Muesli recipe by lemasney
What is muesli, exactly?
In case you’re wondering, Muesli is a rather de-sugared, de-oiled, de-processed form of what we know as granola. Instead of using sugar and oil to combine ingredients into a clump, we use muesli as a kind of flexible additive condiment, snack, or texturizer. As a result, it is a versatile and nutritious way to snack or add a layer of extra nutrition to meals. My muesli recipe is below.
“Packaged muesli is a loose mixture of mainly rolled oats or cornflakes together with various dried fruit pieces, nuts, and seeds. It commonly contains other rolled cereal grains such as wheat or rye flakes. There are many varieties, which may also contain honey, spices, or chocolate. This dry packaged muesli can store for many months and served quickly after mixing with milk, fil, yogurt, coffee, hot chocolate, fruit juice, or water. If desired, pieces of fresh fruit may be added. Alternatively, the mix may be soaked overnight in milk and then served with fresh fruit or compote to taste.”
– Muesli – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia – http://goo.gl/1azlKl
On the difference between Muesli and Granola:
“Muesli and granola are similar and are often confused on store shelves. With common ingredients of grains, fruits, nuts, and seeds, these breakfast choices are actually quite different in origin, nutrition, and health benefits. Muesli is often endearingly called the healthy sibling of granola. In our products, we don’t use any oil sweeteners other than the dried fruits. Granola tends to contain lots of sugar and other sweeteners.”
– Difference Between Muesli and Granola – http://goo.gl/4gBYuE
On the history of Granola:
“Despite the differences between muesli and granola, they were created around the same time by doctors with similar intentions. Granola was developed in the late 19th century by US citizen, Dr. James Caleb Jackson in Dansville, New York. Jackson served his “granula” at his health spa in Dansville into the early 20th century. Around the same time, John Harvey Kellog developed a “granula,” later changing the name to granola to avoid trademark infringement. Granola remained unpopular for many decades until its growth with the hippie movement in the 1960s. At this time, granola became popular with the hippie movement while health conscious hippies stuck with muesli.”
– Difference Between Muesli and Granola – http://goo.gl/jJOqCW
What’s so great about your muesli recipe, John?
Well, doubter, my muesli is a low-cost daily snack that is delicious, balanced in nutritious components, varied in texture, sweet, crunchy, and filling. What’s most interesting is that it changes every week according to whatever I decide to get at the farmer’s market. I can mix in an omega 3 mix, a new whole grain cereal, or some dried fruit to change the flavor. I add about a 2 or 3 cup package of something new every week and mix thoroughly. I keep the regularly updated mix in a 2 gallon cereal container, and usually eat it a quarter cup at a time, for about 100 calories. Start by combining packages of oats, cereal, and trail mix, and grow it from there.
Muesli recipe: Rolled oats, cereal, and carbohydrates (3:5)
As a base for granola, you can not beat rolled oats. There’s little difference between the nutrition of rolled oats and steel-cut oats, and either are fine, though the resulting texture is slightly different. I try to get as close to the original grain as possible, with little salt or other additives. The oats melt in your mouth, and add a great papery texture underneath everything else. In order to lower the overall calories for the mix, I’ll usually buy a box of basic cereal, like whole grain cereal flakes, Cheerios, or puffed wheat or rice, staying away from the more colorful or sugary types.
Muesli recipe: Nuts, seeds, protein and fat (1:5)
This is where it starts to get fun. You get extra points (and kudos) if you crack your own, but I usually just get a prepackaged no-salt mixed nuts canister or get a bunch of a particular seed at a bulk-buy stand in the whole foods bin, especially when they are on sale. I typically look for superfoods, like walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, flax-seed, and other interesting textures and flavors. I try different nut mixes too, like trail mix or omega 3 mixes, which also bring some interesting fruits. The protein and fat benefits of seeds and nuts are well-documented, and this makes for an easy way to simultaneously add them to your diet while keeping the resulting calories relatively low.
Muesli recipe: Fruit, sweetness and natural fructose (1:5)
I rely on trail mixes for most of my dried fruit, but from time to time, I’ll add a large container of raisins, crasins, banana chips, or tropical dried fruit. I will also add dried figs or cherries which add a nice chewy texture. The sweetness mixes with the earthy flavors of the other ingredients very nicely. As you’ll see from the uses and combinations below, there are lots of ways to push the flavors to a more sweet or a more savory outcome.
Uses and combinations
Milk or coffee
You can eat muesli as cereal, with milk, or you can add some coffee to it in a bowl to make a delicious and hearty one bowl breakfast.
Grain medley
I have been in the habit of making whole grain medleys with vegetables as a filling lunch, but that’s another post. After the medley is cooked, I’ll often throw a serving of my muesli into the pot to bring back the crunch.
Fresh fruit
I can think of at least 50 delicious moments in my kitchen doing a fine dice or slice on a firm sour apple or a banana, and then mixing in a quarter cup of my muesli. The sweetness is amazing, and the flavors compliment each other so nicely.
As a condiment
A peanut butter and jelly sandwich is a joy unto itself, but with a quarter cup of muesli, it’s divine.
I love my muesli. It’s delicious and saves me a lot of money over the prepackaged stuff, because it stretches everything out dramatically while adding to the flavors and combination possibilities. I hope this post inspires you to try it for yourself!
This content is published under the Attribution 3.0 Unported license.