I’m going to be honest. I’m not a huge fan of cereal for breakfast. With so many of us not eating enough vegetables during the day, getting 1-2 serves in for breakfast is a great kick start to the day.
I do know that many do enjoy their cereal for breakfast and muesli tends to be a go-to as it is quick and deemed relatively ‘healthy’.
Like most packaged foods, store bought cereals, including muesli are packed with sugar and/or preservatives and can be highly processed. Yes even the ones with ‘wholefood’ or ‘all natural’ on the labels. Not all are bad but looking for a good one can be a long and tiresome process. This I know first hand when pouring over the labels on numerous boxes trying to find an option for my mum. When I did find a few good options I found these to be a tad on the expensive side.
A good start to the day should be something with lots of nutritional value. So many packaged foods lack this. They are filled with empty calories, usually in the form of processed carbohydrates. You want your muesli to be packed with good wholegrain carbohydrates, good fats and of course vitamins and minerals.
Millet and amaranth are all great sources of carbohydrates, without being highly processed and they are gluten free for those who are sensitive. These grains have been around for centuries. I’ve used the popped versions in this recipe as it gives a nice light and slightly nutty taste to the muesli. The addition of the puffed brown rice gives it a lovely lightness.
Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) give the muesli a hit of good fats, the much needed omega-3 variety and protein with the added benefit of being high in magnesium and zinc. I used activated pepitas to help improve the digestibility and get the biggest bang for my buck from these nutrients.
And nothing says an Australia more than macadamias. With a great monounsaturated fat content – the healthy heart fat, these guys will help you feel fuller for longer and keep you powering through your morning,
As it was Christmas time when I was putting together this recipe I was inspired by the red, green and white around me that comes with Christmas so adding to the green from the pepitas and white of the macadamias and coconut I used dried cranberries to give this muesli it’s colour and a touch of sweetness. I couldn’t go past throwing in some cacao nibs and cinnamon as well for that extra flavour.
This is so quick and easy to prepare, stores for ages and can be eaten by itself or as my mum does with yoghurt and fruit. I like to sprinkle some on the top of my smoothie bowls!
What do I need?
- 2 cups Puffed Amaranth
- 1 cup Puffed Brown Rice
- 1 cup Puffed Millet
- 1 cup Flaked Coconut
- 1 cup Pepitas
- 1 cup Macadamias, roughly chopped
- 1 cup Dried Cranberries
- 1/3 cup Cacao Nibs
- 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
Let’s Do This!
1. Place all ingredients in a large bowl
2. Mix. And that is it!
Store in an airtight container
Try this with some seasonal fruit and a generous dollop or two of yoghurt. Just remember if you are having fresh berries with this stay away from the dairy (find out why here)
This recipe is gluten free, nut free, dairy free, vegetarian and vegan