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Ever rediscover something you never missed? That’s what happened with me and oats. I grew up eating “hot cereal,” as Mom called it, served straight from the stove, cooled with a bit of cold milk and sprinkled with sugar.
Oats were serviceable as a weekday breakfast until the doc figured out I had a sensitivity to them, but beyond the deprivation of oat-laced gluten-free desserts, leaving them behind didn’t bother me.
Then, a few months ago, I was browsing the shelves at Down to Earth and came across a bag of Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free muesli — whole-grain gluten-free oats with dried fruit, nuts and seeds. I put it in my basket, thinking more fiber and a new breakfast option are always good things.
Since then, muesli has become a near obsession. Perhaps the warm bowl of oats brings back the comforts of childhood, but this version of hot cereal delivers so much more: the crunch of sunflower and pumpkin seeds, the heartiness of almonds and coconut strips, and tinges of sweetness supplied by raisins and dried cranberries. Many evenings, I’ve considered replacing my plate of dinner with a bowl of muesli.
Needless to say, at $7-plus per bag, my pocketbook started feeling the strain of all that muesli consumption. It was ridiculous.
A friend who took a European vacation this spring waxed poetic about eating muesli in Switzerland (turns out, muesli has Swiss origins). Her oats were served cold, with nuts and lots of fruit and yogurt.
Comparing notes, we realized that for all its wonderfulness, muesli is a no-brainer to make from scratch. So I tried making my own batch, and it was not only easy, but also budget friendly and amazingly delicious, tailored just how I like it.
BASICS OF MUESLI MAKING
>> Pick your mix: Combine rolled oats (in this case, gluten-free oats), dried fruit, seeds and nuts. The general ratio is 4 parts oats to 1 part dried fruit and 1 part seeds and nuts. If you’re watching the sugar, go 4 parts oats to 1/2 part fruit and 1-1/2 parts seeds and nuts. Just pick your favorites. I like tart and spicy so I used cranberries, cherries and ginger slices. To that, I added pumpkin and sunflower seeds, chopped almonds, cashews and macadamia nuts — all favorites — and strips of unsweetened coconut. You can even incorporate different grains.
>> Add depth and boost flavor: Toasting the oats, nuts and seeds delivers in a big way. Once you taste the results you’ll never skip this step. (In fact, it’s so easy I’m thinking of toasting my packaged muesli.) Set the oven to 350 degrees, spread everything on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake about 10 minutes, until the oats take on a bit of color and coconut strips brown at the edges. I also gave them a sprinkle of cinnamon for added dimension — yum.
>> To serve cold: In a jar, mix 1 part muesli with 3 parts yogurt (this delivers a firm oat; adjust as you see fit), cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning it will be so rich and luscious, it’s almost decadent. If yogurt’s not your thing, sub in whatever type of milk you like — cow, almond, cashew or soy, for instance. Or try orange or apple juice. Some people love to add chia seeds to the jar. Get creative. Top with fresh or frozen fruit, chocolate chips, cacao nibs, more nuts, seeds or dried fruit. Plain is great, too.
>> To serve hot: For a hearty serving for one, simmer 1/2 cup muesli in about 1 cup of boiling water for 5 to 7 minutes, then remove from heat and let sit a minute or two. Add milk or cream for richness; maple syrup, honey or other sweetener if you like it sweet. Top with fresh fruit or mix in chocolate chips; even add more nuts and seeds. Or eat as is. I find hot muesli plenty satisfying without milk or toppings.
>> Value-added: Recipes for muesli baked goods abound, from breads to cookies. Find a few that suit your fancy.
ORIGINS OF MUESLI
When Swiss physician Maxilian Bircher-Benner invented muesli at the turn of the 20th century, it was part of his approach to curing ailments through a raw-food diet. Bircher-Benner opened a chalet-style health sanatorium in Zurich, where he employed the diet along with lots of fresh mountain air and sun.
The original muesli recipe comprised apples more than oats. It called for 1 tablespoon of oats soaked in 3 tablespoons of cold water for 12 hours. That was mixed with 2 to 3 small grated apples (skin, seeds and core included) and 1 tablespoon lemon juice, then sweetened with condensed milk, honey or cream and topped with 1 tablespoon grated hazelnuts.
The “Apple Diet Meal” was served as a starter to meals rather than a breakfast food. Bircher-Benner first tested its effectiveness on himself when he was ill.
(Note: The doctor’s philosophy was reflective of a social movement in Switzerland and Germany at the turn of the century called lebensreform, which promoted a back-to-nature lifestyle via whole, organic and raw foods; naturopathic medicine; ecological agriculture; and nudism. It is considered a forerunner to the counterculture movement of the 1960s.)
“Going Gluten-Free” helps meet the cooking and dining challenges faced by those on wheat-free diets. It runs on the first Wednesday of each month. Send questions to Joleen Oshiro, joshiro@staradvertiser.com.
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