The dog days of summer have quickly settled in and if you’re looking for a cool and refreshing way to start your day, this recipe is for you!
Muesli – the original overnight oats – was first introduced in the 1900s by Swiss physician and pioneering nutritionist Maximilian Bircher-Benner as a way of supporting the health of his patients (my kind of renaissance man). The original Bircher Muesli contained raw oats and grated whole apple (skin-on) together with some variation of nuts, seeds, lemon, milk/cream.
Muesli has been interpreted in many ways over the years but the idea of soaking uncooked oats, nuts and seeds overnight to create a ready-to-go nutritious breakfast has always appealed to me — particularly on stinking hot days (plus, who doesn’t love the idea of waking up to a pre-made breakfast waiting in the fridge… a little gift to start your morn’).
This recipe can be easily adapted to dietary preferences – substitute your favorite ingredients and experiment with different combinations. If banana is not your thing for example, consider golden raisins, dried cranberry or apricot for a touch of sweetness. Although we enjoy this one cool from the fridge, you can heat as preferred before serving.
The recipe will produce about 2 cups of soaked muesli which is just the right amount for my husband and I. The nuts and seeds make for a nutrient dense, satisfying breakfast without the need to go overboard on quantity. We sometimes top our muesli with yogurt and a squeeze of lemon.
I hope you love it.
- ⅓ cup whole grain rolled oats (gluten-free as necessary)
- 1 heaping Tbsp ground flaxseed or chia seed
- 2 tsp hemp hearts
- Small pinch of unsweetened coconut flakes, broken up in small pieces
- 2 Tbsp chopped walnuts (or nut of choice)
- ½ cup fresh seasonal berries or chopped fruit of choice (looking great right now: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, plum, apricot, cactus pear!) I used ¼ cup chopped cherry and ¼ cup blueberries
- ⅓ banana, chopped
- 1 cup milk beverage of choice (I used Califia unsweetened plain almond milk)
- Optional toppings: dollop of yogurt (we like Siggi's whole milk vanilla); shake of cinnamon (or nutmeg/cardamom); drizzle of pure maple syrup or honey, if desired. We find the fruit sweet enough.
- Place oatmeal, flaxseed (or chia), hemp hearts, coconut flakes, walnut, ¼ cup sliced fruit of choice + banana together in a mason jar (16 oz works well) or bowl with sufficient capacity. Pour milk of choice over oat mixture, giving it a good stir.
- Close lid on mason jar (or cover bowl) and place in fridge overnight. In the morning, remove from fridge, stir and invert into two bowls adding remaining ¼ cup fruit to each -- add toppings as desired. We enjoy a shake of cinnamon and sometimes a scoop of yogurt. You can also add more fluid (water or milk beverage) at this stage if you like and a drizzle of sweetener (we find the fruit sweet enough). If you're not into cold oatmeal you can absolutely heat as preferred (stove-top or micro).
Are oats gluten-free or not? I get this question often and the confusion is understandable. Oats by nature are gluten-free however they often come up on foods to avoid for those who have celiac disease (or gluten intolerance) because of cross-contamination issues (processed in facilities alongside gluten containing grains). So the best course of action is to purchase certified gluten-free oats as needed.
Quantity & Duration: this recipe will create about 2 cups of muesli which is perfect for my husband and I. The nuts and seeds make it nutrient dense and we like to top it with yogurt and a shake of cinnamon. If you're making these for yourself, simply leave the other half in the fridge for the next day or later in the week (the mixture will keep just fine in the fridge for a few days).
Can I warm it up? Absolutely! We enjoy this one straight from the fridge on warm mornings, but heat as preferred.
Yum oh yum. I think I’m going to try and do it this week! Again… this looks so good! Thanks for the recipes.
It’s my absolute pleasure Jeanette! I’m so glad you found this recipe and I hope you love the muesli. Thank you so much for dropping in to say hello and let me know.
My husband and I loved this, thank you!
Oh, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for taking a moment to let me know. We’ve been enjoying it on repeat over here too (varying fruits/nuts/seeds as we go).
Many years ago, we were visiting a business associate of JTs in Zurich and his wife offered to take me around the town. For a mid-morning snack we wondered into a shop and she ordered me a cup of Bircher meusli and I was hooked! Their version contained grated apples and plain yogurt to soften the oats, I love adding toasted almonds or walnuts too. They also had grapes with seeds, which I thought was odd. This healthy breakfast dish used to make an appearance at the cottage for breakfast during many weekends but I haven’t made it in ages in the city! Thank you so much for the inspiration, it’s really one of our favourites!
Bircher muesli in Zurich sounds wonderful to me; what a nice experience that trip must have been.
I always wondered what muesli really was, since it’s used interchangeably sometimes with granola. There was a brand in the 70’s called Familia muesli, and it was so good. Trouble is, if you’d ever have the munchies (I’d heard) and ate a LOT of this muesli, it would multiply in volume by 3-4 times and one would be quite miserable.
you’d heard, heeheeh, I like you Mimi :) yes, seeds like chia and ground flax do have a swelling effect so best to go easy, accompany with water and habituate over time. The cool thing about soaking the ingredients overnight is that the seeds expand into the liquid during that time (that’s not to say the fiber is inert but what you see is what you get) and soaking also makes the nuts easier to digest. In terms of granola vs muesli – the ingredients can look similar but a traditional muesli is raw (or uncooked) whereas granola is baked.
I could move mountains and swim seas on the powerhouse ingredients you’ve packed into this simple breakfast! Such a great idea.
love that :) thank you! (amazing what can fit into a cup these days ;-)
Yes I am absolutely looking for a cold breakfast idea! How did you know? With Bobby and I both retired now, breakfast has become a challenge. I love the idea of throwing breakfast together before I do to bed. With this dish, he can eat early like he likes to and I can eat later, after I’ve spent most of the morning the garden. :) What a fabulous idea and a great recipe! Thanks Kelly. Hope you have a wonderful long weekend!
you’ve got it! with this one it’s easy to eat a portion whenever you like (breakfast or otherwise) and toss the rest right back in the fridge for the next person or the next time :) enjoy your garden MJ, that sounds like an ideal start to the day …such a great time of year to putter in bare feet in the quiet of the morning.