Tropical Muesli

I am a firm believer in local food. I think that most of the time, the best foods to sustain our bodies in a given environment are those that grow in that same environment. Native societies that eat a "native" diet are often far healthier than those who eat a "Western" diet. I try, therefore, to make a large part of our diet that food which grows in the local environment.

We recently moved to the tropics, and therefore our diet has changed quite a bit from what we ate in the mountains of Colorado. This is partly because of my beliefs about eating local food, and partly because local food is usually cheaper! Therefore, we have been eating far more fruits and vegetables than we did in the states. It is fun, because these tropical fruits are a treat for us -- they are so expensive in the States, and so very cheap here! We currently have a large stalk of bananas hanging on our porch, from a tree in my parents' yard nearby. 

As you can see from the couple of other "granola" recipes on my blog, I really like granola, or muesli. I'm not perfectly sure what the difference between the two is-- I think that granola tends to be more "clumpy" and eaten as a trail mix, and muesli tends to be more "crumbly" and eaten with milk like cereal. But I'm not sure. Since I love granola so much, it only seemed right that I would figure out how to make a version here with a more "tropical" feel.  What I grew up calling "muesli" was more tropical in nature (since I lived in Fiji), and so that is what it felt like I should call this particular recipe. 

I know some of the people who read my blog do not live in the same environment that I do, but perhaps you can get ideas on how to use things that grow in your area. If nothing else, try making this tropical muesli on a day when you just would much rather be on some South Pacific island than wherever you are, and you might just feel a little closer to the warm tropical air! 

Tropical Muesli 

1 bag/ 750g rolled oats

1/2 c vegetable oil

1c coconut oil

1 c sugar

2 c shaved coconut

1 c dried bananas (optional)

1 c dried pineapple (optional)

Mix oils and sugar together in a bowl, then pour mixture over oats. Stir until oats are coated. 

Toast coconut lightly on stove (very lightly, it will cook more later), and stir into oats. 

Spread oat mixture out on cookie sheets about 1/2 inch thick, and bake at about 350F for about 30 minutes or until coconut is golden brown (oats will not darken much). 

Mix in dried fruit. Also really good with fresh fruit piled liberally on top. 

Serve with yoghurt or milk or just eat by the handful. =]