There are a few things every blogger should consider when posting a recipe.
First, natural, morning light does wonders for food photos. Wonders, I tell you.
Second, if morning slips by [as it so often does] and the oven has yet to be preheated and all ingredients remain scattered about your shelves, general daylight presents itself as an excellent back up plan.
I missed out on both here so I’d appreciate if we could all muster up the slightest bit of imagination to brighten up these photos.
And now, let’s talk about muesli.
Muesli fights a daunting battle. It’s not easy being granola’s considerably less attractive sibling. Everyone loves granola. Granola is the sexy/crunchy/toasty version of oats and nuts. And if you add chocolate, it becomes a perfectly reasonable excuse to eat candy for breakfast.
Muesli…well, muesli makes you work for it. It’s not sugared. It doesn’t prance about your kitchen, all dolled up. No, no muesli makes you accept it’s simplicity and then be grateful for it.
Wait, did a breakfast dish…did it just teach me a life lesson?
Awesome. I love food.
Muesli is a traditional Swiss breakfast — it’s often made with uncooked oats and dried fruit and is served with milk, cream, or sometimes even orange juice.
In this version the oats and the coconut get toasted. Toasted coconut is just about the warmest, coziest thing I can think of; it’s golden and fragrant and takes some of the sting out of rolling out of bed. And toasting oats brings out their naturally nutty flavor.
It’s just like…another layer or two of flavor…y’know nbd, whatevs.
I like to add a little sweetness and spice to everything — I live by the “opposites attract” premise it would seem. Dried cherries add a great, sweet bite with a surprisingly tart aftertaste. Cinnamon is a lovely, warm and comforting spice. Roasted walnuts add the perfect crunch. And chia seeds serve two purposes: 1.) health 2.) they love to thicken as they’re exposed to liquid [which, conveniently, they are here].
A drizzle of honey at the end offers the perfect finish.
As demonstrated, all the dry ingredients are tossed in a bowl and…well…that’s it.
Sometimes, things in life are easy. Sometimes, when they are, you find yourself with furrowed brow, standing in front of the bowl wondering why this came together so seamlessly.
Just accept it. Love it.
The hardest part of this muesli comes in with the ‘serving’ bit.
Muesli must soak. It must. At least 2 hours, but overnight if possible.
So portion it out — you’ll need as much muesli as you’ll eat, some frozen blueberries, and whichever milk you fancy most, enough to cover the whole situation.
Easy! Again!
Frozen blueberries are so juicy when they thaw. Of course you can use whichever fruit you want, but I recommend the bluebs.
Soggy oats may sound [and, in this case, also appear] unappealing. I used to keep them categorized in the same section of my brain I reserve for stale bread and mealy apples — a small spot, rather far in the back, that I generally choose to ignore.
But that was silly. The oats drink up the milk. The dried fruit plumps. The frozen fruit is so refreshing and the nuts maintain the perfect level of crunch.
Give it a try! You’ll need:
4 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup unsweetened coconut [shredded or flakes]
1 cup coarsely chopped dry roasted walnuts
1 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
honey
To Serve:
frozen blueberries
cold milk [I used almond]
- Toast oats and coconut [separate pans!] for 5-7 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Coconut browns quickly so keep an eye on it! Allow everything to cool and then mix with the other dry ingredients.
- Either make all your separate, milky portions now or store the dry ingredients in a big container and scoop some out the night before you want some.
Enjoy!
