Bircher muesli is the original superfood
Breakfast superfood Bircher muesli has been around for centuries. Try these delicious recipes to find out why it’s still so popular.
Bircher muesli is the original breakfast superfood. It was developed around the turn of the 20th Century by Swiss doctor Maximilian Bircher-Brenner to help his patients’ health. To this day, it remains an extremely popular breakfast recipe in some European countries such as Switzerland and Germany, and it’s no wonder, since it’s a great source of fibre, antioxidants and essential fatty acids. Originally, the recipe called for a much higher fruit to grain ratio, and fresh fruits were imperative. Nowadays, there are many different types of recipes available, depending on your taste.
Bircher Muesli with Yoghurt and Honey
This recipe has quite a mushy texture, so it’s perfect for those who love their yoghurt. If you prefer a rougher texture, just decrease the amount of milk and yoghurt.
Ingredients
- 2 cups oats
- 1¾ cups milk
- ¼ cup apple juice
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 apple, cored and grated with the peel
- 1-2 tablespoons honey
- 1½ cups plain yogurt
- Cinnamon (optional)
- Toppings: fresh and/or dried fruit, nuts, toasted coconut, etc.
Instructions
1. Combine oats, milk, apple juice and lemon juice and let sit overnight in the refrigerator.
2. In the morning add the grated apple, honey (to taste), yogurt, and cinnamon, mix well.
3. Top with your favourite fruits and nuts.
Apple & Passionfruit Bircher Muesli
A great combination of flavours, this one’s a keeper for sure!
Ingredients
- 2 cups Bircher muesli
- 1 1/4 cups apple juice
- 1/2 cup thick natural yoghurt
- 1 Granny Smith apple, grated
- 125g strawberries, chopped
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 passionfruit, pulp removed
- Extra chopped strawberries and thick natural yoghurt, to serve
Instructions
1. Place muesli and apple juice in a bowl and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
2. When ready to serve, stir yoghurt, apple, strawberries, honey and half of 1 passionfruit through muesli. Spoon into bowls. Top with extra strawberries, yoghurt and passionfruit pulp as desired. Serve.
Mixed Berries Bircher Muesli
For extra antioxidants, try this Bircher recipe with added berries.
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup apple juice
- 1 apple, grated
- 4 tablespoons natural yoghurt
- 1 cup of mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
- Honey (optional)
Instructions
1. Mix the oats and apple juice until well combined, in a large container with a well-fitting lid.
2. Place in the fridge and leave for at least 1 hour or until all the juice has been absorbed (preferably overnight)
3. Just before you are ready to eat, grate the apple. Add the grated apple and yoghurt to the oat and juice mixture.
4. Serve with berries and honey if desired
Quick Raspberry Bircher Muesli
If you don’t have enough time for the oats to soak overnight, try this quick and easy recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups rolled oats
- 100g mixed nuts, chopped
- 2 tbs sunflower seeds
- 50g mixed dried fruits
- 1 red apple, grated
- 2 cups apple juice
- 1 cup low-fat Greek yoghurt
- 2 tsp honey
- 120g punnet raspberries
Instructions
1. Place the oats, nuts, sunflower seeds, dried fruits, apple, juice and yoghurt in a bowl. Stir well to combine, then soak for 15 minutes until softened.
2. Place the honey and raspberries (reserving a few to serve) in a blender and whiz until smooth.
3. Serve with a drizzle of raspberry sauce, garnished with the reserved raspberries.
Bircher Muesli with Rhubarb and Sweet Dukkah
If you’re looking for something a little more exotic than the standard Bircher fare, this recipe with rhubarb and sweet dukkah is the one for you.
Ingredients
Muesli:
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice
- 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, roughly grated
- 1/2 cup Greek-style yoghurt, plus extra to serve
- Honey, to drizzle
- Sweet dukkah (see related recipe), to serve
Baked rhubarb
- 1 bunch rhubarb, stems cut into 3cm lengths
- 1/2 firmly packed cup brown sugar
- 1 cinnamon quill
1. Place the oats and orange juice in a bowl and stir to combine. Cover and leave to soak in the fridge overnight.
2. For the rhubarb, preheat the oven to 190°C. Combine the ingredients in a baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes until rhubarb is softened but maintains its shape.
3. When ready to serve, add the apple and yoghurt to the oats and combine well. Serve the bircher muesli with extra yoghurt, honey, rhubarb and its juices. Sprinkle with sweet dukkah.
Bircher Muesli with Figs
Delicious and nutritious, the humble fig packs a punch in this delicious Bircher recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups natural muesli
- 1 1/2 cups apple juice
- 1 cup reduced-fat plain yoghurt
- 3/4 cup reduced-fat milk
- 3/4 cup chopped, dried figs
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
- 3 fresh figs, quartered
Instructions
1. Combine muesli, apple juice, yoghurt, milk, dried figs and honey in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. Spoon muesli mixture into bowls. Serve with nuts and fresh figs.