health – Reviving Hope

My muesli with freshly picked raspberries

Spring seasons greetings! I hope you are enjoying the shift into warmer, longer days. If you missed my last podcast episode ‘A Restored Man’ – you can find the Spotify player at the bottom of the page. It’s a hope-filled reflection on a man who encountered Jesus, and how he can transform our well-being.

This post is all about breakfast!

Recently I’ve been musing on the close relationship I have with my muesli. I started making muesli ever when I left home at 18 years old and recently taught my 17 year old son how to do so also. I don’t have many healthy food rituals but making and eating muesli would have to be one. I feel better physically for starting the day with cereal that is very filling and gives a steady release of energy over the morning. I believe this helps my mood not having the highs and lows of other sweeter cereals. For a serving I make the most of fresh fruit such as; kiwifruit, nectarines, berries from our garden, as well as preserved apricots thanks to my Mum. Wattie’s tinned peaches are a good back up. To finish a bowl off there’s Easiyo greek style unsweetened yoghurt – a firm favourite.

For something different over the apple season we mix the muesli with grated apple from our local orchard. Cox’s Orange apples are good for the sweet/sour combo and mix this through with the greek unsweetened yoghurt. Adding a little cinnamon and runny honey makes this bircher style muesli perfect. My son consumes a giant bowl of this most of the year round. It’s a nice morning ritual.

Recently I was asked for my muesli recipe and thought it was a good opportunity to make one. Perhaps a teenage boy might need it to help out or when leaving home. Varying dried fruit, nuts and seeds, and coconut thread all make for endless possibilities. I enjoy my muesli simple and also find it cost effective for the quantity we eat. It’s quick to make and at around 1.5kg, it fills a large container.

Bronnie’s Muesli

1kg wholegrain oates
3/4 cup sunflower seeds
3/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup roasted unsalted almonds chopped roughly
1/2 cup raisins
Mix together and warm 1/4 cup sunflower oil and 1-2 Tablespoons honey
Pour oil and honey over the oates and seeds (not nuts) and put into a shallow oven tray and mix well to coat mixture

Bake at 150 degrees celsius for 10 mins, stir, bake for 5 mins, stir and bake another 5 min
Let it cool, then add raisins and chopped nuts

Muesli made! Just add yoghurt and your choice of fruit. I have 1/3 cup of muesli with fruit, and our hungriest son has a cup full.
Of course you can change the amount of sweetness from the honey and raisins up or down as it appeals to you. A box of muesli at the supermarket can have around 14% sugar, so I reckon one or two tablespoons of honey can’t go a miss in a big tray of oates.

Best prices

Many of us are feeling the need to be thrifty when it comes to food shopping. I have searched around for the best value for the ingredients. Here are a few notes…
A local Indian Supermarket has the best price on sunflower ($8 per kg) and pumpkin seeds ($15 per kg) in larger bags. I have seen these bulk packets at different Indian food stores. These seeds are almost half the price of the same items at our lower priced supermarket Pak’n Save. Pam’s wholegrain oates made in N.Z are the best price $3 a one kg bag and available at Pak’n Save. Raisins were similar in price at both stores. I buy ‘Value’ roasted unsalted almonds at Pak’n Save.

Easiyo yoghurt maker greek style unsweetened sachets are often $4 on special at Pak’n Save – regular price is $4.50. Each packet makes 1 kg of yoghurt. It would be hard to beat Easiyo’s greek yoghurt for creaminess, thickness and taste!