Bircher Muesli
Convenient and ready to take on the road, this Bircher muesli recipe (overnight oats) is an easy, nutritious way to start the day.
The original overnight oats, or muesli, is credited to a Swiss doctor named Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner, who believed a raw food diet was the key to health and wellness. With assistance from his sisters Alice and Berta (who were the ones who actually developed many of the recipes) he opened a successful sanatorium in Zürich that focused on using a diet of raw fruits, nuts, and vegetables to help heal the sick and bolster the healthy.
Today, overnight oats are just as popular as they were back in Doctor Bircher's day. And no wonder, they are easy to make, can be topped with your favourite fruits and nuts, and can easily be taken on the road on a busy morning.
While my version of Bircher muesli isn't completely historically accurate, I find the substitution of milk for traditional water, more appealing. I also add in yogurt and chia seeds for additional protein and fats to help with satiation. Vegans, and those on a dairy-free diet, can substitute the milk and yogurt with non-dairy alternatives.
TIP: In the case of this version of overnight oats, the sweetness comes entirely from the mango, so if you prefer something sweeter, add a little honey or maple syrup to the oat mixture before refrigerating.
Ingredients
(Makes 2 servings)
base:
1 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1/2 cup slim milk (or non-dairy milk)
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt (or non-dairy yogurt)
toppings:
1/4 mango, diced
2 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
2 teaspoons unsweetened coconut flakes
Directions
In a mixing bowl, combine the oats, milk, yogurt, and chia seeds, mixing well. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours, or overnight. If you are going to be storing the oats in jars for a breakfast on the go, you can instead transfer the oat mixture to the jars, place on the lids, and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, distribute the oats into bowls, or open the jars, and top with walnuts, mango, and sprinkle with coconut. Alternately, use your favourite fruits and nuts.
Nutritional Information Per Serving:
total calories = 389.5 | total fat = 13.67g | saturated fat = 2.77g | cholesterol = 1.25mg | sodium = 66.13mg | net carbohydrates = 42.03g | dietary fibre = 10.64g | sugars = 13.89g | protein = 14.37g
