Toasted Super Muesli

One of the best things about being food obsessed is that I get to occasionally seem smart and knowledgeable without really trying. M, for example, was bemoaning the fact that Australia doesn't have traditional American-style cocktail sauce at the grocery store and showed me this bottle of "seafood cocktail sauce" which was an alarming bright peach-colored mayonnaise. I said, "well, just make your own." He looked at me quizzically and I shrugged and said "just stir together ketchup and horseradish. That's all it is."

This little moment reminded me that I generally am of the belief that most everything is better when it's homemade and that most storebought items are a rip-off. Take muesli or granola for example. It seems to me that any sort of good quality store-bought cereal is pretty pricey. I get that they are filled with all sorts of healthy goodness but still...we're mainly dealing with grains here.

Any well-stocked bulk foods section of a grocery store will have what you need to create a fantastic, customized muesli and I stocked up on all sorts of great ingredients. I spent little money and the ingredients I bought were almost all organic. I'm calling my version "Super" because of the addition of dried goji berries (which are touted all over the place as being a superfood) and because the muesli turned out really, really good. The psyllium gives it an extra fiber kick too.

Because this muesli is toasted for extra flavor and not baked like granola, the effort that goes into making it is minimal. I think I have the proportion of grains/crunch/sweetness down but there's plenty of room to swap ingredients.

• 5 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup flaked almonds
• 1/2 cup raw pepitas
• 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 3 cups puffed barley
• 1/4 cup psyllium husks
• 1 cup chopped dates
• 3/4 cup crushed banana chips
• 1/3 cup goji berries
• 1-2 tablespoons packed brown sugar (optional)
• 1½ teaspoons cinnamon

In a large pot over medium heat, combine the oats, almonds, pepitas, sunflower and sesame seeds. Stir frequently until the mixture is lightly toasted and fragrant. Remove from the heat and set aside until cool.

In a large bowl, stir together the puffed barley, psyllium, dates, banana chips and goji berries. Stir in the oats mixture and combine well. Sprinkle the muesli with the brown sugar (if using) and the cinnamon. Stir gently but thoroughly.

Store the muesli in an airtight container.