Homemade muesli is amazing.  It is absolutely nothing like its store bought lacklustre cousin.  Muesli from the store, don’t get me wrong can sometimes be okay...but it always and I mean always has ‘fillers’.  You know what I mean, those nasty little cheap bits of something (ranging from peanuts to god awful 300 hundred year old shrivelled sultanas that taste like dust) that are added to the muesli to provide cost saving bulk.  And even if you do find a ‘so so’ muesli brand I promise you it will never be as good as the homemade version.  And once you’ve had homemade, you’ll never go back!

The nutty, maple, velvety vanilla aromas that drift from the oven alone are reason enough to go to the ‘effort’ of making your own muesli.  And the freedom!  You have the power to add all of your cherished and favoured ingredients, guaranteeing each mouthful to be as delicious as the last with no horrible ‘filler’ surprises.  And once you have your basic recipe mastered your muesli creations are only limited to your imagination.  I love to modify my muesli recipes according to the season.  Autumn’s cooling weather always calls for dried apricot, almonds and sweet bush honey and in winter when I am in dire need of some soothing comfort I add dried apple, sultanas and warming cinnamon.  During the heat of summer I opt for a fresher, lighter muesli made up of dried mango and peach, coconut, macadamias and honey which suits my fresh mango obsession perfectly well.  By creating seasonal recipes I am always thrilled by my breakfast choice, and I promise you it will never grow dull. 

And now that Spring has well and truly sprung I have decided on a combination of dried cranberries, figs, dates, sultanas, shredded coconut, macadamias, sunflower seeds and maple syrup.  I also drizzled a little vanilla extract over the cooking muesli to enhance the warm, velvety vanilla flavour of the roasting oats.  I am so pleased with this muesli, it is gorgeous!  The crunch of the muesli and the chew of the dried fruit work so beautifully with the creaminess of the yoghurt and fresh berries, making the perfect weekday breakfast.  Enjoy K xxx

Homemade Muesli

Adapted from Jamie Oliver

INGREDIENTS

2 cups oats

1 heaped cup mixed nuts (I used macadamias)

1/4 cup mixed seeds (I used sunflower)

3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

5 tablespoons maple syrup

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups dried fruit (I used cranberries, dates, figs and sultanas)

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180°C.  Put oats, mixed nuts, mixed seeds and coconut on an oven tray lined with baking paper.  Stir well and smooth out.  Combine maple syrup, olive oil and vanilla in a small bowl and drizzle over oat mixture and stir to combine.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, checking every 5 minutes and stirring mixture to ensure even cooking.   When muesli is golden, remove from oven, mix in dried fruit (roughly chop any large pieces) and allow to cool. Serve with yogurt and fruit.