Quick toasted muesli- easy topper, snack, cane-sugar free- your choice of ingredients- no recipe!

This is a classic- no-recipe, recipe.

Homemade toasted muesli is just about a no-brainer operation, even for a new chef in the kitchen and thank goodness, no baking skills needed!

Get IT together:

• I would recommend using a cast iron skillet because it is easy to toast with because it transfers heat evenly. In my kitchen this is one of our biggest pans as well. Otherwise just choose your favourite pan & a wooden spoon or silicon spatula?

• Heat the pan over medium heat. Lower if you choose a less heat-tolerant oil.

• OIL- add some to the pan to evenly prevent sticking and to lightly coat your ingredients.

Our oil choice: ghee or coconut oil- both these oils have a good heat tolerance. If I don't have any on hand, my next go-to would be sunflower oil- light and neutral flavour.

• I would recommend toasting larger nuts before adding oats and smaller seeds. This will keep everything on the same schedule.

• Add your ingredients to the pan. The classic is oat flakes, but I mean flaked barley, wheat/kamut/spelt, whatever works. Shown above: I evenly covered the pan in oat flakes and coconut shreds. Enough so I could stir at a consistent rate without burning the bottom layer.

• Dust with any spices. I always add sea salt to contrast sweet flavours and cinnamon to aid with carbohydrate absorption.

• When the ingredients begin to give off an aroma and get a light golden brown, add sweetener if you'd like. Stir and keep an eye on it because sugar burns quick!

Adding raisins or dried fruit in the next step will give some sweetness (especially if you use this muesli for warmed oatmeal), so therefore you can reduce the additional sugar component. I like to mix it up since I usually share my breakfast with Wrex.

Our choice in sweetener: maple syrup. Next would be adding honey after the mix is removed from heat. Corn syrup is also an easy Canadian ingredient choice as well.

• Take the mix off the stove remembering that it will continue to brown a little in a bowl.

• I add dried fruit if any at this point. The mix is still warm so it softens the fruit and brings out the flavours without burning. Raisins, currents, cranberries, dates, dried whatever works..

• Allow to fully cool and then store in an air-tight container.

Toasted muesli like this is a great yogurt topper and cereal addition to boost fibre and wholegrain nutrients.

Add mixed nuts and fresh or dried fruit, and it's a nice portable granola snack.

-Samantha