cooking
Easy Single Serve Muesli
I really love this stuff. I first posted about it seven years ago. (Wow... I've had this blog for over seven years?) It has not exactly been one of my most popular posts. The view tracker only gives it a paltry 98 hits over it's lifetime. That's a darn shame because this stuff is really, really good. I think this may be the only oatmeal type breakfast recipe I've ever come across that does not cook the oatmeal, and it really makes a difference in the final product. It's fresh tasting, fruity, and not in the least sticky.
My biggest problem over the years has been having the opportunity to make it. The original recipe makes enough for 2-4 people, depending on how hungry they are and requires you to use an entire apple. If I only wanted to make a part of a recipe to feed myself during the week, for instance, what do I do with the rest of the apple? Needless to say, the result was that I just didn't end up making it very often. Recently, I made it to take to a brunch. When making it ahead of time, it's important not to mix the oats until the last minute. That got me thinking about whether I could make the liquid base of the muesli all at once and freeze it in individual portions. I was worried the texture or flavor might be off after freezing and thawing, but I was pleasantly surprised! It works fabulously!!
This recipe uses two medium sized Granny Smith apples and make six 1/2 cup or nine 1/3 cup frozen servings. You blend the apples (peels on!) and milk in a blender and then add the remaining base ingredients (note - you do not add all the ingredients as shown in the original recipe).
When done blending, it should look something like this. Kind of frothy, kind of smooth, but kind of bumpy looking. Not a very appealing description, I know, but it really does make some good stuff. Trust me.
Divide the mixture into your freezer containers. Freeze immediately.
The night before you want to eat it, take one of the containers from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator. In the morning, toss in the quick oats and delicious add-ins of your choice. As always, my favorite combination is bananas, raisins, and peanuts. I totally love homemade freezer convenience foods and this one absolutely makes me smile! I hope you give it a try!
Easy Single Serve Muesli
Yield: 6 or 9 individual freezer servings
For the Freezer Base:
2 medium (about 8 oz each) Granny Smith apples, peel on, cored
1 cup whole milk
2 TBS sugar
3 TBS lemon juice
1/4 cup heavy cream
To Make the Muesli:
1 individually frozen portion, thawed
quick oats (1/4 cup for each 1/2 cup portion, 2 heaping TBS for each 1/3 cup portion)
sliced banana
raisins
peanuts
other add-ins, to taste, such as grapes, pear chunks, spelt grains, or blueberries
In a blender, puree the cored, sliced apples with the milk. Add the sugar, lemon juice, and cream and blend just until evenly pureed. Divide into freezer containers as either six 1/2 cup or nine 1/3 cup servings. Freezer immediately. To prepare, place the frozen container in the refrigerator to thaw over night (be sure to use within two days for best flavor). Pour now thawed base into a bowl. Add the quick oats and add-ins. Stir and enjoy!
