chia and goji toasted muesli

It's a bit of a rainy drizzly day today, so I decided that after the house work, some time in the kitchen was called for.

I wanted to make something that would jazz up my breakfasts a bit, as these days I've just fallen into the pattern of fruit and yogurt to start my day. Toasted muesli is exactly the addition that I'm in need of.

Packed with omega-3's in the chia, antioxidants in the goji and wholegrain's in the oats - this will do my growing baby bump a whole lot of good. Not to mention tastes amazing!

Ingredients

1/4 c organic honey

2 tbsp coconut oil

2 c rolled oats

1/4 c chia seeds

1/2 c goji berries

Method

Melt honey and coconut oil in a small saucepan on the stove.

Once melted, remove from stove and stir in all other ingredients.

Spread on to a parchment lined tray and bake for 20 minutes at 100 C, door slightly ajar.

Keep your eye on it, tossing every 5 minutes or so.

Remove from oven and cool completely before crumbling the mixture.

Store in an airtight container up to a week or two.

goji berry, orange blossom and pine nut biscotti

I swear my tea intake has multiplied to dangerous levels since the cooling of the weather.

There is just nothing like sitting by the fire with a steaming cup of herbal tea on these cold winter evenings.

But, sometimes a cup of tea can get a little bit lonely all on it's own.

I have a not so secret love of goji berries. Sprinkled on breakfast, baked into bread, added into a trail mix or my personal favourite - by the handful. 

These little nutritional powerhouses offer so much for the body.

Goji berries have an incredibly high concentration of nutrients compared to other foods. They are high in antioxidants and are also a rich source of vitamins A, C, B1, B2, B6, and E; minerals, including calcium, potassium, selenium and zinc; many amino acids, protein and fiber.

Antioxidants are key elements in preventing damage of our cells by free radicals, or polluting molecules in our bodies. The total antioxidant power of goji berries is about 10 times that of blueberries; one of the highest levels in the food world.

Now, what to make with my goji's.

While browsing the cupboard looking for ingredients, I stumbled upon an unused item. Ages ago while cruising the shelves of a Turkish grocer I came across Orange Blossom Water. With no idea of what I would use it in, but as something that I hadn't tried, I decided to grab it anyway.

That's when it hit me. Goji and orange would go great together.

Add in some nuts and you have biscotti!

Ingredients

(makes 12 slices)

1 organic free-range egg

8 drops of stevia

1/4 c coconut sugar

1/2 tsp orange blossom water

2 tblsp pine nuts

2 tblsp goji berries

3/4 c plain flour

Heat oven to 150 degrees.

Next beat the egg in a medium bowl until thick and creamy.

Add stevia, sugar and orange blossom water and beat until sugar has dissolved.

Fold through the nuts, goji berries and sifted flour until mixture comes together in a dough-like consistency.

Shape into a log and bake in oven on a baking paper lined tray, for about 25 mins.

Remove from oven and cool completely.

Using a serrated knife, slice the 'bread' into desired thickness. 

Lay back on the baking tray and return to oven to crisp up - about 10 mins turning the biscotti once for even toasting.

Done.

dip and enjoy x