Delicious and nutritious cereal and snack, at half the cost

Some foods sound just as delicious as they are. Muesli is not one of them.

But many find the breakfast cereal itself quite scrumptious, and delightfully as good for the body as it is for the taste buds.

“Müsli” is a Swiss German term for a breakfast cereal based on uncooked rolled oats and fruit. In Switzerland, it is also eaten as a light evening dish. It was originally a fresh cereal cooked from soaked dry ingredients.

The dry type of muesli is a loose mixture of predominantly rolled oats together with various pieces of dried fruit, nuts, and seeds. It commonly contains other cereals such as wheat, rice, corn, or rye flakes. Packaged, dry muesli brand mixes are available in grocery stores. But increasingly, at great savings and convenience, people are also mixing their own. It’s not difficult to replicate store-bought muesli, and embellish it with your favorite ingredients.

There are many recipes. Any type of dried fruit (dried raisins, cranberries, bananas, apricots, strawberries, etc.) and a variety of nuts and seeds can be used. Some also include honey, spices, or chocolate. Many top their cereal bowls of muesli and milk with fresh fruit.
Dry muesli can be stored conveniently for many months. It is served with milk, soy milk, yogurt, coffee, fruit juice or apple sauce.

History
Muesli was introduced around 1900 by the Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner for patients in his hospital where a diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables was an essential part of therapy. It was inspired by a “strange dish” that he and his wife had been served on a hike in the Swiss Alps. The term "müesli" comes from the Swiss German noun "mues,” a cooking term for a semi-liquid (paste, a compote or a purée) made from raw fruit. Muesli in its modern form became popular in western countries starting in the 1960s as part of increased interest in healthy vegetarian diets.

Health benefits
All the main ingredients of muesli are considered important elements of a healthy diet:
• A diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of cancer and other age-related diseases, and a serving of muesli can contain one or two servings of fresh fruit.
• Oat products have been shown to help lower high blood cholesterol concentration and thereby reduce the risk of arteriosclerosis.
• Products made from whole oat and wheat grains are rich in fiber and essential trace elements.
• Some types of nuts (especially walnuts) are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are associated with many health benefits, including the development of the nervous system.
• Milk products, often served with muesli, are a rich source of calcium and protein.
The low glycemic index of muesli without added sugar or honey helps with diabetes control.

Simple, Easy Muesli
4 cups rolled oats
4 cups raisin bran cereal
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup raisins or chopped dates
1/4 cup brown sugar (optional)
Mix all ingredients in large airtight container.
Good served with fresh banana slices. Makes 11 cups.

Homemade Muesli
4-1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1/2 cup wheat bran
1/2 cup oat bran
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
Yield: 8 cups
In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, wheat germ, wheat bran, oat bran, dried fruit, nuts, sugar, and seeds. Mix well. Store muesli in an airtight container. It keeps for 2 months at room temperature.

Banana Nut Muesli
This cereal is wonderful because it's tasty and it's made the night before.
1 cup water
2/3 cup quick-cooking oats
1 firm banana, sliced
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions: In a bowl, mix all of the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve chilled. Yield: Two servings

Camri's Muesli
The proportions are really to taste so measure officially if necessary, but otherwise just throw it together. Buying from a bulk food department allow buying just what is needed. If you don’t like flax seed, don't put it in there. If you do, put a bunch in there. It will still be Muesli which just means “oats and stuff.”
Mix this up in a big Ziploc bag:
Rolled oats, quick oats, raisins, hazel nuts, almonds, and flax Seed.
To serve, add milk in a bowl, or add some vanilla yogurt. Enjoy.

Honey-toasted Fruit Muesli
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Put six cups rolled oats into a large bowl. Add one cup unsalted sunflower seeds, one cup slivered almonds, one cup shredded coconut and two tablespoons sesame seeds. Stir to combine.
Heat 3/4 cup honey and four tablespoons vegetable oil in a saucepan over low heat. Pour the warm honey mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until they are well coated.
Spread the mixture on across two (rimmed) baking sheets and bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Add 1/4 cup finely sliced dried apricots, 1/4 cup finely sliced dried apples and 1/4 cup finely sliced dried peaches or dried papaya. Toss to combine. Store the muesli in an airtight container.
Makes 12 servings.

Blueberry Muesli
2 cups of frozen (thawed) or fresh blueberries
2 cups of rolled oats
1/2 cup of raisins
1/2 cup of chopped dried figs
1/4 cup of chopped raw nuts (pecans are best, walnuts or almonds are also good)
Combine rolled oats, dried figs, raisins, and nuts. If you prefer more of a fine texture, grind mixture for a few seconds in a food processor or blender. Store this mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
This blueberry muesli cereal is best served with some almond milk, but is also good with other milks. Add blueberries at the same time that you add milk and give it all a good stir. You can begin eating right away, or you can wait for a few minutes for the dry ingredients to soften as they absorb the milk.