Wild Muesli for Calm Breakfasts

I was first introduced to this recipe by a former work colleague. She gave me a little jar of it, as a thanks for giving her a jar of homemade jam. As the one usually giving out edible gifts, I was very happy to receive some myself! Before then, I wasn’t much of a muesli or granola fan, and now I know it’s because I’d never had a homemade one before. 

It didn’t take long for me to ask for the recipe, and my colleague kindly obliged! I remember seeing her eat this muesli with yoghurt and fruit many mornings at work for breakfast, and walking past her desk and noticing the very large jar of this muesli sitting there! So this muesli has been always known to me as Wild Muesli as it came from the lovely Wild family (yes, that is their surname!). 

This recipe also inspired my muesli topping for the Muesli Breakfast Crumble I posted quite a while back, which is a lovely way to enjoy breakfast. This is a much more simple version, and can be added to lots of things like the typical yoghurt and fruit, and I love a little sprinkled over pancakes. I have also been known to make biscuits out of it! 

Having a batch of this made (and it does make quite a lot), really does create calm breakfasts. There is something about knowing breakfast is already partially or completely prepared that makes getting up in the morning that much easier for me. Whether it’s this muesli, crumpets waiting in the freezer or my Muesli Breakfast Crumble ready to be quickly reheated in the microwave, the knowledge that an easy, yet tasty homemade breakfast is waiting for me definitely brings me a sense of calm in the early mornings, especially before work. 

A note on the recipe - use a baking tray as large as you can. The thinner the layer the muesli is on the tray, the quicker it will cook. If the tray is too small you will be baking, stirring it every 5 minutes, for quite a while!

Also - if you are looking for the Muesli Slice recipe I made using this muesli you can find it over on Fully Booked Women!

Homemade Honey Muesli

Ingredients: 

250g rolled oats (not instant oats)

25g shredded or flaked coconut 

155g pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

115g sunflower kernels

85g chia seeds

120g slivered almonds

175g honey

Method:

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius, and line a large baking tray with baking paper. A tray with slightly higher sides will work best for this recipe. 

In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients, then add the honey and mix with a large wooden spoon until everything is well coated. 

Place in the oven, and stir every 5-6 minutes, so the muesli can brown evenly. The muesli should be golden brown in about 20 minutes. 

Store in an airtight container or large glass jars. 

Makes 860g muesli. 

Muesli Breakfast Crumble

When I’m working, and there are early mornings, long days and lots of travel ahead, the last thing I feel like doing when I wake up is make breakfast. However, breakfast is exactly what I need to start those kinds of work days off on the right foot. I tend to opt for quick things like toast, though they don’t keep me full for very long. Every so often however, I find something for breakfast that I really like, and can be made in advance and quickly re-heated and eaten before the work day begins. 

A couple of years ago I started making a double batch of these pancakes on the weekend, then kept enough for two per day in the fridge for the working week, or freeze them to defrost in the microwave each morning. While reheated pancakes don’t have the same ring to them as freshly made, I found it so much easier to wake up each morning knowing I had something nice to eat. I made sure I had some nice maple syrup, honey or fresh honeycomb, berries or other fruit and yoghurt to eat with them and it made the start to the day so much easier. 

I have since found a few more breakfasts that can be made in advance, including the crumpets in this recent post, and this Muesli Breakfast Crumble. The crumble is inspired by the dessert crumble I made last year, which I loved, and some homemade muesli I was gifted from a friend at work who later gave me the recipe. I have used finely sliced Pink Lady apples and poached quince as my fruit filling for this Breakfast Crumble, however almost any fruit combination will work. Stone fruit and berries would be amazing in Summer, and rhubarb in Winter. The quantities of the fruit don’t matter so much, as long as they fill your baking dish with enough room for the crumble topping to sit on top. 

What are your tips for easy and tasty breakfasts during the work week? 

Also just a little note to say I'm going to be putting together a (mostly) weekly newsletter, filled with recipes, tips, tricks and recommendations you won't find here on the blog! I'm hoping to share even more exclusive content via the newsletter soon, so click here to sign up! 

Muesli Breakfast Crumble

Grounded Pleasures Organic Panela Sugar - used in crumble mixture

Muesli Breakfast Crumble

Muesli Breakfast Crumble

Ingredients: 

x3 small apples, I prefer Pink Lady, finely sliced then roughly chopped

1.5-2 large poached quinces, roughly chopped

2 tbsp quince poaching liquid

1 Grounded Pleasures Vanilla Bean, seeds scraped

60g wholemeal plain flour

60g oats

1/2 tsp cinnamon

50g margarine or softened unsalted butter

20g sunflower kernels

15g chia seeds

75g Grounded Pleasures Organic Panela Sugar

25g pepitas

30g slivered almonds 

Greek yoghurt, to serve

Method: 

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. 

Mix the apple, quince, poaching liquid and vanilla bean seeds in a baking dish (interior dimensions approx. 24 x 19.5 x 6.5cm), then set aside. 

In a medium/large bowl combine the flour, oats, cinnamon, margarine, sunflower kernels, chia seeds, Panela sugar, pepitas and almonds, until they are well combined and the margarine has evenly dispersed. 

Spoon the muesli crumble mixture over the apples and quince in the baking dish, ensuring the entire surface of the dish is evenly covered. 

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the crumble topping is golden. Serve warm from the oven with Greek yoghurt or reheat portions for easy breakfasts later on. 

Muesli Breakfast Crumble

Muesli Breakfast Crumble

Muesli Breakfast Crumble

Thanks to Grounded Pleasures for sponsoring this post and providing the yummy Panela Sugar & Vanilla Beans! 

Easy Breakfast’s from Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Live

Back in late March, few friends and I went to Jamie’s Food Revolution Live at the Opera House. It was great. We had so much fun, and Jamie was so great to see live and witness his passion for good food in person. 

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Live, Sydney Opera House (March 29, 2015).

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This pancake recipe is Jamie’s idea of a simple, and better for you, breakfast. He cooked them at the Opera House, and served them with different combinations of fruit, yoghurt, honey, ricotta and maple syrup. The whole idea behind this recipe is to start the day with something that will keep you full, whilst avoiding processed foods and sugars. Putting oats in pancakes might seem a little strange, but you honestly can’t notice them once the pancakes are cooked. They also help keep you fuller for longer. Jamie recommends using wholemeal self-raising flour and skim milk for this recipe. I used buttermilk the first time I made them, and it make the pancakes nice and fluffy.  They are however, just as nice with skim milk. 

Jamie also said to cook them on a non-stick pan, so as to negate the need for cooking with any fats. Our non-stick pan isn’t so non-stick anymore, so I used some margarine to cook the pancakes. 

While they are simple, I find cooking them in advance (the night before), the easiest way to tackle breakfast before going to work! I can’t say I feel like cooking pancakes, or anything for that matter, at 6:30 in the morning, so being able to just heat them up and top with some berries and maple syrup, is the quickest way to go. I find they last a few days in the fridge once cooked. 

This recipe makes about 6 pancakes, and is easily doubled to make more (about 12).

Some smoothie recipes were also demonstrated at Jamie’s Food Revolution Live. The recipe below is my interpretation of those, based on the flavours I like. The recipe is adapted from a berry yoghurt ice cream from ‘Jamie’s 30 Minute Meals’. If you won’t be using all the berry and yoghurt mixture in one go (it will make a few smoothies), put it in a container and freeze it for another time. Otherwise, halve the recipe so there is less leftover. 

Easy Pancakes for Breakfast

Ingredients:

1 cup self-raising flour (preferably wholemeal)

1 cup buttermilk or skim milk 

1 egg 

1/2 cup oats

margarine, for cooking (if needed)

maple syrup and berries, to serve 

Method: 

In a large bowl combine all the ingredients, and using a whisk, mix well. 

Heat a non-stick pan to medium-high heat. 

Place a couple of spoonfuls of the mixture onto the pan and cook for about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden and cooked through. 

Serve warm with maple syrup and fresh berries. 

Reference:  ‘Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Live’ Sunday March 29 2015, Sydney Opera House, Australia. 

Berry Breakfast Smoothie

Ingredients: 

500g mixed frozen berries

3-4 tablespoons runny honey

500g natural yoghurt 

milk

Method: 

Put the yoghurt and honey in the bowl of a food processor and process to combine. Add the berries and process until combined. 

Add some milk and process until combined. Add as much or as little milk as you like, depending on how thick you would like the smoothie to be. 

Divide smoothie amongst a few glasses, or serve in a large jug. 

Reference:  ‘Jamie’s 30 Minute Meals’ by Jamie Oliver (Penguin Group, 2010), p.182.