Don’t you just love a bowl of healthy muesli? It’s a great way to start the day and also makes a delicious healthy snack.

But why make your own when it is so easy to buy? Not all muesli is made equal! Unfortunately, many shop-bought varieties have sugar added and are rich in the cheap ingredients like raisins and oats, but are frugal on the good stuff (like nuts and seeds).

By making your own, you can also tailor the recipe to suit your palate e.g. In my case, no raisins, more nuts and definitely include tangy, succulent anti-oxidant-laden dried goldenberries (more about these in a moment). You could even include sugar-free chocolate drops to appeal to children and chocoholics!

More importantly, you can boost the nutritional content with super healthy ingredients. This muesli recipe is packed crunchy nuts, seeds, chia seeds, ground flaxseed, goji berries, goldenberries and a low proportion of dried cranberries, dried figs /dates. Not a raisin or added sugar in sight! Get your vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, fibre and omega-3s!

Now a little bit about goldenberries. Goldenberries are succulent orange-colour superfruits that look like big sultanas but taste amazing; chewy and tart, but not too sweet. They are unlike any dried fruit you may have eaten and are simply divine. Moreover, they have an impressive nutritional profile: they are loaded with vitamin A, iron (more so than spinach), vitamin C, potassium (more so than bananas) and fibre (more so than prunes!).

I also love to boost the protein content of this muesli by adding protein crispies (a vegan alternative being puffed quinoa) and a plant-based protein powder (like soya bean, and pea, although whey protein powder also works well).

Not only does this muesli taste amazing and is super healthy, but it is super-quick to make; there is no need for accurate measuring, just mix handfuls of everything together! (I have given quantities for those wanting precise measurements though!).

For foodies among you, if desired, you can toast the nuts lightly in a dry pan for 3 mins or in an oven for about 5 mins to enhance their nutty flavour. When I am busy, I leave the nuts untoasted.

You can vary this recipe to include fabulous superfood powders, e.g. maca, baobab, spirulina (this adds a striking green colour!) and my recent discovery, vitalising superpowder and omega-3 superpowder from Nature’s Heart Superfoods. The former contains ground goldenberry, turmeric and coconut and the latter contains ground acai, sacha inchi and coconut. What a way to supercharge your day!

These products are available on-line (links provided), Ocado and Waitrose.

Note: Ground flaxseed is better refrigerated to preserve its nutritional value. This muesli can be stored in a cool place or refrigerator, or alternatively, you may prefer to make the muesli without the ground flaxseed and add it to each bowlful as you serve it.

Makes: 1.5 litre Kilner jar

Time: 10-12 mins (14-16 mins if toasting nuts)

Ingredients:

• 400g rolled oats (gluten-free if required)
• 120g dried goldenberries
• 100g protein crispies (puffed rice or puffed quinoa for a vegan substitute)
• 100g ground flaxseed
• 80g protein powder; plant-based soya bean, pea work well, as does whey
• 80g dried goji berries
• 50g dried figs or dates, roughly chopped
• 50g chia seeds
• 300g nuts of choice: I have used:
  • 60g almonds, roughly chopped
  • 60g cashews, roughly chopped
  • 60g walnuts, roughly chopped
  • 60g whole pistachio kernels
  • 60g raw cashews
• 50g sunflower seeds
• 50g pumpkin seeds
• 30g dried cranberries
• 30g dried apricots, roughly chopped

Superfood powders:

• Vitalising superpowder
• Omega-3 Superfood powder
• Cacao and superpowder (cacao, bee pollen and maca)

• Alkalising Superpowder (wheatgrass, spirulina and matcha)

• Spirulina
• Baobab
• Cacao powder
• Maca powder
• Moringa powder
• Camu camu powder
• Loganberry powder

Variations:

• Sugar-free chocolate chips
• Raw dried banana
• Freeze-dried raspberries
• Add dried apricots, cherries and blueberries instead of figs and dates
• Other nuts like brazils, macadamia, hazelnuts work well

Method:

• If toasting the nuts, toast them in a large pan on a medium heat for about 3-4 mins, tossing occasionally. (Alternatively, you could bake the nuts in the oven for about 5 mins at 170°C). Allow to cool.
• In bowl, mix together all the ingredients. Then decant into the Kilner jar.

Eat me!

• Ta-daa! Easy! I love to serve mine with almond milk and a scoop of yoghurt.

Don’t forget you can find my favourite recipes in my FREE eBook here.