This year I resolved to eat breakfast every morning. Often, my problem with eating breakfast was deciding what to eat. In order to simplify the daily choice, I decided to eat the same healthy breakfast every morning (with the exception of a hot American style breakfast on the weekends). I chose to make myself Swiss muesli, as it includes a range of nutritional ingredients including whole grains, fruits, nuts and dairy.
Swiss Muesli / Bircher Muesli
This recipe is inspired by muesli made by a Swiss friend in Zurich and based on recipes online.
- Rolled oats (or other rolled whole grains)
- Nuts and/or seeds (unroasted and unsalted, varied: almonds, cashews, pecans, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds)
- Dried fruit (Raisins are the norm, but I use apricots because I hate raisins.)
- Fresh fruit (varies on weekly purchase: strawberries, apple, blueberries, raspberries, plum, banana, etc), chopped
- Flax seeds, freshly ground
- Plain yogurt (The Swiss use quark and you can substitute Greek/Mediterranean style yogurt for a more similar consistency.)
Normally, the grains should be soaked overnight in water or milk, but I skip this step. Chop the nuts. Cut the dried and fresh fruit, if necessary . Grind flax seed. Mix all ingredients together with yogurt. Enjoy.
I dislike sweet food in the morning and the natural sweetness from the fruits was enough for me, however if you have a sweet tooth you can add a natural sweeter such a honey or maple syrup.
Portions may vary from individual to individual, but I find three heaping tablespoons of both the rolled grains and yogurt enough, especially once all the other ingredients are added. What may seem like a small portion can be quite filling. You can sprinkle the flax seeds whole, however, grinding or releasing the oils provides additional health benefits.
To make it more affordable, make your own mix from (Whole Foods) bulk products. Reusing ziploc baggies when purchasing bulk items not only reduces waste, but simplifies grocery shopping and eases preparation with easy access.
I will follow with a review on the different brands of yogurts that I try.
