Muesli Mini-Flatbreads

This past summer, a Starbuck’s opened one-half mile from my house.  To make matters worse, it was literally on my way to work.

I was late to the coffee addict loving game and didn’t start drinking coffee regularly (or at all) until about about ten years ago.  I blame Starbuck’s and the hipster local coffee houses in Tulsa.

Starbuck’s (or Tenbuck’s as some are wont to call it) is convenient and dependable.  I always know what to expect.   The convenience is undeniable but the prices!   Lately I have quit with the frou-frou drinks and have gone with a grande Veranda blend in my own cup for price-sakes.

It is also highly convenient to grab one of the packaged lunches when I forget mine and don’t have time to run back to the house.  (See my last post of a copycat and much cheaper salad.)

A tad cheaper are the protein boxes.   I love the simplicity of fruit, cheese, a hard boiled egg, nut butter and those delicious little Muesli breads that are packed and ready to go.

Lunch on my desk.

I decided to try my had at making my own little Muesli Bread Snacks.  Now I can pack my own.   I took my idea from My Bizzy Kitchen and her own Starbuck’s Copycat Muesli Bread.   I used her recipe as a base but added a bit more whole wheat flour, swaped out the refined sugar for honey and changed the technique.

Muesli Mini-Flatbreads

1/4 c. dried fruit mix
1/2 c. raw mixed nuts
1 1/2 c. warm water (110° F)
2 1/4 t. active dry yeast (one package)
1 t. fine sea salt
2 T. local honey
2 c. unbleached flour
1 ¼ c. whole wheat flour

Place the dried fruit and nuts in a food process and chop.

In a stand mixer with dough hook, combine water, yeast, salt, and honey. Stir to dissolve. Add flours and mix. Once dough comes together, add the fruit/nut mixture.   Continue to mix with dough hook for about five minutes.  (You could also knead by hand but who wants to do that?) The dough will be a bit sticky.  Place dough in an oiled rising bowl, cover bowl with a clean tea towel and let rise in mixing bowl for 2 hours at room temperature.

After the first rise, punch dough dough and place dough on a floured surface.  The best way to do this is to dump the dough out with the oiled bottom now on top.   Add a bit more oil if needed and roll out to about 1/4 inch thickness.

Cut out into desired shapes.  Place oiled side up on silicon pad lined baking sheets or parchment lined baking sheet.

Preheat oven to 400° F while the dough rests (about 15 minutes).

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until deep, golden brown.

Remove from the oven and cool on a rack. Store leftovers in a plastic bag at room temperature or freeze for protein packed lunches.

The nuts were a mixture of raw almonds, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, and pistachios from Archer Farms.  The mixed dried fruit (unsulfured with no refined sugar) was a combination of cherries, blueberries, goji berries and raisins with a bit of roasted pepitas thrown in for good measure (Made In Nature).

I made about a dozen small breads from the one rolled dough sheet.   I then just gathered the scraps up and made a small loaf.

Utilize one flatbread for a copycat protein box from Starbuck’s.  Include some a hard boiled egg, grapes, apple slices, cheese slices, these breads and a packet of Jason’s peanut butter.   Much cheaper and just as delicious and healthy and filling.