Raw Spelt Muesli

Just quietly, Miss Arabella and the boyfriend are no more.

Serve with fresh berries

Serve with fresh berries

I can’t say too much but he was invited to Archie’s 21st and he’s now been uninvited.  I didn’t ‘uninvite’ him.  Prior to the announcement of her newly proclaimed single status, I did send the boyfriend a text asking if he could help us, on the day, to set up the venue.  He promptly texted back saying he would be honoured to help and what time would I like him to arrive!


Now I don’t have a helper.

But back to Arabella.

Puffed spelt

Puffed spelt

She’s fine.  Absolutely devoting herself to uni work and spending lots of time in the library studying.  Excellent.  She’s also rowing for the uni and has training four mornings a week so is up early and busy, busy, busy.  Best therapy ever.

You can add any kind of nuts you like

You can add any kind of nuts you like

We had a little chat and I did say, ‘Next time, Arabella, could you be friends with the guy first and get to know him really, really well before you get into a relationship?’

Dried pawpaw

Dried pawpaw

‘Yes, mum; that’s what I’m going to do.  Just like with Fred.  We’re still best friends today.  I can’t wait to see him at the 21st; it’s so great he’s coming down’.  (Fred lives seven hours away).  And with that she packed up her books and said she was off to uni and she won’t be home for dinner because after her lectures she’s going to the library to study.

So…it’s another day, another development.

Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

And just quietly, I’ve been to parent/teacher interviews at Alfie’s school.  Last year’s teachers told me so frequently how brilliant my son is I was quite convinced I’d produced a genius.  This year’s teacher didn’t mention any streak of brilliance.  Before the time was up I leaned in and asked, ‘So how’s he going academically?’  She shrugged and said, ‘He’s doing okay’. Just ‘okay’?   I’ll have to stop calling him Einstein.

Sultanas

Sultanas

Then she said, ‘Did you know he sometimes writes with his right hand and other days with his left?  And I didn’t actually know that but I was hoping this wasn’t another thing ‘we recommend you get checked out’.  I’ve heard that too many times and it’s very time-consuming getting everything ‘checked out’.  My mind wandered to whether Einstein wrote with both hands.

Anyway, whether you’re rowing or whether you’re still working out which hand to write with, you need a good breakfast to start the day.  I’ve been buying muesli and it doesn’t seem to matter what brand I buy, someone in the house doesn’t like it; ‘Too many sultanas’, ‘Too many oats’, ‘What are all those hard bits?’, and ‘It takes too long to chew’.

So I’m now making my own muesli.  It’s so simple and easy to do and you just put in it all your favourite things.  This is wheat-free but not gluten-free as it contains spelt but as spelt is an ancient grain, some gluten-intolerant people can eat spelt without the usual side effects.  If you don’t want to use spelt you could substitute rolled oats.  This is a raw muesli that’s not sweetened but there is some natural sweetness from the dried fruit.  I’ve made an enormous quantity because we get through it very quickly but you can always halve my recipe.

Stir, stir, stir

Stir, stir, stir

Raw Spelt Muesli

Makes:  A massive amount

Degree of Difficulty:  1//5

Cost:  This will vary depending on what fruits and nuts you include.

  • 6 cups puffed spelt (or other grain)
  • 1 cup flaked coconut
  • 1 cup chopped brazil nuts (or other nut)
  • 1 cup diced paw paw (or other dried fruit)
  • 3/4 cup pepitas
  • 3/4 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 cup sultanas (because some people don’t like too many sultanas)
  • 1/2 cup goji berries (because they’re meant to do wonders for you)
  • 1/2 cup chia seeds (because these will stop you feeling hungry all day)
  • 1 1/2 tspns cinnamon

Put everything in a bowl.  Give it a really good stir.  Store in a large airtight container.

Serve with fresh fruit, yoghurt and milk.

Just add yoghurt and milk.  I use almond milk.

Just add yoghurt and milk. I use almond milk.

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Comments

  1. Your granola looks so delicious compared to that overpriced stuff in the grocery stores. Love how it is packed with so many good things. I bet this will give her lots of energy to both study and row and for mom to run all of the errands. Take Care, BAM

  2. Muesli looks delicious. I add gogi berries to mine too. Love them.

  3. How very delicious, Charlie!

  4. I don’t imagine writing with both hands is bad? I’ve always wanted to be ambidextrous anyway!

  5. I think you’ve made my perfect muesli 🙂 I love dried paw paw and puffed spelt sounds like a great way to mix things up from the usual oats. Just the thing for everyone, regardless of whether they are newly single, writing with alternating hands, or suddenly setting up a 21st minus helper!

  6. Oh Charlie, this is the best muesli post I’ve ever read. Usually people bang on and on about it but I just love that you segued into it from Arabellas boyfriend and Alfie shaping up to be Einstein. By the Way your muesli looks simple and very very nice

  7. I haven’t made muesli for ages! Thanks for the inspiration to make it again. And just quietly, well done on raising a daughter that sounds pretty great.
    x

  8. Oh Charlie, you make me laugh. And the muesli makes me hungry.

  9. sounds lovely – never had puffed spelt – it goes into the category of it I saw it I would find it interesting but not know what to do with it. sounds like you need a good hearty start to the day with all the goings on in your household – I would have suggested to arabella that she keep the boyfriend who was going to help out until after the party 🙂 And be careful what you wish for with kids partners – my mum told me not to find a boyfriend who lived over the other side of the city because it was too far away – I found someone over the other side of the world!

  10. Rowing and studying. Gotta tuck that into my hat of parental advice.

  11. Sweet Posy Deams says:

    Looks tasty and healthy. I’ve never made my own.

    I have a feeling there will be a new boyfriend before too long.

  12. Muesli/granola … guess it’s cheaper and healthier to make it at home and tailor it to the precise tastes of your family.

  13. I’ve been making my own granola…I think that’s kinda the same thing, no? I have a new recipe to share soon. Actually, a couple. Can’t wait to try them. I don’t know why I’m on such a granola kick lately, I just love it! And it’s healthy! Yours looks yummy! Hope Arabella finds a new guy that’s good to her!! 😉 xo

  14. I think writing with both hands is quite a skill! Definitely Einstein material!
    I love making my own muesli. So much better than the store-bought stuff.

  15. I love homemade muesli!

  16. You crack me up! love keeping tabs on what your family is up to! I’m so impressed with Arabella’s work ethic!

  17. Lovely looking muesli! Shame you lost your party helper!

  18. It’s always something, isn’t it? I just made a batch of very sweet granola…so good, but I really need to make a batch of your muesli full of all those healthy ingredients. It looks terrific!

  19. Yep nope Arabella she is amazing and I still don’t understand it. AMAZING. Also Einstein, wasn’t he supposedly dyslexic? If he’d lived now, he’d have been so busy “getting checked out” that we probably still wouldn’t know E=MC2.

  20. lol, I’d have thought the teacher could say something a teensy bit more encouraging than “ok”. Oh well :p

  21. What I love about your recipe Charlie is that you haven’t sweetened it, it’s got so many delicious ingredients I can just imagine how tasty every mouthful would be. My SIL buys a granola that is so extremely over priced, I’m going to bookmark your recipe for her.
    Too bad about Arabella’s breakup, I sure don’t miss those days of heart ache. Hopefully you’ll find someone else to help you with Archie’s birthday festivities. I can hardly wait to see that post.

  22. Your son is ambidextrous!! Why does the teacher make it sound like doomsday? I do think kids need great teachers to bring out the best in them. I am sure he will back to being Einstein soon. meanwhile, your awesome looking muesli will keep giving him the brain power.

  23. Oh dear, I know how that feels, to have lost a helper at the very last minute, and with all that relationship dilemma, it must have been really awkward as well.
    Your muesli looks awesome, I’ve always looked at these stuffs on the shelves of the supermarkets or at breakfast bars…I mean, obviously, someone must have made them, but to really make them or heard of someone making them, it’s rare and you make them sound so easy, not to mention gorgeous! 🙂

  24. G’day! Your granola looks so healthy Charlie!
    I am sure Archie’s birthday will go off without a hitch; all always seems to work out in the end and yes Arabella is continuing to learn some life lessons.
    Cheers! Joanne

  25. ‘It takes too long to chew,’ has got to be my all-time favorite reasons for not liking something. I would have had a good laugh had I overheard that one. I’m not one much for breakfast but lately there have been a few morning recipes that are making me re-think this. Your muesli sounds terrific, Charlie, and best of all, I bet it doesn’t take too long too chew. 🙂

  26. I love puffed spelt! This muesli would be fantastic and I could eat it anytime. 🙂

  27. Oh dear, what a pity about your party helper. Lovely muesli, think I could enjoy that for breakfast and then snack time through the day too.
    Have a lovely day Charlie.
    🙂 Mandy xo

  28. I have been making my own granola recently and eat it every morning. I like to play around with ingredients but maple pecan is by far my favorite combination. I have started adding less maple syrup and oil compared to the recipe I originally posted as my taste buds are getting more accustomed to the new sweetness level and I think the oil is not imperative. I like the idea of having another recipe that doesn’t require baking, so I will keep this in mind!

  29. People always mock what they don’t understand Charlie, I’m sure Archie is a genius! We have interviews next week too- always interesting 🙂
    This great muesli is such a terrific, healthy way to start the day, it must be why your children are so exceptional- that and such fantastic parental genes of course! Good luck finding some help for the party, maybe Fred could pop down and make himself useful? Xix

  30. The muesli looks wonderful, and I enjoyed the snippets of family life too. There’s always something going on!

  31. This looks wonderful! I’ve never tried making my own, but I think I’m thoroughly convinced after seeing this. Thanks for the inspiration!

  32. This looks great! Loads of flavor, and probably much better than the store bought stuff. Interesting that Alfie writes with either hand — I have no idea what that means, but I can’t imagine it being a bad thing. Fun read — thanks.

  33. What a flavoursome idea for muesli, I am glad it is raw, so much fresher!
    And hope Arabella’s new guy is a winner 🙂

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

  34. Oh Charlie, that was an “awkward” way to lose your helper for the party. I hope Arabella’s doing ok and that was wonderful advice you gave her about friendship first. I must give this muesli a go … it looks beautiful!

  35. Hahaha I had to laugh about “it takes long time to chew” and other comments… someone in my family the same way!!! Too bad you lost the helper, but glad to hear Arabella is very focused now (and seems so matured!). And LOL about Einstein comments. You’re such a good writer. I feel like my day suddenly got cheered up with your funny writing. 🙂

  36. This is a wonderful Muesli recipe. I love to try different muesli and granola recipes, and this really sounds like a fabulous one to add to my Greek yogurt. I thought you were going to give Arabella the advice not to “lose” a boyfriend until after mom has had the benefit of his muscle and help at a social event. I think your advice was more loving and maternal. But mine was practical! 🙂

  37. Puffed spelt? That’s a new one on me. I’m going to need to find that because I love puffed cereals and your muesli looks like a hearty and delicious breakfast.

  38. I’ve never seen puffed spelt, but love the sound of it. Great-looking muesli, Charlie.

  39. My father writes with both his hands & he has 3 University degrees, so,….

  40. I always make my own muesli & your combinations look so appetizing too,’.’Yum Yum yummmmmm.

  41. Been meaning to make my own muesli for a while – thanks for the encouragement to jump to and do it. Yours looks great. You need as many helpers as you can muster can Fred has come on board.

  42. So puffed spelt is raw? awesome. I have no idea where to look for it.

  43. This would be perfect to start my day, love that you did not add any sugar!! It is hearty, and full of nutrients, love it! Hugs, Terra

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