recipe: make your own muesli

Most store-bought cereals are over-priced, over-sweetened, and over-packaged. M's brother and sister-in-law inspired me when I saw they made their own muesli* on a visit about a year and a half ago. After that I made my own once or twice, but haven't gotten around to it again in awhile. Recently I've been buying some muesli in the bulk section at Whole Foods to have as a treat, but after awhile that was getting expensive and remembered that making your own muesli is crazy fast, cheap, and easy-- it requires hardly anything more than a measuring cup (optional) and a bowl.

Typically, I'd say a serving of muesli is about 3/4 cup. The version I just made cost me about $6, using all organic ingredients and NYC prices, coming out to 67-cents per serving. Not bad when you consider how much a box of healthy, organic cereal costs (or any reasonably healthy cereal for that matter). Empower your breakfast! Think outside the (cereal) box.

*Muesli is is a popular breakfast cereal in Switzerland invented in the early 1900s based on uncooked rolled oats or other grain, fruit and nuts. (Thanks Wikipedia!) Most packaged versions use a lot of dried fruit, but if you make it fresh as a meal you can grate or chop fresh fruit into it. I usually stick to the dried stuff myself, as I see this as a breakfast of convenience. It is traditionally served as a cold cereal, by mixing in milk, coffee, fruit juice, or water. I also like to cook mine with almond milk-- alternately you can heat the milk up, pour it over the bowl of muesli and let it soak in for a minute.

today's muesli: whatever's in the cupboard 
4 cups regular rolled oats
1 cup regular rolled oats, pulsed in food processor or blender
1/3 cup each of: chopped pecans and almonds, sunflower and pumpkin seeds
2/3 cup mixed dried apricots, raisins, and cranberries

I like to eat it like this: 3/4 cup muesli + 1 to 1 1/4 cup almond milk or water (or combo), heated over medium for about 5 minutes. Put in a bowl and drizzle a little honey or maple syrup on top. But now that it's getting warmer, I may transition to sometimes having it cold, letting the almond milk soak in for 5-10 minutes first. But maybe not, warmer foods are better for your tummy in the morning.

Base Recipe

Makes about 7 cups, or 9 servings

4 cups regular rolled oats (can sub 1 cup with wheat or rye flakes)
1 cup regular rolled oats, pulsed in the food processor or blender (or sub quick oats)
1 1/3 cups nuts and seeds (larger ones coarsely chopped, if you prefer)
2/3 to 1 cup soft dried fruit (larger pieces cut down)

Varying the combination of nut and fruit can make for fun themed cereals!
- Breakfast on the Beach: coconut, macadamia nuts, pineapple, papaya, mango
- Summer on the Patio: almonds, pecans, sunflower seeds, cherries, blueberries
- Just Another Moroccoan Monday: almonds, walnuts, figs, apricots, currants, dates
- Winter Morning: hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, cranberries, raisins