Oat-Free Muesli (GF, Vegan, Paleo, Raw)

2011 May 16

I gotta say, one thing I just don’t want to give up on is breakfast cereal. I know, I know. If you’re going raw, or grain free, or Gluten free, or Paleo, this kinda limits your um… options.

That is, of course, until I watched an episode of Dragons Den on tv the other day. What? Yup. Seriously. There was a guy who invented the NEATEST raw breakfast cereal and I rushed out to the healthfood store to see for myself. They had a bag. The ingredients were simple. I thought, hey. I betcha I could make this myself!! (if you want to buy it super expensive, its called Holy Crap! and you can find it at Rainbow Foods).

Now, how do you make oat-free oatmeal? The answer is chia seed! Strange? Yup. Delicious? Surprisingly, yes! You can make this recipe as easy or as complex as you wish. You can modify it for a paleo or grain free diet. You can play with the flavours. Basically, its a terrific platform to jumpfrom and start creating… Maybe add a little cocoa powder for a chocolate version. Or dried cranberries, orange zest, and a touch of cinnamon for a holiday breakfast. Maybe dried strawberries for the summer… its kind of limitless :)

The one thing I would suggest, if you are Paleo, is to reduce the sweeter dried fruit (like raisins) called for (given the sugar restriction), and use instead some dried apples or cranberries that are less sweet, and replace the hemp and buckwheat with seeds, nuts, fresh fruit, and a touch of flax.

NOTE 1 : Some tips on how to eat this :D All you need is 2 tbsp of the mix, and add it to 6 tbsp of your preferred non dairy milk. You can either soak it over night, or you can heat it gently for a minute or two in the microwave to make a hot cereal. This recipe makes enough cereal to last you for 1 week.

NOTE 2: Great milks for this- Nut free, I suggest using your preferred hemp or rice milk. Paleo, go for almond milk, Raw or grain free, try this cashew milk.

NOTE 3: Dried Fruit Ideas- Try these Fruit Chips if you want to experiment with other kinds of fruit for this recipe. For more sweetness, instead of honey or agave, add a few finely chopped dates.

MyRealFoodLife.com

Raw GF Oat-Free “Oatmeal”

Ingredients

6 tbsp raisins
4 tbsp hemp hearts (Paleo: replace with dried apples, pumpkin seed, and sunflower seed)
6 tbsp un-roasted buckwheat groats (Paleo: replace with unsweetened dried cranberries, currants)
5 tbsp chia seed (if you can find Abenaki Salba, that is the cheapest. In Ottawa its at Rainbow Foods)
3 tbsp dried apple pieces
1 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp raw sunflower seeds
2 -3 tbsp apple juice (Paleo: omit, use water)
1/8 – 1/4 tsp (or to taste) sea salt finely ground
1/8- /4 tsp (or to taste) powdered ginger

Directions

If you want to make your own dried apple slices, (way cheaper!), peel, core, and slice 1/4 inch thich about 4 apples. Place them on metal cookie cooling racks and put them in your oven- heat at 170 degrees farenheit for 2-3 hours and they’ll be perfect. Cut afterwards into small pieces to add to your cereal. (Tip: sprinkle cinnamon on them as they dehydrate, or even a tiny touch of sea salt… yum..)
Next, you’ll season the raisins, to give your cereal that flavour punch. (Its optional though.) Spread them on a cookie sheet if you are making a large amount, or otherwise get a smaller heat proof container and pour the concentrated apple juice (undiluted), over them just to cover the bottom of the pan. Let dehydrate in your oven at 170 degrees for 5 hours or overnight. (Paleo- to make the raisins softer to chew in the mix, you can substitute water)
The next day when your raisins and apples are ready, you can assemble your cereal. Sprinkle the salt and ginger over the raisins, and toss them with the rest of your ingredients. Done!
To serve, add 2 tbsp of your mix to a bowl and cove rwith 6 tbsp of your preferred non dairy milk. Soak overnight or heat gently to let the chia swell and the ingredients absorb the liquid.