Date and museli bliss balls make for a unique breakfast on the go

WHILE I often opt for a good porridge for breakfast during the colder months, I vary the menu during the week, especially if I have a stock of good homemade muesli in the cupboard, writes JEREMY VINCENT.

Healthy option: Date and muesli bliss balls are a handy snack if you miss breakfast. Picture: Andy Rogers

WHILE I often opt for a good porridge for breakfast during the colder months, I vary the menu during the week, especially if I have a stock of good homemade muesli in the cupboard.

Sure, there is a huge range of ready-mixed muesli in most supermarkets, but after you’ve started to make your own, adapting the ingredients to suit your tastes, it’s a hard decision to go back to the commercial packs.

Below are some tips for making your own muesli, as well as a simple recipe for some of my most favourite bliss balls using muesli, a snack that often allows me breakfast on the run.

DATE AND MUESLI

BLISS BALLS

Makes 12 medium balls. Vary the size as you wish.

1 cup dates

¾ cup desiccated coconut

2 cups muesli (check out the guidelines for homemade muesli below, or use a commercial product that you like)

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1 tablespoon peanut butter, smooth or crunchy, your choice

Place the dates in a saucepan of water (enough liquid to cover the dates) and bring to the boil. Drain the dates and put the liquid into a container and set aside.

Place the drained dates, coconut, muesli and cocoa in a food processor. Add roughly ¼ of the reserved date liquid to the mix and process. You may need a little more liquid than this, add it slowly until the mix holds its shape. If you accidentally add too much liquid add a little more of the other dry ingredients to balance.

Roll the mixture into 12 balls and store in the fridge or freezer. For an added finish, I sometimes roll the balls in extra desiccated coconut.

MAKE YOUR OWN MUESLI

Muesli is a raw mix of rolled whole grains, dried fruit, seeds and nuts. It’s easy to make in a big batch and keeps well. Stored in an airtight container, it will stay fresh in your cupboard for 1-2 months.

The great thing is, there isn’t an optimal ratio of ingredients. You make the call, but remember a grain-heavy blend will ensure the optimal mix of chewy and crunchy.

Start with a ratio of four parts grain to one part nuts/seeds and one part dried fruit.

Keep in mind that the more fruit you add, the sweeter it will be. The more nuts you include, the more expensive your muesli will be to make. It’s also a handy thing to remember that the grains will become soft when combined with milk or yoghurt. Muesli with extra nuts will be overly crunchy; muesli with lots of fruit will be very chewy.

YOU can use any rolled grain for muesli. Oats predominate in many mueslis but most natural and health food stores often have a selection of rolled grains, like barley, rye, spelt, or even rice. Letting them soak in milk or yoghurt before eating softens them and eliminates the need for cooking. The key is using rolled, not quick-cooking grains. Quick-cooking usually means ultra-processed.

GO for dried fruit, chopped and sliced into small pieces. It’s your call on the mix, but try to find fruit with little to no added sugar.

Dates and raisins are staples in most pre-made muesli mixes, but don’t forget to try dried strawberries and blueberries, figs or dried mango and papaya pieces. If you want to add fresh fruit, do so just before eating.

ALMOND slivers are a muesli classic, but you can add any nut or seed you like (chop or pulverise them in the food processor before mixing into the cereal).

The only important thing to remember is to toast the nuts/seeds and let them cool before adding them. Toasting in a dry pan on the stovetop or roasting in a moderately hot oven brings out the oils, bringing the flavour to the front.

DON’T add any sugar — you can do that to taste at the table. But try a pinch or two of salt and a few pinches of ground spices like cardamom, cinnamon and ginger. These will give a warming finish to the recipe.