Fig and Hazelnut Toasted Muesli

Who doesn’t love a toasted muesli?

However most of the ones you buy are full of undesirable oils and sugar and taste more like a dessert than a healthy way to start the day!

Muesli typically is low GI, high in fibre and contains good proteins and healthy fats from the nuts and seeds included in it, so why spoil it by adding oil and sugar?

This gorgeous toasted muesli does not have any oil or sugar.  It does have a little sweetener (your choice of honey, agave or maple syrup, all of which are low GI) which helps it toast up to a lovely golden colour, but not enough to make it taste really sweet and like a dessert

A hint of spice from the cinnamon and ginger is a lovely addition to this very filling and satisfying breakfast

Fig and Hazelnut Toasted Muesli

Makes 9 x 1/2 cup serves (or 4 1/2 cups in total)

2 cups whole rolled oats
1/2 cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped
1/2 cup flaked or shredded coconut
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 tablespoon linseeds
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3 tablespoons agave, honey or pure maple syrup
1/2 cup dried figs, sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 150ºC. Line a large oven tray with baking paper
2. In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, hazelnuts, coconut, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, linseeds, chia seeds, ground cinnamon and ginger
3. Pour the agave, honey or maple syrup over the dry ingredients and mix through well (note if your honey is very stiff, you may need to heat it just a little)
4. Tip muesli mix onto the prepared oven tray and spread out evenly
5. Bake in oven for 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so to help it bake evenly, until it turns golden brown
6. Allow to cool before adding the figs and mixing through
7. Store in an airtight container

Note: you can add more spice if you like, up to 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of ginger would be lovely.  Both are reported to have many therapeutic properties as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.  Ginger is well known to have a calming effect on an upset stomach and is reported to improve circulation and cinnamon is reported to help balance blood sugar levels!

Per Serve (calculations done using maple syrup):  1367kJ or 325 calories; P 9g Fat 18g SFat 5g CHO 30g Fibre 8g