Commercial mueslis are often packed with sugar - and I find the healthier brands are crazily expensive - so I've started to make my own. I promise it takes very little time and is unbelievably easy. It also means you can pimp it as you like: try using dates, apricots or any other dried fruit you fancy. This recipe makes a large batch,but the quantities can easily be halved.This version is full of low-gluten flakes such as rye, quinoa and oats, plus some bran for roughage. I like to toast the ingredients to bring out their flavour.
Do play with the ratio of nuts to dried fruit to make your perfect blend. For a real treat the girls are allowed to grate over dark chocolate to make super-special chocolate muesli ... it is amazing how far one tiny square goes with the help of a Microplanel. The muesli keeps for several months in an airtight container.
- 500g barley flakes
- 500g rye flakes
- 1 kg rolled oats
- 100g pumpkin seeds
- 100g sunflower seeds
- 150g almonds, skin on or off as you like
- 150g hazelnuts
- 200g unsweetened coconut shavings
- 200g wheat bran
- 200g raisins
- 100g goji berries
- 200g dried banana chips
Preheat the oven to 180° C/gas 4.
Spread out half the flakes and oats between 2 baking sheets and gently toast in the
oven for 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove to a very large container and
repeat with the second half. This way everything will be properly toasted. Now spread
out the seeds on a baking sheet, the nuts on another and toast again, this time for
about 10 minutes until the pumpkin seeds are puffed up and golden and the nuts are
also pale golden. Keep an eye on them as they may take slightly different times. Allow
to cool and then roughly chop the nuts in batches with a large chopping knife.
Lastly tip the coconut shavings onto a baking sheet and bake for 5-10 minutes, stirring
halfway through so that the shavings are a deep golden and taste sweet and toasted.
If you like a sweeter muesli try sprinkling them with a little caster sugar or agave syrup
before you bake them, but take care as they will colour more quickly.
Toss all the toasted ingredients together with the wheat bran and dried fruits so that
everything is thoroughly mixed. My grandmother would sprinkle this muesli with
Demerara sugar and eat with milk and double cream. I sometimes add a dollop of
Greek yogurt and some seasonal fruit puree.
Why not try Bircher muesli?
Mix together 200g rolled oats or muesli with 200ml apple juice, 250ml semi-skimmed
milk, 1 coarsely grated apple, 100g raisins, 100g natural yogurt, 1 tbsp honey and 1 tsp
mixed spice and leave to soak overnight. Play around with the ingredients, adding nuts
and seeds, chia seeds or pear. Just make sure you have at least double the amount
of liquid (juice, water, almond milk or whole milk) to oats. Serve topped with seasonal
fruits and crunchy granola. Feeds 4.
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