Muesli . . . a favorite on our Viking British Isles cruise

I’ve made Muesli off and on over the years but Barry has never been much interested. Attributed to a Swiss doctor, it is a mixture of rolled oats, nuts, seeds, and fresh or dried fruit that have been soaked in milk, yogurt, or juice.  On our recent British Isles cruise, he tried it and liked it. Since then I have been making a version similar to the one on the ship. 

Above: A bowl of ready-to-eat Muesli topped with fresh fruits, sunflower and pumpkin seeds.

Below: Prepare Muesli, ready to be refrigerated overnight. 

Muesli 
1 cup rolled oats 

1/3 cup chopped pecans (or other nuts of choice)

1/3 cup craisins, raisins or dried cherries

1/3 cup  flaked coconut

3 tablespoons ground flaxseed

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

Pinch of kosher salt

1 apple, cored & grated

Milk – begin with 1/2 cup and add more to created a creamy mixture (about 1 ½ cups+) - I used whole

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon lemon or orange juice

1 teaspoon vanilla 

Toppings: Seeds, additional nuts, granola, dried or fresh fruits, etc; additional milk if desired

1. Stir together the oats, pecans, dried fruit, coconut, flax, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. 
2. Stir in the grated apple. 
3. In a smaller bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the milk, yogurt, juice and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Add additional milk to create a creamy texture. (I like it creamy so add lots of extra milk as it absorbs the liquid as it sets.) Cover and place in the fridge overnight. (It keeps several days.)
4. In the morning, stir and top with your desired toppings. 

Oatmeal Walnut Date "Caramel" Bars -- gluten & refined sugar free

In an attempt to try to find a dessert that could be classified as "healthy," I discovered this gluten free, no refined sugar-added recipe at the Sunkissed Kitchen Blog. Dates, in the base & top crust + in date “caarmel” layer, adds all the sugar needed to make these in a  blog-worthy treat! I served it with fresh unsweetened whipped cream. Definitely a keeper! 

Oatmeal Walnut Date "Caramel" Bars 

Base & Top Layer

1 1/2 cup oats (divided)

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut

5-6 Medjool dates (4 ounces of pitted dates)*

1/2 cup walnuts

1/4 teaspoon sea salt 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

1 egg

2 tablespoons ground flax seed 

1/4 cup coconut oil

 

Date Layer

18 Medjool dates (12 ounces of pitted dates)*

1 teaspoon lemon juice 

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (I like 1/2, but begin with 1/4 and add to tast

*1 cup of packed Medjool dates is about 5 1/2 ounces. To sub a smaller date variety, weigh instead of relying on the measurements for Medjools. Depending on what variety you use, it might take 2 1/2 cups of dates to equal the weight of 5 1/2 ounces. 

 

Base & Top Layer

1. Preheat oven to 325º F.
2. Add 1 cup of the oatmeal to a food processor, and process into oat flour.
3. Into the food processor bowl, add the dates, coconut, sea salt and baking soda. Process until the dates are broken up.
   
4. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of oatmeal and the walnuts, and pulse to break them up, leaving both with some texture.
   
5. Add the egg, coconut oil, and flax meal. Pulse these into the dry ingredients to create a cookie base.
6. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cookie base to use as the crumble topping.
7. Press the rest of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of an 8×8 pan that has been sprayed and lined with parchment paper that overhangs on the edge (for easy removal of baked bars). To press the oat mixture into the pan— I covered it with a sheet of plastic wrap and then pressed the surface with a drinking glass. 
   
8. Press the date caramel layer on top of the oatmeal layer.
   
9. Sprinkle the reserved oatmeal mixture over the top of the date layer to make a crumble topping.
10. Bake for 18 minutes.
11. Completely cool before slicing. Or, freeze them for even easier slicing.
12. Note: These bars are best stored in the freezer, but also hold up well as a travel snack.

Date Layer

1. Make the date caramel by adding the dates, lemon juice, and sea salt to a cleaned food processor bowl.
2.  Process about 5 to 10 minutes (depending on the power of the food processor), until mixture is smooth, resembles caramel and has lightened in color. Stop the processor and scrap down the mixture as needed. 
   

Recipe without photos . . .Oatmeal Walnut Date "Caramel" Bars 

Base & Top Layer

1 1/2 cup oats (divided)

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut

5-6 Medjool dates (4 ounces of pitted dates)*

1/2 cup walnuts

1/4 teaspoon sea salt 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

1 egg

2 tablespoons ground flax seed 

1/4 cup coconut oil

 

Date Layer

18 Medjool dates (12 ounces of pitted dates)*

1 teaspoon lemon juice 

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (I like 1/2, but begin with 1/4 and add to tast

*1 cup of packed Medjool dates is about 5 1/2 ounces. To sub a smaller date variety, weigh instead of relying on the measurements for Medjools. Depending on what variety you use, it might take 2 1/2 cups of dates to equal the weight of 5 1/2 ounces. 

 

Base & Top Layer

1. Preheat oven to 325º F.
2. Add 1 cup of the oatmeal to a food processor, and process into oat flour.
3. Into the food processor bowl, add the dates, coconut, sea salt and baking soda. Process until the dates are broken up.
4. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of oatmeal and the walnuts, and pulse to break them up, leaving both with some texture.
5. Add the egg, coconut oil, and flax meal. Pulse these into the dry ingredients to create a cookie base.
6. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cookie base to use as the crumble topping.
7. Press the rest of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of an 8×8 pan that has been sprayed and lined with parchment paper that overhangs on the edge (for easy removal of baked bars). To press the oat mixture into the pan— I covered it with a sheet of plastic wrap and then pressed the surface with a drinking glass. 
8. Press the date caramel layer on top of the oatmeal layer.
9. Sprinkle the reserved oatmeal mixture over the top of the date layer to make a crumble topping.
10. Bake for 18 minutes.
11. Completely cool before slicing. Or, freeze them for even easier slicing.
12. Note: These bars are best stored in the freezer, but also hold up well as a travel snack.

Date Layer

1. Make the date caramel by adding the dates, lemon juice, and sea salt to a cleaned food processor bowl.
2.  Process about 5 to 10 minutes (depending on the power of the food processor), until mixture is smooth, resembles caramel and has lightened in color. Stop the processor and scrap down the mixture as needed. 

 

Oat Energy Balls

No need to say more than — easy and yummy!

Oat Energy Balls

1 cup (dry) oats (I used quick cook variety)

1/2 cup chocolate chips (dark chocolate preferred)

1/2 cup peanut butter (I used chunky)

1/2 cup ground flax seeds (buy in the meal form or grind seeds in a NutriBullet or blender)

1/3 cup honey

1. Mix ingredients together in a large bowl (a Danish whisk makes this task easy). 
   
2. Roll into bite-sized balls.
   

   
3. Refrigerate to set. Store in refrigerator.

Recipe without photos . . . Oat Energy Balls

1 cup (dry) oats (I used quick cook variety)

1/2 cup chocolate chips (dark chocolate preferred)

1/2 cup peanut butter (I used chunky)

1/2 cup ground flax seeds (buy in the meal form or grind seeds in a NutriBullet or blender)

1/3 cup honey

1. Mix ingredients together in a large bowl (a Danish whisk makes this task easy). 
2. Roll into bite-sized balls.
3. Refrigerate to set. Store in refrigerator.

Land of Kansas Bread with wheat, sunflower seeds, flax, oats, honey & local milk, eggs & butter

Full of the bounties of Kansas, from wheat flour to sunflower seeds, flax seed meal, oats, honey,  farm-fresh eggs, milk and butter from a local dairy, this bread is a celebration of the crops of the wheat and sunflower state. Moist, tender and tasty; a great bread for sandwiches and toasting. 

Land of Kansas Bread     Make an 8x4-inch loaf

1 1/4 cup Hildebrand® whole milk 

3 tablespoons Hildebrand® butter

1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 tablespoon local honey

2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast

1 1/2 to 2 cups Pride of the Prairie Handcrafters® all-purpose flour

3/4 cup Pride of the Prairie Natural S’Wheat® whole white wheat flour

2 tablespoons flax seed meal (to make the freshest meal, add flax seeds to a grinder such as NutriBullet)

1 teaspoon table salt

2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Vegetable oil, for coating for coating oil, about 1/2 to 1 tsp.

Egg wash: 1farm-fresh egg, beaten 

Topping:

2 tablespoon old-fashioned rolled oats

1 tablespoon sunflower seeds               

1. Heat milk and butter in microwave (or in a small saucepan over low heat until milk is warm) to 105 to 115° F. (Butter does not need to completely melt. 
2. Remove from heat and pour into a large bowl and stir in oats, yeast and honey. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
3. Add in 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, whole white wheat flour, flaxseed meal and salt; mix with a a Danish dough whisk or wooden spoon until a dough begins to form. 
   
4. Add in sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and poppy seeds and gently mix into the dough. Add dough hook and knead about 6 or 7 minutes (or knead the dough with your hands for 10 minutes), adding additional all-purpose flour only if needed.
   
   
   

   
5. Form dough into a ball and place in a large bowl that has been lightly coated with vegetable oil, turning the dough over to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and a warm towel and allow the dough to rise for about 60 to 90 minutes, or until doubled in size. 
   
   Above: Dough goes into oiled bowl for 1st rise.
   Below: Dough after about 60 minutes. 

   
6. Spray or grease an  8x4-inch loaf pan. 
7. After dough has risen, punch down and  shape into an 8-inch long log; place in prepared pan, tucking the ends underneath.
   
8. Cover the loaf with plastic wrap and a warm towel and allow it to rise again for about 60 to 90 minutes or until the loaf has risen about an inch above the brim of the pan. 
   
9. During the second rise, preheat oven to 350° F. 
10. Once it has risen, brush the top of the dough with the egg wash. (Refrigerate leftover egg wash for the next loaf of bread or use in scrambled eggs.)
11. Sprinkle additional oats and sunflower seeds on top of the dough. 
    
12. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until loaf is slightly golden brown on top and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped; internal temperature should register at least 190°F.
13. Transfer pan to wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then remove bread from pan and place on wire rack to finish cooling for at least 2 hours.
    

Recipe without photos . . . Land of Kansas Bread     Make an 8x4-inch loaf

1 1/4 cup Hildebrand® whole milk 

3 tablespoons Hildebrand® butter

1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 tablespoon local honey

2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast

1 1/2 to 2 cups Pride of the Prairie Handcrafters® all-purpose flour

3/4 cup Pride of the Prairie Natural S’Wheat® whole white wheat flour

2 tablespoons flax seed meal (to make the freshest meal, add flax seeds to a grinder such as NutriBullet)

1 teaspoon table salt

2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Vegetable oil, for coating for coating oil, about 1/2 to 1 tsp.

Egg wash: 1farm-fresh egg, beaten 

Topping:

2 tablespoon old-fashioned rolled oats

1 tablespoon sunflower seeds               

1. Heat milk and butter in microwave (or in a small saucepan over low heat until milk is warm) to 105 to 115° F. (Butter does not need to completely melt. 
2. Remove from heat and pour into a large bowl and stir in oats, yeast and honey. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
3. Add in 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, whole white wheat flour, flaxseed meal and salt; mix with a a Danish dough whisk or wooden spoon until a dough begins to form. 
4. Add in sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and poppy seeds and gently mix into the dough. Add dough hook and knead about 6 or 7 minutes (or knead the dough with your hands for 10 minutes), adding additional all-purpose flour only if needed.. 
5. Form dough into a ball and place in a large bowl that has been lightly coated with vegetable oil, turning the dough over to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and a warm towel and allow the dough to rise for about 60 to 90 minutes, or until doubled in size. 
6. Spray or grease an  8x4-inch loaf pan. 
7. After dough has risen, punch down and  shape into an 8-inch long log; place in prepared pan, tucking the ends underneath.
8. Cover the loaf with plastic wrap and a warm towel and allow it to rise again for about 60 to 90 minutes or until the loaf has risen about an inch above the brim of the pan. 
9. During the second rise, preheat oven to 350° F. 
10. Once it has risen, brush the top of the dough with the egg wash. (Refrigerate leftover egg wash for the next loaf of bread or use in scrambled eggs.)
11. Sprinkle additional oats and sunflower seeds on top of the dough. 
12. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until loaf is slightly golden brown on top and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped; internal temperature should register at least 190°F.
13. Transfer pan to wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then remove bread from pan and place on wire rack to finish cooling for at least 2 hours.

Granola Cups -- nutrient-dense sweet choice

I’ve been trying to quell my occasional craving for sweets with nutrient-dense choices. Chia seed chocolate pudding did not cut it, nor did the protein balls of this and that! Yes, I tried them but in my estimate they belong in the trash bin instead of on our blog (Barry agreed).  However, a recipe for Granola Cups in the latest Parade insert did catch my eye and so, with reluctance (haven’t quite got over the chia seed experiments yet) I gave them a try . . . and these I did like.

They’re good as a snack, for dessert but I plan to add them on my breakfast menu, too.

As usual, I made some adjustments as included below.  For Parade’s original recipe, click on Granola Cups.

Granola Cups    Makes 12

1¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oats (or use quick oats)

½ cup chopped almonds

1 cup dried fruit, chopped (I used a combo of apricots & craisins + prunes; raisins, dates, etc. would also work)

⅓ cup flax meal (Put flax seeds into a Nutra Bullet or blender to make your own)

⅓ cup sunflower seeds

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 large egg

⅓ cup Agave

¼ cup canola oil                      

1. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients including spices.
   
2. In a second bowl, lightly beat egg; stir in Agave and canola oil.
   
3. Stir wet ingredients into dry.
4. Divide among 12 muffin cups, pressing mixture up sides with wet fingers to form cups. (I used silicon so did not grease the cups; if using regular muffin tins, be sure to grease to cups. Also, I used a ¼ cup measure, covered in sprayed plastic wrap to create an indentation.)
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Bake 20 minutes at 350° or until edges brown and cups are set.
6. Cool several minutes before unmolding. 
   
7. Fill with flavored yogurt sprinkled with cinnamon, or yogurt and fresh fruit (or pudding, ice cream, etc.)

Recipe without photos . . .

Granola Cups    Makes 12

1¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oats (or use quick oats)

½ cup chopped almonds

1 cup dried fruit, chopped (I used a combo of apricots & craisins + prunes; raisins, dates, etc. would also work)

⅓ cup flax meal (Put flax seeds into a Nutra Bullet or blender to make your own)

⅓ cup sunflower seeds

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 large egg

⅓ cup Agave

¼ cup canola oil                      

1. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients including spices.
2. In a second bowl, lightly beat egg; stir in Agave and canola oil.
3. Stir wet ingredients into dry.
4. Divide among 12 muffin cups, pressing mixture up sides with wet fingers to form cups. (I used silicon so did not grease the cups; if using regular muffin tins, be sure to grease to cups. Also, I used a ¼ cup measure, covered in sprayed plastic wrap to create an indentation.)
5. Bake 20 minutes at 350° or until edges brown and cups are set.
6. Cool several minutes before unmolding. 
7. Fill with flavored yogurt sprinkled with cinnamon, or yogurt and fresh fruit (or pudding, ice cream, etc.)

Lola Granola Bars — straight from Food Network

After watching “Home Made in American” with Sunny Anderson on the Food Network station (7/8/2013), I had to try Lola Granola Bars. Mary Molina developed the recipe through “trial and error.” Once she deemed it a  “success,” she wrapped up several bars and packed them in her husband’s lunch. After sharing them with co-workers, he came home with orders for more.

Eventually, she expanded her line and began selling in local grocery stores. Her bars are now sold in 40 stores. She continues to get requests and is hoping to expand beyond her home kitchen based business.

            The bars are simple to make and truly as good as all their TV hype.

 Words of Warning: Be sure to taste sunflower seeds before using in any recipe. I’ve learning this the hard way in the past. Yes, I know sunflower seeds tend to turn rancid so I always put them in the refrigerator or freezer if not using immediately. But, even in those controlled climates, the oil can turn, creating an unpleasant taste in your finished product.

Lola Granola Bars

Cooking spray

2 cups (old fashioned) oats

1/3 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup whole raw almonds, skin on  (I had sliced almonds on hand so that’s what I used)

1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/4 cup flax seed meal

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup honey

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 7- by 11-inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

2.  In a bowl, stir the oats, sunflower seeds, almonds, coconut, flax seed meal and cinnamon. Transfer to a dry sheet tray and toast in the oven for 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Mixing up the dry ingredients.

3.  While dry ingredients toast, in a medium pot, add the honey, coconut oil and vanilla. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the honey turns a copper color, 12 to 15 minutes.

Liquid ingredients go into the saucepan.

This is what the mixture looks like after 12 to 15 minutes.

4.  Pour the honey into the dry ingredients and mix until well coated with the honey mixture.

5.  Pour onto the prepared baking pan. Pack down the ingredients.

6.  Bake for about 10 minutes; the middle may seem slightly sticky but it will cool nicely.

7.  Let cool in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Flip over, take off the parchment and cut into rectangles. Serve.

For other flavors, make the following substitutions to the recipe above:

Ruby (Cranberry): Omit the almonds and add an additional 1/4 cup dried cranberries.

Nathan (Blueberry/Almond): Substitute the cranberries with dried blueberries.

Enzo: (Cashew/Almond): Omit the cranberries and add 1/4 cup cashews to the dry ingredients.

Ellie (Cashew/Date): Substitute the almonds with cashews and substitute the cranberries with dried dates.

Click here for access to the original recipe on FoodNetwork.  

If you like homemade granola bars, you might also like this recipe for Peanut & Jelly Power Bars.