August 3, 2009
Homemade Muesli
Here’s the recipe I talked about during the first podcast discussion for Lose Weight the Natural Way and Keep It Off.
This is a very easy substitute for cooked oatmeal at breakfast. It is especially nice in the warmer weather when hot cereal may not be as appealing. Children may enjoy being involved in putting their own bowls together the night before and more likely to be open to something new if they have selected their own ingredients. Of course if many people will be eating it, it may be more convenient to make one bigger batch (and let the children add toppings the next morning). And if you don’t have all the ingredients, don’t let that stop you — you can improvise and use whatever you have on hand.
Homemade Muesli
Ingredients:
Organic rolled oats, enough to fill a cereal bowl
A few raisins, dried cherries, or cranberries
A few almonds (slivered or whole, and other nuts can be substituted as desired)
Cinnamon (in amount that suits your taste)
Shredded unsweetened coconut (for taste, if desired, and healthy fat)
Enough milk of your choice* to cover oats (cow’s, goat’s, almond, rice, hemp)
Ground flax seed** to add in the morning provides healthy fatty acids
Instructions:
- Combine ingredients of your choice in a cereal bowl. Cover and place in refrigerator, allowing muesli to soak overnight.
- To serve, add more milk as needed and more fruit if desired (pieces of chopped up apple or berries are both good). Top with ground flax seeds.
* If you don’t drink milk, apple juice can be substituted
** It is best to buy flax as whole seeds in vacuum-sealed bags that can be found in a health food store, as they will be the freshest and have the least chance of going rancid. Store in the freezer and grind small batches in a coffee grinder as needed. Enough to last a week or two can be made at one time and stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator. Ground flax can also be added to salads, sprinkled on other cereals, yogurt or inside any kind of nut butter sandwiches (which is a great way to add it to a child’s diet).
Beth Baldino, MSW, CHHC, Health Counselor, www.consciouswellness.net, beth@consciouswellness.net, (973) 979-6951