Alright, you have to promise me that I am not going to lose you once I name this breakfast because it is not only for those over age 75. Promise?
Ok. We are talking about Muesli today. This breakfast is rich in detoxifying fiber, quality protein, energy-boosting B-vitamins and a whole host of other vitamins and minerals that will give you lasting energy to tackle your day. It also can be made well in advance for those of you who are accustomed to the ease and speed of the Dunkin Donuts drive-thru. But unlike that bagel, Muesli will keep you full right up to lunch time and will not break the bank like a parfait or breakfast sandwich from Starbucks.
Muesli is a breakfast cereal comprised primarily of uncooked rolled oats, dried fruits, nuts and seeds. It is usually soaked either overnight, or while you are getting ready in the morning, in juice or milk. People often add spices like cinnamon and a little sweetener like honey to it.
Wikipedia offers this brief history on the breakfast:
Muesli was introduced around 1900 by the Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner for patients in his hospital, where a diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables was an essential part of therapy. It was inspired by a similar “strange dish” that he and his wife had been served on a hike in the Swiss Alps. Bircher-Benner himself referred to the dish simply as “d’Spys” (Swiss German for “the dish”, in German ”die Speise”). Muesli in its modern form became popular in western countries starting in the 1960s as part of increased interest in health food and vegetarian diets.Traditional muesli was eaten with orange juice and not milk.
Like everything I make, I tend to make it in bulk because I like to do the prep-work just once and have plenty of servings. For my muesli, I added in the grain buckwheat for additional flavor, variety, and nutrition. Buckwheat is gluten-free and combined with gluten-free oats, this recipe is great for those with celiac disease. Additionally, buckwheat is a great source of “quality” protein. By quality, I mean it has a high concentration of essential amino acids. There is both plain and roasted buckwheat available. The latter has a much stronger, nuttier flavor.
Things you’ll need:
3 cups of rolled oats
1 1/2 cups buckwheat
3/4 cups dried apricots, chopped* (I used Malatya Apricots which are darker in color and have a wonderful taste that is more like a fig.
3/4 cup dried cherries*
3/4 cup dried currants*
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon cinnamon
*note: you can use any kind of dried fruit
Things to do:
Combine all of the ingredients and store in an airtight container. If you add the chopped nuts to the mix then you should refrigerate the mix. If you add the nuts fresh when you are ready to prepare the breakfast, than there is not need to refrigerate.
When you are ready to eat, mix with plain yogurt, any kind of milk, or 100% juice. I like to mix about 1/2 cup with 1/2 cup almond milk and let it soak while I am getting ready. I then add 1 cup of plain yogurt and drizzle a little honey on top. Sometimes, I will combine all of the ingredients and take it with me to go. By the time you sit down at your desk, it will be ready to eat.
This recipe is definitely getting printed. I love things I can make on the weekend to take with me to work. Thanks for new inspiration to old ingredients in my pantry!
Awesome! And you really can use any kind of dried fruit on hand and experiment with different kinds of grains. Just make sure that oats or another flaky whole grain is the base.
Luv muesli! Great recipe. : )
BTW: I’m an RD and enjoy cooking as well. Is there any room to join Recipe Redux??
Hi Lauren… I saw your question about ReDux & just wanted to invite you to our site to check it out: http://www.thereciperedux.com. On the site, you’ll see how to join. Thanks!!
~Regan Jones, RD
Co-Founder of The Recipe ReDux
yum. some of my very fave dried fruits in this muesli. can’t wait to try!
Lauren, I highly recommend The Recipe Redux. It is a lot of fun and the group is very organized and well-run. Check out the link Regan shared.
I adore muesli and make my own but also pick up some of the great brands we have here in Australia. Will definitely try your creative recipe. Bircher muesli and soaking overnight in yogurt is a great way to swell oats and dried fruit to a statisfying serve size.
Love muesli and our recipe sounds fabulous! I have a couple recipes for muesli on my blog, including one with dark chocolate and cacao nibs that is super yummy. Glad you joined the Recipe ReDux!