Health
Habits
Food
Weight 
Better Than Butternut: Roasted Delicata Squash Recipe
10 Simple Ways To Eat Less Without Noticing
Juicing: Stupid and Pretentious or Nourishing and Enlightening?
10 Tasty Carbs That Won’t Make You Fat
How To Start Working Out When You Don’t Like To Exercise
Focus More on Your Brain and Less on Your Diet if You’re Serious About Losing Weight
Home Court Habits: The Secret to Effortless Weight Control
10 Reasons You Aren’t Losing Weight When You Think You’re Doing Everything Right
How To Burn More Calories Without Breaking A Sweat
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Foodists
How To Make Your Own Muesli – It’s Stupid Easy
I’ve explained before that muesli is my favorite alternative to traditional breakfast cereal. It’s minimally processed, has no added sugar and when made properly is quite tasty. The only problem is that these are features that food companies hate, because most people won’t buy it. This makes it difficult to find muesli, particularly a high-quality version at a reasonable price.
Luckily it’s stupid easy to make your own muesli. Doing it yourself is also a lot cheaper and lets you customize your mix to your preferences. All you need is some rolled grains (oats or a mixed cereal like I use here) and an assortment of nuts and dried fruits of your choosing—you don’t need a real recipe.
In the mix above I chose a 5 grain cereal that I found at my local market. I picked up a simple nut mix of roasted and lightly salted nuts, some extra hazelnuts (because I love them), some golden raisins and some dried currants. It turned out AWESOME, way better than the expensive stuff I normally buy.
I used to always eat my muesli mixed with a little plain yogurt, but these days I’ve preferred to just pour a little in a bowl, add some water and microwave it for 2 minutes. It comes out like the tastiest oatmeal you’ve ever had. I sprinkle a little cinnamon on top, and maybe add a splash of almond milk and it is amazing. If you’re still acclimating to the lack of sugar in muesli, you can try stirring in a spoonful of peanut butter, low sugar jam or a drizzle of honey.
Lastly, I love these POP containers by OXO. They come in a bunch of different sizes and shapes, and do a great job of keeping foods fresh. I use them to store all my beans, lentils, grains, dried chilies and other pantry items.
Thanks to Kevin Rose and Glenn McElhose for help with filming and editing.
Love it! Makes me feel silly for buying expensive muesli in the past. =]
I love your recipes and this sounds so yummy!
It’s similar to my daily breakfast, a bowl of rolled oats, unsalted roasted almonds and skim milk, which I freeze for a few minutes till it’s really cold, even a bit icy. I eat it with a banana on the side, which saves time of cutting the banana.
This also works well as a travel breakfast if you are on your way to the airport or elsewhere in a taxi! Here’s what it looks like, along with some other great travel food ideas: http://bit.ly/oxVNlQ
So is Almond Milk your go to Milk now?
I saw your Soy video, and even though I was able to find a company with seemingly organic and safe soy (Eden Soy) based off of a Soy Report (http://bit.ly/uWKZk), after watching your soy video I just dropped off of using any form of Milk all together (As I don’t trust using Cow’s, Soy was apparently unsafe, and I figured, well who knows which Almond Milk brand is best and safest then), and now I kind of miss Milk.
What brand of Almond Milk would you recommend?
And is using Soy Milk just occasionally for breakfast here and there, a low enough quantity to be considered safe?
I’m with you. After the soy milk fiasco I just gave up milk products, but sometimes the BF gets some almond milk for the house and I find it enjoyable. I haven’t found a favorite brand yet, but we always go organic for environmental reasons.
I don’t think soy is necessarily dangerous (I do enjoy the soy lattes from Blue Bottle Coffee), but it was just too much work for me to find real organic beans not from China. But if you find a brand you like, there’s no reason not to have some on occasion.
I recently started to make yoghurt at home, because from the store I have to buy them in 500g plastic cups and it breaks my heart to see all that unnecessary waste.
I also bought a grain mix yesterday. So, soon enough I will have me some muesli 🙂
Thanks !
NutritionDiva posted a link to a recipe recently as well. Couldn’t find it now. The ‘presenter’ just roasted the mix with some honey+oil to have a crunchy muesli. That one I tried out already and it was delicious with yoghurt and some cinnamon on top.
What an amazing idea! Thanks for sharing! I love the idea of microwaving it with a bit of water, that sounds like a great substitute for my morning plain oats once in awhile….
http://www.greenkitchenstories.com/gluten-free-muesli/
tastes delicious with the syrup and cinnamon. way too much dried fruit for me though
So if you eat the muesli with milk or yogurt, the oats/grains are actually raw? I always wondered about that, if you can eat it raw (and digest it well). I don’t microwave, so I cannot use your 2 min. technique.
Almond milk is super easy and cheap to make, compared to store bought.
They are a bit processed, so they aren’t exactly raw. But yes, it’s basically just uncooked oatmeal. Surprisingly tasty 🙂
I am going to do this! You prob. already know this but I thouht I would share IKEA has Muesli for about 5.00. I have never bought it b/c I thought it was pricey.
Haha, I definitely did not know that.
We live in a small town in Georgia and could not find a 5 grain cereal anywhere! We settled on Kashi’s 7 Whole Grain Puffs, but now I know we will only have the option of eating it cold instead of warm/microwaved. Do you have a specific style of oats you would recommend? OR is there a website that sells Muesli-appropriate 5 grain cereals that you recommend?
Thanks!
Regular rolled oats should work. No need for 5 grain. Puffed probably isn’t ideal, for the reason you mentioned.
I didn’t catch the soy video.. should soy be avoided? I heard fermented soy (natto, miso, and to some degree tofu) might be healthy due to the vitamin k-2 (mk-7) content.
I try to limit any wheat intake due to the gluten protein / phytic acid, so I’ve been using kashi instant truly vanilla oatmeal, as it has a whopping 5g of soluble fiber (+2g of insoluble fiber), 9g of Protein, with only 6grams of sugar. I use it with goat milk.. yummy!
But I’d like to find a more natural, less processed oatmeal, while still maintaining the soluble fiber content. Does dorsel or old wessex have similar amounts of soluble fiber?
Also, it’s not available in my area, but check out this product based on cavena nuda oats!
http://mysmartfoods.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=89&Itemid=159
Or this product.. “Holy Crap” cereal!!
http://holycrap.ca/product/holy-crap-cereal/
I’ve seen the “Holy Crap!” cereal at my local health food store. It basically looks like muesli without nuts. It’s probably very healthy, but is incredibly expensive. It’s so easy and much less expensive to make your own muesli with ingredients from your pantry. You can even take note of the ingredients and throw those together for a fraction of the price.
I don’t mean to be rude, but try and blend in your affiliate link a little better next time. The way you did it comes off a little shameless.
Why should I be ashamed of products I actually use and enjoy? People always ask for my recommendations and I’m happy to share. Besides, since I’m in CA the affiliate links don’t even work. I just put them in there in case Amazon or CA one day change their minds. *fingers crossed*
Sorry, that was mean of me regardless.
No worries, it’s easy to forget we’re all human behind our blogs and social media, and that bloggers don’t make squat for a living 😉
I discovered muesli months ago, and I’ve been eating it ever since. BTW, I’ve learned that the difference between muesli and granola is that granola is baked in the over and muesli isn’t. Right now, I use buckwheat groats and spelt flakes as a base, then add whatever seeds, nuts, and dried fruit I have in the kitchen. I also like adding cinnamon and allspice.
At first, I tried to cook my muesli, but I’ve since discovered and much prefer the traditional Swiss way of preparing it, that is, soaking. I put my muesli in a bowl the night before and mix it with milk or yogurt (others use juice, water, or non-dairy milks) and leave it in the fridge overnight. The grains soak up the liquid, expand, and soften. “This actually makes a very unique, flavorful cereal in the morning — especially if there are a high-proportion of oats in the Muesli recipe. As the milk soaks, the oat flavors migrate in to the liquid, making an “oat milk” which is rich and creamy.” (quote from answerfitness.com) In the morning, I’ll usually add a banana or other fresh fruit to add sweetness and voila– a superbreakfast extraordinaire!
Thank you so much… I stumbled upon your site just an hour ago and I have been going through, literally, everything. 🙂 Amazing and I feel inspired to cook more at home. Thank you once again.
Cheers,
Maggie
P.S. : you are adorable
Awesome, welcome!
Hey, I know it’s time consuming but continue w/ the videos… particularly effect when recipes are the subject. The pic is worth a 1000 words thing.
-Joe
It’s in the cards 🙂
Awesome! I will try this
Hi!
I popped over here from Lifehacker.
Wow! I have never heard of muesli.
I like to stay away from carbs, but lately I have been craving them pretty hard. This recipe sounds like it might just do the trick.
Thank you so much for the suggestion. I am going to check out more of your blog.
Awesome. I’m having muesli right now 🙂 In my experience it is actually a fabulous way to dampen carb cravings throughout the day, and it really doesn’t feel like you’re eating something like bread or sugar in terms of your body’s response. It also has never prevented me from losing weight–the opposite really. I hope you enjoy!
i only have oats and peanuts and dates..ew. wondering if i had the 3-day dr oz cleanse (healthy smoothies) and then after ate normal healthy solid food if your body craves more food than it needs?
Yes, deprivation tends to encourage bingeing.
it’s really complicated but i’m having a really hard time with food these days because of the fear of failure thing cuz i’ll think i’m still hungry and have one bite of beans extra and then be like oh that’s too much and its uncomfortable so i have a really hard time in the preparation part of making a meal because i’m so undecided on what to have depending on my day, and i’m having really mixed signals on my hunger cues (i think it’s from a lot of anxiety and hard time sleeping) i just have so much anxiety about food that it’s taking all the fun out of it and making it a chore so i’m trying to find some ideas for better (tasting) meals? do you have any suggestions for breakfast smoothies and lunch/dinner salads? i have a trail mix a bit after my breakfast (10AM) it’s really good it has coconut shreddings, almonds, sunflower seeds, dried raisins and coacoa nibs sometimes i add cinnamon hehe it’s like a cookie)- thats like one thing i enjoy of what i eat during the day.
What is the difference between muesli & oatmeal? Is muesli better/healthier??
Muesli tends to have nuts, seeds and dried fruit in it, and can also be made with different grains besides oats.
Traditional bircher muesli requires you to soak the oats overnight in just enough water to cover them and also a little lemon juice. Once ready, a little plain yogurt, nuts, shredded apple, and dried fruits are added, along with some milk. The main difference really, is that you don’t cook it as you tend to do when preparing oatmeal/porridge.
Do you have nutritional data, especially calorie count for this muesli?
Nope. Here’s why:
http://summertomato.com/why-i-dont-post-calorie-counts-on-my-recipes/
http://summertomato.com/7-reasons-keeping-a-food-journal-is-better-than-counting-calories/
I just swapped my usual plain greek yoghurt and fruit (which leaves me starving by 10am) to 1/2c homemade muesli with 5 grains, pecans and fresh chopped up dates. Kept me full til 1pm.
So content.
Thanks Darya!
BOOM. Awesome 🙂
Hi, just tried the muesli for the first time. Really tasty but did nothing to fill me up and I was pretty much hungry right away. Any suggestions ? I used 1/2 cup rolled oats (tjs) about 100 cals worth of nuts and dried cranberries (total not each). Microwaved 2 minutes topped with a splash of unsweetened almond milk.
You probably just need to eat a bit more than me. You should eat until you’re satisfied. Chew a lot too 🙂
Muesli scares me! lol. I know that sounds ridiculous, but I haven’t had oatmeal in 5 years, when I quit all bread, pasta, and grains. I actually remember trying a little steel-cut oats (which I used to soak and then cook) about 6 months after I quit them and felt nauseated the entire day. So, there’s that. I don’t want to feel sick.
I also know that the very low carb way I’ve been eating isn’t working for me. So, I’m trying to change it up again. It’s just hard for me to think that grains could be the answer when I’ve banished them from my home. 🙂
You could start smaller and work your way up, like with beans and lentils. I totally get your fear. There’s no rush.
Thank Darya! I still keep battling this. Psychologically. Beans and lentils are a good intro, but they also cause gas (which makes me think I don’t digest them well so why should I eat them?) What is the need to add back grains? Aren’t veggies better carbs for us anyway? Grains are processed and I try to avoid processed. Although I have been eating plantain chips recently because the kids love them. They are easy to over-eat though and when I do I don’t feel well. What about Wheat Belly? And Gary Taubes’ book? I keep going around in circles. I’ve been trying to eat the low carb, no grains way for years (and I’m heavier for it, I have high fasting blood glucose right now, and high inflammation markers like interleukin 6).So, something isn’t working at all for me with very low carb and it’s making me unhappy and stressed. I just don’t know what to do anymore :(. Thank you for any advice!
The main reason to stop telling yourself grains are “bad” is that you can just relax about it and eat them when you feel like it. Personally I weigh less when I eat them because I’m less likely to overeat other things. But my morning muesli is often the only grain I eat all day.
To be clear, I don’t recommend processed grains except on special occasions. I make a distinction between “whole grain” flour and intact grains that actually look like grains still (like rice).
As for beans, if you soak them first and discard the soaking liquid the digestive issues will go away. It’s life changing.
Reading:
http://summertomato.com/beans-under-pressure/
http://summertomato.com/intact-grains-vs-whole-grains/
http://summertomato.com/why-ill-never-tell-you-to-eat-heart-healthy-foods-2/
Thank you! I’m going to read those articles. Prior to being a very low carb eater, I ate oatmeal every morning, the steel-cut Irish oats kind, and I added a little bit of blueberries, a splash of milk, and sometimes a little shredded coconut and 1 tsp of peanut butter. This is different from the muesli you eat, right? That actually did seem to work for me at the time. However on very low carb I have a shake every morning with collagen protein, an egg, a little bit of whey protein (grass-fed concentrate with no sugar added), and chia seeds for fiber. It also keeps me full until lunch time. But yeah, there is truth to the grains are bad mentality and just relaxing. I am ready to just relax. “Foodist” book is on the way!!!! Thanks again!
I read the intact grains article. So, the intact grains you recommend aren’t processed (like rolled oats)? I’m still confused. I thought all grains are processed and the idea is to eat whole foods and not processed foods. Do you eat your muesli every morning for breakfast? I’m having such a hard time explaining this to my daughter, who is a tween. I’ve been telling her grains are evil as well, although she eats rice (sushi). Thank you!
I consider rolled oats minimally processed, since they still look like a grain (compared to flour). I do eat muesli every day for breakfast.
I hope you figure out a way to relax about this soon 🙂
We made our own muesli, stupid easy! Anyway, the kids have had it a few times. I finally tried some today. I didn’t feel sick after so that’s a good sign. I am reading Foodist. I noticed that you recommend a protein breakfast in there and to me that is at odds with the muesli. I actually added 1T of collagen protein (which has no taste, Great Lakes Gelatin, have you heard of it?) to my muesli this morning. Otherwise, I felt there is no protein in this breakfast at all.
What do you think of this breakfast? Coconut smoothie. Coconut milk, kefir, 2 raw eggs or collagen protein or organic, grass-fed whey protein powder, and 2 T chia seeds. Do you think whey protein powder is too processed?
I’m already a foodist at heart, but it hasn’t helped me lose weight in the past eating unprocessed, whole foods. I’m skeptical that I will be able to lose any weight this time. It’s hard to be patient when you’ve been trying every diet and workout that exists for years. I wanted the extra baby weight off like 5 years years ago (my baby is 7 now) and now five years later, I’m actually heavier from all the dieting, etc. Very distressing :(. Thanks Summer Tomato!!! I hope this will work.
There are about 8g of protein in 1/2 oats + 1/4c nuts and seeds. An egg has 6g.
Your smoothie sounds like a recipe for weight gain to me. Stick to Real Food. Try to eat mindfully. It works, I promise.
As things would tend to go around here it seems that müsli is one of my trigger foods who knew ? And I’m not big on cooked oatmeal by itself but I found something that’s whole-grain by country choice organic called hot cereal multi grain which has rye barley oats and wheat.
Based on DR’s advice I add a few nuts -today it was pecans. and since it has no fruit, today I put raisins on it . But due to the summer tomato influence, I also put whole milk on it from grass fed cows which happen to reside in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania our ancestral home. Whole milk and P cons are great together. Very satisfying and tasty. Thanks for the vector.
I posted that I was eating müsli and all bran. I finally subbed unsweet coconut flakes. High fiber and low glycemic index number is keeping cravings away. Nice taste, too.
Thanks for the update!
i love this breakfast option as well, hot or cold. what are your thoughts on phytates? is that something to really be concerned about when eating oats, etc w/o soaking them first?
Phytates aren’t a big deal for anyone eating a diverse diet and cooking their food.