Rachel Khoo - Rachel Khoo’s Muesli and Granola: Delicious Breakfast and Snack Ideas from Our Favourite Parisian Cook

When I embarked on writing my first cookery book in 2009, I had been living in Paris for four years. By then, even though Paris had started to feel like home, I still craved my home comforts. The typical French breakfast consisting of a strong black coffee and croissant just didnt cut the mustard and getting some decent bacon for a proper English fry up just wasnt possible (and equally not something I tend to crave everyday). I wanted to continue the longstanding Breakfast ritual I had started while living in London (the city where I had spent most of my life before moving to Paris); a pot of steaming tea with a bowl of nutritious muesli. In Paris, tea was easier to come by thanks to the envelopes stuffed with English tea that Mum would pop in the post. Getting hold of some decent muesli, on the other hand, was a far more challenging feat.

Most of the stuff I found resembled a bag of sawdust where, as if by accident, the odd nut or piece of shriveled up fruit had ended up in. And hence, my muesli mission was born. I scoured the town high and low for different kinds of oats, grains, nuts and dried fruit which led me to start drying my own fruit (see ). I roasted, stirred, grinded and baked every possible muesli-related concoction. My studio apartment was no longer my home, but a miniature muesli making factory. I took over friends places to host muesli and granola parties where they would taste test my latest creations and then vote for their favourite.

Out of the muesli madness I wrote this book, which is quite simply, my collection of muesli, granola and muesli bars recipes with a few added bonuses along the way.

The daughter of a Malaysian Chinese father and an Austrian mother, Rachel grew up in Croydon before graduating from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London. Ultimately, her passion for patisserie lured her to Paris, where she studied at Le Cordon Bleu and became a pastry chef and cook. First published in French as Barres Cereals: Granola et Muesli Maison , this collection of recipes is her first book. Rachels culinary life in Paris was the subject of the TV series and bestselling cookery book, The Little Paris Kitchen. Rachel Khoo has won over legions of fans with her simple and indulgent recipes, her gorgeously bohemian apartment and her cool, retro style (three cheers for red lipstick!).

Stylist

Her delicious meals could be made by anyone, anywhere with the greatest of ease. The Times The new goddess of French cooking. Mail Online [She] is a heightened, idealised version of what we imagine an English girl living in Paris might be like. Think of a cross between Amlie and an excitable Lizzy Bennet. Guardian Rachel Khoo is the hot new thing on the cookery scene. Easy Living The new queen of TV cooking.

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oats, etc. Oats are the traditional base for muesli, granola and porridge. Even so, you can use many other cereals, such as millet, spelt, quinoa and rice. These add taste and texture and can be used to complement or replace oats. shopping for oats When you buy oats or any other cereal, always read the label to see whether sugar, salt or artificial flavourings have been added. tips To release the best possible flavour from oats, toast gently in a large, non-stick frying pan for around 34 minutes until golden. tips To release the best possible flavour from oats, toast gently in a large, non-stick frying pan for around 34 minutes until golden.

If you are preparing a large quantity, toast 100g/3oz at a time as the flakes will cook unevenly if you put too many in the pan at once. cooking You can toast a mixture of cereal flakes, such as oats, barley, millet, buckwheat or rice, together. If you are short of time, buy packets of ready-toasted mixed cereals. storage Unopened packets of toasted oats will keep for at least six weeks. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. oats There are many health benefits from eating oats.

They reduce cholesterol and are a good source of fibre, vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper, iron, manganese and magnesium the list goes on. Oats contain slight traces of gluten and should be avoided by people with a severe gluten allergy. Oats are usually sold as flakes; the oat grains are dehusked, then steamed and flattened. different types of oats Porridge oats are best for making smooth, creamy porridge thats ideal for babies. Small oat flakes can be used for any cereal-based dish; the bigger the flakes, the thicker the porridge. Large oat flakes are less processed and therefore contain more nutrients.

They are better for granola and muesli than for porridge as they are usually much firmer. Quick-cook oats only take 23 minutes to cook, but they undergo a longer manufacturing process and are less nutritious than other types. Their taste is rather bland and their texture not as appealing as less processed oats.

millet Millet is a tasty cereal with a slightly sweet, nutty flavour. It contains a whole series of nutrients including vitamin B, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper and manganese. While it is not as rich in proteins as wheat, it is still a good source.

Its also gluten-free and ideal for those with wheat allergies. barley Barley has a very similar nutritional value to wheat. However, it is richer in fibre, essential fatty acids, vitamin E (wheat contains very little) and other nutrients, making it a more nourishing cereal. Like oats, barley contains traces of gluten. spelt A nutty, highly nutritious cereal with a very long history. Spelt comes from a plant similar to wheat, with slightly longer and more pointed grains.

It contains a wide variety of nutrients and is an excellent source of vitamin B2 and a good source of manganese, niacin, thiamine and copper. quinoa Like buckwheat, quinoa is technically not a cereal but the fruit of a plant of the chenopodiacea family, which also includes spinach and Swiss chard. Quinoa is regarded as a superfood. It contains a number of nutrients and is among those rare foods that have an ideal protein balance and is also high in polyunsaturates. Make sure to store it in an airtight container away from light and heat. puffed rice Puffed rice livens up any bowl of cereal. puffed rice Puffed rice livens up any bowl of cereal.

Buy it unsweetened so you can control for yourself the amount of sugar used. Rice contains no gluten and can be enjoyed by people with gluten allergies. rice Short-grain or risotto rice is best for making congee (savoury rice porridge or rice pudding). Its able to absorb liquids and is better at releasing starch, making your porridge or pudding creamier than the long-grain variety. buckwheat Buckwheat has a pleasant, rich flavour all its own. Being gluten-free, it presents no problems for people with coeliac disease.

It technically isnt a cereal but the fruit of a flowering plant belonging to the polygonaceae family. Its full of protein and B vitamins, and rich in phosphorus, potassium, iron, calcium and lysine. An excellent source of dietary fibre, it helps reduce cholesterol.