Recipe reproduced with permission from Glenda Bishop. Glenda is a Registered Nutritionist, wellness coach, neuroscientist and educator.

One of the things that many people miss on a low FODMAP diet is muesli since it’s a very convenient breakfast choice and can also be a good high fibre choice. While there are a few brands available that are low FODMAP, most store-bought mueslis contain dried fruit, grains that are high in fructans, and are sweetened using honey and/or fruit juice. This generally makes them high FODMAP and unsuitable for most sensitive tummies.

But it’s very easy to make your own low FODMAP muesli at home using low FODMAP grains, nuts and seeds, and of course a safe sweetener. Then all you need to do is keep the portion size to the recommended amount and you’ll have a safe breakfast choice that’s easy to whip up in the morning.

One of the best things about making your own muesli is that you get to choose what goes into it. Muesli is technically a ‘mixture’, so you can adjust the mixture to suit your needs and taste preferences. So long as you don’t add in high FODMAP ingredients, you can switch up the grains, nuts and seeds a little.

For instance, it’s best not to increase the amount of rolled oats or oat bran, but you could easily switch the proportion of the other grains (millet, buckwheat or brown rice) if you wanted. So, if you didn’t want to use buckwheat, you could leave it out and instead use 100g each of the puffed millet and brown rice to make up the difference.

Another option would be to adjust the nuts and seeds. If you don’t want to use macadamias, you could replace them pecans or use more walnuts or Brazil nuts. (But if you do change the nuts, be careful not to include high FODMAP nuts.) Or maybe you don’t like coconut and so would rather have more pepitas or sunflower seeds. It’s up to you.

The other excellent thing about homemade muesli is you can make a big batch on the weekend when you have spare time, rather than having to cook it when you want to eat it. Muesli keeps well in the fridge for several months or more, so you can have a stash ready at all times.

It’s really easy to make too. Weigh the ingredients, mix them up, toast them in the oven, let it cool, add in the remaining ingredients, store for later. Simple. So how about making your own Low FODMAP Toasted Muesli to give you one more safe breakfast choice.

Low FODMAP Toasted Muesli

Makes: About 1 kg or 20 serves

Serving size: 58g or 2/3 cup

Special equipment: A very large baking dish (or two smaller ones) and kitchen scales.

Ingredients

· 150g rolled oats

· 75g puffed millet

· 50g puffed buckwheat

· 75g puffed brown rice

· 100g oat bran

· 1/3 cup pure maple syrup

· 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (or macadamia oil)

· 50g macadamias

· 75g walnuts

· 100g Brazil nuts

· 75g ground linseed

· 75g sunflower seeds

· 100g pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

· 100g unsweetened shredded coconut

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 170°C (fan-forced).

2. Grab a very large baking dish. Add the rolled oats, puffed millet, puffed buckwheat, puffed rice, and oat bran. Mix until combined. Pour over the maple syrup and olive oil, then stir until the grains are evenly coated. Chop the nuts into small pieces, add to the grains, and mix until evenly combined.

3. Roast the grain and nut mixture for 30 minutes. To ensure the mixture roasts evenly and doesn’t burn, you’ll need to remove the pan from the oven every 8-10 minutes and stir the ingredients. When toasted, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

4. Add the seeds and coconut to the cooled grain and nut mixture. Stir until combined. Transfer to air-tight containers and store in the fridge, where it will keep for at least 3 months.

To serve:

Measure 1 serving into a bowl. Serve with a low FODMAP milk (e.g. lactose-free cows’ milk, almond milk, soy protein milk or hemp milk) or lactose-free yoghurt. Top with fresh berries, banana or other low FODMAP fruits as you prefer.

Ingredient Notes:

Based on the recommended portion sizes of individual ingredients in the Monash University Low FODMAP Diet app at the time of publication, this recipe should be low FODMAP provided that the recommended serving size for this recipe is not exceeded.

· While there is a large amount of nuts and seeds in this recipe, they account for only 40% of the recipe weight. This means that the recommended 58g serving has only 23g of mixed nuts and seeds, which is a considered to be a low FODMAP portion.

· Make sure to choose pure maple syrup and not maple-flavoured syrup, which can often be high in FODMAPs. Alternatively, you could use rice malt syrup, but you’ll need to warm it briefly to thin it out so it will coat the grains more easily.

· This recipe is naturally dairy-free. However, if you have an allergy to dairy, please check the labels on any purchased ingredients to ensure they are safe for your requirements.

Rachel is a university qualified Clinical Nutritionist based in Balmain. She is also the busy working mum of two teenagers, so is practical and realistic with her advice . Rachel offers private consultations to improve your family's health and well-being. You can find her on Facebook and Instagram for more healthy tips and tricks.

If you'd like help implementing a low FODMAP diet I can help you. Find out more about my services here. If you’re after more delicious low FODMAP recipes go here.

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