Making Muesli Magic

Ever wondered how to get the zing back into your mornings?  I think I have a possible answer.  Okay, not The Answer.  Just a possible one.  It's all to do with breakfast.  During winter, I make steaming pots of humble oats porridge, just like in Goldilocks's story.  Or a pot of cinnamon infused ground rice or millet cereal. Served with a huge chunk of melting butter (no cholesterol worries here), a teaspoon of sugar, a teaspoon of honey (yes, we like it hot and sweet!) and a good swathe of milk.  It is a dark morning, slow-waking ritual as you carefully scoop the ring of porridge around the rim of the bowl.  Slowly repeating this side-hugging action till you hit the bottom, like those dare-devil wall-of-death motorbike riders at carnivals, that cling tenaciously to the sides, defying gravity.  Not quite as thrilling, but certainly satisfying.

But then longer days mark another ritual in our house.  Magic Muesli.  I mark the impending warmer weather with earnest muesli-making.  I love the ceremony.  The chopping.  The choosing.  The turning.  But mostly the tasting - when it is still warm and a little soft yet.  Before it turns crunchy.  Mmmmn.  I made a batch today.  A little premature perhaps but then I am willing the weather to turn.  To defy the weather man and create a huge big swell of good weather.  All those little isobar squiggles bringing all the wintry weather need to be voodooed into returning to the poles.  I guess my Mammoth Muesli Making session today was a desperate bid to kid myself that summer is definitely on it's way.  It didn't work.  It continued to rain constantly this week.  Still is.

Chopped dried apricots, dates, bananas and raisins

Chopped almonds, brazil nuts and cashews

Voila!  Magic Muesli.

Anyway, here is my recipe for Muesli.  It does not reside in any recipe book but in my head, so I endeavoured to write it down as I made it, so I would remember the amounts.  I never stick to any set amount but rather go with the creative flow that strikes at the moment, so feel free to play around.  If you like a fruity muesli, add more fruit.  More nuts if you're a nut-lover.  More spice if you're a Spice Girl.  The emphasis must be on having fun.  It's the first ingredient.
Mike says, because it is cooked, technically it is not a muesli.  It's Granola.  I prefer to stick with muesli. It requires the mouth to do a little oral gymnastics to get the word out. Myoooslee.  The top lip has to thrust outwards at an alarming angle, as if it were to connect to the nose at some point.  Muhyoooslee.  See?

Magic Make-it-yourself Muesli

• 500g oats, or roughly 6 cups
• 1/2 cup sunflower oil

Drizzle oil over oats, stir well and place in oven at 175deg C for about 10 mins, then add

• 1 cup sugar, dissolved in 1/4 cup water, with 2 tspn cinnamon and 1 tspn ginger powder and 4 Tbspn honey,

Stir this sugary mix into and over the oats, then add:

• 1 cup coconut, dessicated
• 1/2 cup coconut chips or raw peanuts
• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• 2 cups sesame seeds

Mix well and place back in oven, baking for 20 mins.  Remember to turn it frequently so that it does not burn.  Remove from oven and then add the following:

• 1 cup each chopped brazil, almond and cashew nuts (i.e 3 cups)
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

I don't like to cook the nuts, prefering them to add their oils without being heated!  When the muesli mix is cool enough, I add the fruit content, something like this:

• 3 cups mixed, chopped dried fruit - I use apricots, bananas, dates, raisins

This recipe should be mixed and matched according to your taste and ingredient availability.  It makes a HUGE container full and lasts our voracious family at LEAST 2 weeks, even allowing for in-between-meal snacking!  Add a box of cornflakes or heritage flakes to lighten the muesli.

Then to add a little magic to lunch time, how about making some cream cheese?  Totally simple to make and definitely delicious!

Cream Cheese

Take 500ml yoghurt (we buy ours from the Asian grocer - much cheaper than the supermarket) and mix 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt and stir.

Draining solids from liquid

Pour yoghurt and salt into a muslin cloth (I use an old cotton scarf), supported by a sieve, and allow to drain into a container overnight.  Next morning, remove "cheese" and add a tablespoon herbs of choice.  I alternate with chopped parsely, oreganum, basil, chives...... whatever is growing prolifically.

Serve with fresh bread or crackers and olives.

Cream cheese ready to be served............. no fuss!

So making magic in the kitchen, lets hope the All Blacks perform some magic of their own tonight.