Posted by December was a giddily busy month. I had plans to make and bake so many homecooked goodies. OK, I fake-booked a bit about my triumphs and made it look that I was a domestic goddess. And yes, I did do some baking. BUT it was soooo hot, and was soooo tired, and there was so much on. I only did the minimum.
So now my cupboards are full with little packets of interesting nuts and dried fruit and berries. Things that were a bit of a splurge to purchase but part of the essential Christmas baking experience.
And now I am trying to clean out my cupboards to make more room via #useitup as I have discovered I have way too much food. I was planning on incorporating into this blog post a cupboard inventory (and approximate food bank cost), but there was too much to count and add up so I just gave up.
Instead I made up a batch of muesli.
A 750g bag of muesli costs between $3.50 and $8.00 to buy at your local supermarket depending on what’s in it. Some gourmet blends cost even more. Having read the ingredients label and inspected my bag of muesli, I discovered something interesting: the vast majority of it (59% in fact) is rolled oats. That’s right – rolled oats that sell for 99c a 750g bag at ALDI.
This is my recipe based on what I had on hand. I used some amazing coconut crisps that a friend brought back from China. And also good quality Angus Park dried fruit medley. But many other combinations are possible including:
- Cooconut, dried apricots (cut into small pieces) and chopped almonds;
- Walnuts and goji berries;
- Dried cranberries and chopped almonds; and
- Apple and sultana with a pinch or two of cinnamon.
Actually, once you get the base right you can add pretty much anything. Enjoy and have fun with #useitup in your cupboard. I look forward to hearing about your amazing creations. I am sure they will be spectacular and gourmet.
Ingredients
442g rolled oats
75g processed bran (optional)
3/4 cup mixed fruit
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
1/3 cup large coconut crisps
1/8 cup linseed
Method:
- Bake the almonds in the oven on a low heat until puffy. Allow to cool, then chop finely.
Ingredients on top of the rolled oats, waiting to be mixed together - Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Using a second large bowl, transfer ingredients from one bowl to another until combined equally. Store in an airtight container. Makes 750g.
Cost:
Oats – 59c
Bran – 28c
The base cost of the muesli is 87c, which comprises 69% of the mixture. I haven’t costed in the dried fruit as I already had it and it was free. I am guessing it would cost around $1, perhaps $2 at most. I will put the cost of this at $2, so $2.87 total.
