Microwave Muesli

Muesli is a breakfast cereal usually consisting of uncooked oats in milk/yoghurt base.It usually requires soaking of oats in milk/yoghurt/condensed milk base for several hours or overnight so that it reaches the muesli or the porridge stage at the time of consumption usually breakfast.But these days several dry forms of mueslis are available.As per wiki these dry forms are just a mix of oats,fruits,nuts along with whey or milk powder and sweetners.I wanted to try out dry muesli at home as I have been seeing a lot of these in stores and also felt that they are easier to make or use as compared to soaking oats overnight.I hit jackpot when saw this excellent microwave recipe for dry muesli from Green Gourmet Giraffe.I have slightly adapted it to make it oil/fat free and used apple sauce along with honey to obtain dry muesli.

Ingredients:
Oats: 1.5 cups
Coconut Grated: 4 tbsp (I used fresh. Can also use sweetened flakes as well)
Wheat Germ: 4 tbsp
Sunflower Seeds: 2 tbsp
Flax seeds: 1 tbsp
Sesame Seeds: 1 tbsp (I used white)
Mixed Nuts: Chopped :4 tbsp (I used pecans )

Apricots: chopped: 4 tbsp (I used bright yellow Turkish Apricots for some colour)
Dried Figs: chopped : 4 tbsp
Raisins: 2 tbsp
Currants: 2 tbsp

Apple Grated: 1 small apple peeled and grated or approx 5 tbsp
Honey: 1/4 cup
Vanilla: 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon ,Clove Nutmeg: optional :as per taste
Salt: 1/4 tsp

Preparation:

Microwave in a bowl,peeled,grated apple (roughly 5 tbsp when packed and measured) for 1 minute at 100% power.I went for another 30 seconds so that the apple turned entirely mushy. Just 1 minute is also enough.Add honey,salt,vanilla and cinnamon+cloves+nutmeg if using to the saucy apple mix and microwave until bubbling for 1-2 minutes.Start at 30 seconds as it took just 50 secs for me.

Meanwhile,in a big microwave safe bowl,mix in oats,wheat germ,coconut,sunflower-sesame and flax seeds.Also add in the chopped nuts.Pour the liquid into the oats mix and mix everything well.Microwave at full power for about 4-10 minutes,stirring the mix each minute till the entire mix turns roasted and browned.I did it 7 times.Stir in the chopped figs,apricots,raisins and currants and mix everything well.Break up the clusters of oats if any and cool completely and store in an airtight container preferably in the fridge as apple has been added.

The muesli was not that "appley " or spicy.So the use of spices is optional and as per taste.There was an aroma of spices while cooking/toasting but when tried as such the muesli tasted of oats,dried coconut and toasted nuts.You can add sweetened coconut flakes instead of fresh as I have done.I used the spices to get the apple pie like aroma but the only aroma afterwards is the toasted oats.Also if you do not want/have the apple,you can use any fruit puree or vegetable oil itself.Oil was used as a binder it seems in the original and also add some richness.But I replaced it with apple puree/sauce.

You can serve it adding milk,condensed milk adding fresh fruits or just as you serve store bought muesli/granola or cornflakes.

UPDATE on 15th July 2010: The muesli being made completely in the microwave is also going to grace Valli's Breakfast table at 365 Days of Microwave Cooking.