We took this down to the beach to have breakfast on the sand this morning, my Seeded Toasted Muesli – loaded with seeds. nuts (if you wish) oats and coconut, to fill our bowls with plenty of protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats and fibre. Although I prefer to start the day with a more substantial breakfast – usually something with eggs – the early starts on our travel days and warmer weather doesn’t always lend itself to this. So, on those days, I go between my Bircher Muesli and this, which we’ll top it with a little seasonal fruit – currently banana, paw paw, dragonfruit and pineapple as we travel through Far North Queensland – and yoghurt. I’ve also been known to eat a few handful of it as a snack while I write blog posts too.
I much prefer my muesli toasted over a raw, maybe it’s the crunch, and I’ve been making a variation of this Seeded Toasted Muesli for nearly 10-years now. Although it’s nothing revolutionary, it’s a staple in our house and so I thought I’d share it here. Most store bought muesli is loaded with sugar and vegetable/seed oils and lack the nutrients required to fill tummies, sustain energy and maintain concentration throughout the morning. Although you can find good quality ones at the health food shop, they’re really expensive! So this is one I make, and make do, with what I have in the pantry… sometimes I’ll replace the oats with quinoa flakes or puffed amaranth, use almonds or cashews instead of macadamias, add some grated orange zest or buckwheat kernels.
Keep it fruit free by omitting the dried fruit if you wish, but I find that a few sultanas or goji berries dotted throughout help to win over those who might be more accustomed to a sweeter breakfast cereal.
You’re not limited to eating this Seeded Toasted Muesli for breakfast either, try –
- Using it as topping to a smoothie bowl or “nice” cream.
- Eating it as a snack, pre-portioned in to reusable silicone snack bags.
- Layering it with yoghurt and stewed fruits to make a parfait.
- Using it as a crunchy topping for porridge or pancakes.
I use fruit puree to sweeten the mix slightly and although I should make my own, I buy the unsweetened organic apple puree in a jar from the health food shop, or while in the van, I’ve been using the organic baby food fruit purees from the supermarket.
My tip, if you’re trying to swap out your kids breakfast cereal or muesli with a healthier option, is to do it gradually. Start by swapping out 1/4 of their usual cereal with the healthy one, then maybe a week or two later, swap 1/2 of it, and so on. It’s just a matter of getting their palettes used to the new – and possibly less sweet – taste. My Seeded Toasted Muesli is also a great one to get the kids in to the kitchen and help prepare.
Seeded Toasted Muesli
Makes: Approx 1.5L – Prep time: 10-mins – Cook time: 40-mins
Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pepitas
1 cup flaked coconut
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1 Tbsp flax seeds
1 Tbsp hemp seeds
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
125g fruit puree
1/4 cup maple syrup
Optional: 1 cup dried fruit *preferably organic and preservative-free
Instructions:
- Preheat over to 160’C.
- You’re going to need 2 lined baking trays for this – the muesli doesn’t toast as well if you overcrowd it all on one tray.
- Add dry ingredients EXCEPT chia seeds, linseeds and hemp seeds to a large bowl. I keep these seeds out to add at the end, after cooking so as to preserve some of their heat-sensitive omega-3s.
- To a small mixing bowl or measuring jug, add maple syrup, fruit puree, coconut oil, vanilla, salt and cinnamon and stir to combine.
- Add this wet mixture to your large bowl and stir to evenly coat.
- Divide the mixture between the two prepared baking trays, spread it out, and bake, gently stirring the muesli and flipping the trays once or twice, until golden brown, about 40 minutes. I usually check on the muesli every 15 minutes as it’s baking, and I gauge its doneness by color – you want the coconut chips to toast and for the rest of the mix to be a nice caramel brown colour – they can catch and burn easily, so it’s best to keep an eye on things, especially if you have a temperamental or uneven oven like I do at the moment!
- Allow to cool completely, then add the chia seeds, linseeds and hemp seeds and mix to combine.
- Transfer to airtight container or jar, where it will keep like this for a couple of weeks.
