What is the perfect muesli recipe?

Cost and quantities.  Homemade muesli is not necessarily a cheap breakfast but it’s nutritious and very tasty. I have not specified quantities because it’s fun to experiment.  A starting point might be cereal/dried fruit/nuts in the ratio of about 8/3/2 cups.

Cereal.  Always use organic cereal whenever possible. Usually the basis of muesli is oats. It’s also good to add a combination of barley, wheat and rye flakes if you can get them. Alternatively, a lot of quality stores will sell a “five-grain” combo already mixed.

Dried Fruit. Raisins are usually the staple but do add something else for interest.  Dried cranberries (which come slightly sweetened) are a good extra. Dried blueberries or cherries are both quite expensive and the difference in taste might be lost in the mix anyway. Mix up the raisins and cranberries (or whatever) with some finely ground flax seeds or similar to prevent “clumping”. Chopped dates are also good: they can often be bought already chopped or minced and lightly dusted in flour.

Nuts. Sliced/slivered almonds are the norm. A good second nut is the hazelnut (chopped of course), also known as

Seeds. I am not sure whether it matters whether you use pumpkin seeds or melon seeds. Either way, they should be toasted in the oven at 350 degrees until brown. This should take about 30 minutes.  Check them every five minutes so they do not burn. Some people lightly toss the seeds in canola oil or similar before toasting but I am not sure that is absolutely necessary.

Healthy additives. There are many choices. Here are five alternatives:

Wheat germ.  A good source of various nutrients including Vitamin E and folic acid. Note that wheat germ can become rancid if not properly stored in a refrigerator. This is obviously still true even after it’s been added to the muesli.

Flax seed. Sometimes comes across as the modern “snake oil”. Still, it is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids amongst other things. It should be ground before use.

Chia. Cultivated by the Aztecs and can be used as an alternative to flax. I see no convincing reason to add both.

Psyllium. This is claimed to be effective in reducing blood cholesterol levels. Note that it can be a choking hazard if taken without adequate fluid!

Hemp seed. This is high in essential fatty acids, including omega-3 and omega-6.

Whatever you use, all should be quite fine and so do not add too much. Otherwise the final product will taste distinctly “dusty”.

Sugar?  Of course this is pure heresy to purist muesli eaters. For many people the dried fruit will provide enough sweetener. However, if you do have a sweet tooth and your diet can accommodate a soupcon of extra sugar, add a couple of tablespoons of soft brown sugar to the mix.