My favorite summer breakfast! Cool, hearty, and nourishing – with this easy formula, you can make your own muesli exactly how you like it.
This post is sponsored by Silk. This year, I’m partnering with Silk to create and share monthly ideas and recipes celebrating an Earth-friendly, plant-based diet and life – something I’m personally moving more and more toward.
Like many of us, I grew up on boxed cereal for breakfast. Pour out the the dry deliciousness, douse in milk of choice, and go!
But as I’ve moved toward a healthier, whole-foods-based diet, I’ve turned away from most processed foods – and cereal in a box is a casualty.
But I still missed the convenience. Not anymore, though. Helloooo, muesli!
Muesli is basically an un-toasted granola, made with raw rolled oats and other rolled grains (if you wish) along with nuts, seeds, and dried fruits. It’s not doused in any sweeteners or oils to aid in the baking process – because there is no baking process! So it tends to be a lighter, healthier option than granola. That’s not to say I don’t love my granola! But in the summer months especially, muesli is my go-to. It’s cool, it’s quick, and it’s hearty.
You can buy muesli at the store – I find it in the bulk section or among the boxed cereals. But why would you? It is SO easy to make muesli at home! Okay, I admit to buying it now and then when life gets crazy. But I really prefer making muesli because I can customize it exactly how I like it. My version has lots of nuts and seeds for added healthy fats and protein. And a lighter hand with the dried fruit to help cut down on sugar.
Here’s how to make muesli so you, too, can enjoy your own super-duper easy and healthy plant-based breakfast at home!
How to Make Muesli
Making muesli is ridiculously easy. Step 1: Stir together a few ingredients – oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruit. Step 2: Um, well, eat!
My personal formula for homemade muesli is:
- 2 parts rolled oats
- 2 parts other rolled grains (or another 2 parts rolled oats)
- 4 parts nuts and seeds
- 1 part dried fruit
Then I just stir it all together in a big bowl, store it in an airtight container, and scoop out 1/2 cup or so for each breakfast or snack.
Here’s the formula broken down with options:
2 parts rolled oats
This is pretty straightforward. I buy my rolled oats out of the bulk bin at my local grocery store. If you are gluten-free, you’ll want to look for certified gluten-free oats.
2 parts other rolled grains
Choose grains such as:
- Rye
- Barley
- Triticale (a cross of rye and wheat)
- Spelt flakes
- Quinoa flakes (quinoa is actually a seed that performs like a grain!)
- Or just another 2 parts rolled oats!
If you’re gluten-free, you’ll likely want to stick with quinoa flakes – or simply add more gluten-free rolled oats.
4 parts nuts and seeds
This is where it gets good! Throw in one or more of the following. Chop up the bigger stuff first!
- Almonds
- Pecans
- Walnuts
- Cashews
- Sunflower seeds
- Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- Sesame seeds
For an extra healthy punch of goodness, you might also include a small amount of the following:
- Chia seeds
- Hemp hearts
- Flaxseeds
1 part dried fruit
Choose from these delicious dried fruits:
- Raisins
- Golden raisins
- Apples
- Currants
- Coconut flakes or chips
- Blueberries
- Freeze-dried strawberries
- Apricots
- Cherries
Mix and match however you want – make your muesli your own!
How to Serve Muesli
To serve, scoop about 1/2 cup into a bowl, pour on some milk (I prefer unsweetened vanilla almond milk), and enjoy it right away or let it soak for 30 minutes or so to soften. I love to go crazy with fresh fruit on top so that I can feel virtuous about my breakfast (well, and also because it’s tasty).
Some folks like to mix it with yogurt. Others like to go the overnight oats route and let it soak all night – then just grab it out of the fridge in the morning and dig in! (There might also be health benefits to the overnight method, as described here).
A squeeze of lemon, some grated fresh apple, or perhaps a drizzle of pure maple syrup can also be nice (the lemon and apple are actually both pretty traditional in muesli).
However you like it, there’s no question that homemade muesli an ideal breakfast or snack food for summer. Cool, refreshing, nourishing – and no cereal boxes in sight!
How to Make Muesli
yield: ABOUT 18 SERVINGS
prep time: 5 MINUTES
total time: 5 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 2 cups other rolled grains such as: rye, barley, triticale, spelt flakes, and/or quinoa flakes (or another 2 cups rolled oats)
- 4 cups nuts and seeds such as: almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, and/or pepitas (pumpkin seeds), and/or 1/4 cup or less each of sesame seeds, chia seeds, hemp hearts, and/or flaxseeds
- 1 cup dried fruit such as: raisins, golden raisins, apples, currants, coconut flakes or chips, blueberries, freeze-dried strawberries, apricots, and/or cherries
DIRECTIONS:
- Add all ingredients to a large bowl and stir to combine. Store at room temperature a large airtight container. Keeps for weeks or even months!
- To serve, scoop out 1/2 cup and add to a bowl. Add yogurt or milk of choice and fresh fruit if desired. Eat right away, or let soak for about 30 minutes to soften. Or, if you prefer, you can soak it overnight in the refrigerator.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Silk. The opinions and text are all mine. Thank you for supporting the companies who support Kitchen Treaty!
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