ABRAMS Dinner Party Spotlight: Simply Delicious Vegan...Featuring Coconut Mango Muesli #ABRAMSDinnerParty #vegan #breakfast #muesli #makeahead

It's time to dig into the first ABRAMS Dinner Party cookbook feature of 2021: Caitlin Shoemaker's Simply Delicious Vegan. Shoemaker is the food blogger behind the From My Bowl website. Her Simply Delicious Vegan cookbook shows users that unprocessed plant-based food doesn’t have to be expensive, complicated, or boring. The book's 100 recipes are made for living a healthy, real life: gluten free, oil free, and refined sugar free! I opted to make a vegan breakfast recipe from the cookbook since we've been on a chilled overnight oats kick lately. Caitlin's recipe for Coconut Mango Muesli is easy to whip on the weekend, assemble and put in the fridge before bed each night...and enjoy a healthy, quick tropical-inspired breakfast on the busiest of mornings!

Made with only a handful of healthy, fiber-rich ingredients, this muesli is stored in an airtight container until you're ready to prepare a serving. Simply add your favorite non-dairy milk and yogurt, a bit of cinnamon, and a natural sweetener like coconut sugar or maple syrup...then stir to combine everything. Cover and refrigerate the muesli overnight...and breakfast is ready to eat when you wake up. The muesli can be eaten as is straight from the fridge, but I love to top my softened muesli with whatever fresh fruit I have on hand. Just wait until you see how incredibly simple this recipe is to prepare and keep on hand for whenever the craving strikes!

Coconut Mango Muesli

from Simply Delicious Vegan

Ingredients (makes 8 servings):

For the muesli:

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut pieces
• 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, chopped in half
• 1/2 cup dried mango, roughly chopped
• 14 cup chia seeds
• 1/4 tsp. pink Himalayan sea salt

For each serving of soaked muesli:

• 1/2 cup muesli
• 1/2 cup non-dairy milk [NOTE: I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk]
• 1-2 Tbs. non-dairy yogurt [NOTE: I used vanilla almond milk yogurt]

Optional add-ins: 

• 1/4  tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. grated orange peel
• 1-3 tsp. grade A maple syrup or coconut sugar

Directions:

Make the Muesli:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350℉. Spread the oats. coconut, and macadamia nuts evenly across a baking sheet (no need to line it), and bake on the top rack of the oven for 8 minutes, until the coconut turns golden brown and the mixture is fragrant. 

Step 2: Remove from the oven and transfer to a large bowl with the mango, chia seeds, and salt. Mix well until evenly combined, then transfer to a large sealable jar -- 4 cup capacity works perfectly. Store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 month.

Make a Serving of Muesli:

Step 3: Put 1/2 cup of the dry muesli in a small jar or sealable container -- 1 cup capacity is perfect! Add the non-dairy milk and yogurt...and any desired add-ins. Mix well, then place in the fridge to thicken -- at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.

Step 4: Eat as is straight from the fridge...or top as desired. Serve the muesli cold. Soaked muesli can be prepped ahead of time and will keep well for up to 5 days in the fridge. [NOTE: I had bananas and fresh blueberries on hand, so I made one serving of the muesli in a larger container to ensure I had plenty of room to add fruit on top]. 

This creamy, lightly sweet muesli features a tropical flavor thanks to the addition of macadamia nuts, coconut, and dried mango. It's very hearty and filling because it contains lots of protein and fiber. I had a serving toped with banana and blueberries for mid-morning breakfast and stayed full well into the afternoon. I love that this recipe can be tweaked a bit to feature your favorite flavors...I'm thinking that dried pineapple would be an excellent addition to this muesli!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of the Simply Delicious Vegan cookbook as part of ABRAMS Books' Dinner Party blogger group. All opinions shared are solely my own.