- Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris
Some days I just want to spend all day in the kitchen...like I'm having a fantasy about being a (not so desperate) housewife. Odd, since I don't want to be a wife, or stuck at home in the kitchen instead of working or adventuring. But I do like being in the kitchen.
Anyway, it's these sort of days which are perfect for cooking up a storm and stocking up the pantry, the fridge and the freezer. First up we have a big batch of stewed fruit which I use on my breakfasts.
It's always a little different but this particular batch contained 2 x 1.5(ish)kg bags of organic granny smith apples (oh how I love having Harvest Wholefoods so close), a few handfuls of frozen mixed berries and about a cup of organic raisins...oh, and a dash of vanilla along with a good shake of cinnamon. This freezes really well too.
Next up was a giant batch of muesli (well, as giant as the oven dish would allow...it made 2 big containers full). Apparently muesli is granola. Is that correct? I don't know. We always call it muesli.
Hmmm, what's in it? I just tend to throw in what I have but I think it's got wholegrain oats, rye oats, rolled oats, some other kind of oats I can't remember (maybe buckwheat?), shredded coconut, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews, brazil nuts and hazelnuts baked with a drizzle of molasses and a big spoonful of coconut oil. Once cooked and cooled I added ground flaxseed and dried fruit consisting of (I think) dates, pineapple, apricots and raisins (or were they sultanas? I can't remember).
There really is nothing like homemade muesli...I'm serious. Plus you can't really go wrong. Just don't talk on the phone while it's cooking 'cause you might forget about it. Luckily one of my flatmates was paying attention! Chuck in what you've got. I have a habit of finding stuff in my pantry and then emptying out the entire packet.
I also made my awesome muesli bars which I have before training every morning. They are SO good (an old flatmate once proclaimed them the best muesli bars they'd ever tried). Again, I just use what I have on hand but you can see one variant of my recipe here.
I've been meaning to make muesli/granola for ages, and yours with its extreme-wonderment-amazing-flavours-MOLASSES-for-the-win nomminess is making me very upset that I have to run my first tutorial today instead of going home to my kitchen.
ReplyDeleteI often fantasise about being pregnant and barefoot in the kitchen, but I know I'd go crazy if that's all I was.
P.S. I think one difference is muesli can be non-toasted, whereas granola always is. Plus granola is often clumpier and sweeter, in my experience, but that's probably because the granola I've eaten has come from America :P
I have been in the mood to spend long periods of time in the kitchen lately, too, but I've run out of things to stock the fridge/freezer/pantry with. So thanks for these ideas -- stewed fruit with breakfast is a great idea.
ReplyDeleteI'll echo Hannah's discussion of granola vs. muesli. In the US you can buy muesli, which is untoasted oats with nuts and dried fruit. But the main thing is granola, which is mixed with something sticky, and baked so it forms clumps. Probably almost exactly what you've described in your post!