Toasted Muesli Two Ways: Coconut Cranberry Pecan and Almond Dirty Chai

I am moving back to Philadelphia in June to return to the job I had before I accepted my research fellowship in Oaxaca. I am really excited to be going back home, but I know it will to be a hard transition back to real life. In addition to doing my research and learning lots about water conservation and international development, I have learned a lot about myself over the last eight months. I have a better idea of what I want out of my career and I have a lot more patience. Living in a foreign country is not always easy, and I face the different cultural norms on a daily basis. A lot of these cultural idiosyncrasies are exciting, but sometimes they can be emotionally draining. Take this afternoon for example: I may or may not have given the middle finger to a guy on a motorcycle who thought it was okay to stare at me and shout something inaudible but likely inappropriate. Not okay.

I feel extremely lucky to have had lots of time to work on my blog while here in Oaxaca. I see the benefits of my hard work every month and I have even more goals and plans for the rest of this year. During my free time, I have also been able to travel to Cuernavaca, Guadalajara, Mexico City, the Oaxacan coast, and in one week I’m going to Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum with my boyfriend! I am beyond excited and can’t wait to share pictures with you all. If any of you have been there and have any suggestions on places to go or things to see I would love to hear from you.

All this being said, I am looking forward to starting back up with work, and most of all, nesting. I can’t wait to have an apartment that I am living in for for more than just a few months, that I can decorate (hello Pinterest!), and that I can call my own. As much as I was hoping to try out a new city, Philadelphia is my home and I know there is still so much more to explore there. I don’t know what the future holds, so I am just taking things as they come and trying not to plan too far into the future.

Now that I don’t have to worry about applying to jobs anymore, I want to enjoy my last month and a half here in Oaxaca and my time with my boyfriend, and take full advantage of my free time to hit the gym, eat healthy, and work on the blog. Oh, and of course, finish strong with my research fellowship.

Which brings me to this muesli. Starting my day off with a healthy breakfast sets me up for an entire day of healthy eating. My go-to breakfast is usually some form of oats, with the occasional eggs thrown into the mix. Muesli is a mixture of raw oats, nuts and seeds, and fresh or dried fruit. It also doesn’t have any sweetener usually. I wanted my muesli to have a bit more flavor than normal, so I toasted my oats before adding them to the mix, which gives them a slight nutty flavor. 

I tried out two flavor combinations, Coconut Cranberry Pecan and Almond Dirty Chai, but you can really use any nuts, fruit, and spices that you like. Consider these two recipes a base for adding and subtracting what you like best.

Last night before bed I added 1/2 cup of muesli to an almost empty jar of homemade pecan butter (amazingly good!) with 1/2 cup skim milk to make overnight oats. In the morning I chopped up half an apple and was ready to go. Here’s to starting your morning and week off right!

Coconut Cranberry Pecan Toasted Muesli
Makes 2 1/2 cups.

1 cup rolled oats, gluten free optional
1/4 cup puffed amaranth (or more oats)
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1/4 cup chopped roasted pecan halves
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt

1. Toast your oats first in a pan over low heat, stirring periodically so the oats don’t burn, for about 5 minutes or until oats are golden brown. Let cool while you measure the other ingredients.
2. Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix until well combined.
3. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Nutritional Information
Serving Size: 1/2 cup Calories: 208 Fat: 9.4 g Carbohydrates: 29 g Sugar: 11.4 g Fiber: 4 g Protein: 4 g

Almond Dirty Chai Toasted Muesli
Makes 1 1/2 cups.

1 cup oats, gluten free optional
1/4 cup puffed amaranth
1/2 cup chopped roasted almonds
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/2 teaspoon chai spice mixture
pinch of salt

1. Toast your oats first in a pan over low heat, stirring periodically so the oats don’t burn, for about 5 minutes or until oats are golden brown. Let cool while you measure the other ingredients.
2. Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix until well combined.
3. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Nutritional Information
Serving Size: 1/2 cup Calories: 286 Fat: 16.6 g Carbohydrates: 26.3 g Sugar: .5 g Fiber: 2.9 g Protein: 8.3 g