Bircher Muesli
The weather has gotten a little worse in the past week because of a rather sudden and unexpected advent of haze originating from Sumatra. This equatorial heat, an intense humidity that is doing my hair no real good at all and this thick, spicy and polluted air? It’s a recipe for heat exhaustion, falling ill, itchy throats and general crabbiness. In addition to that, I’ve recently been having a serial bout of bircher muesli craving but that’s a good thing. Normally, my cravings frustrate and tempt me into tipping over into sinful indulgence and latenight snacking. But this time, them cravings are a sign of my body attempting to make itself feel better and adjust to its surroundings (that’s what I’m telling myself so don’t try to convince me otherwise). Let’s chuck it all up to acclimatizing. That should explain all the cravings for ice cream, gelatos, iced teas and watermelon!
Bircher muesli feels like a summer version of warm oats porridge. Served cold, with seasonal fruit and sweetened with a bit of honey or golden syrup, it’s a simple and fibre-rich breakfast. A great start to one’s day, it’s a ridiculously healthy brekkie which charges up your batteries. The combination of cold and fruit is also refreshing and delightful.
The preparation is dead easy. A head-start the night before – leave the oats to soak in milk overnight which makes them easier to digest. Also, the softer texture from soaking makes it a bit more palatable for those uncomfortable with consuming rolled oats raw. Prepare a medley of seasonal fruits and if you’re a nut and seed feign, you’re in for a treat. A great excuse to whack it all in.
And here comes my big ‘BUT’. My family knows I like some weird food. They know I like eating tofu straight out of its plastic packet. They know hunger can make me resort to odd combinations of edible things. And they know I love my fruit, yoghurt and oats. But sometimes, they just can’t eat the same things I do. And bircher muesli they do not like. Since when did it become an acquired taste?! Nevertheless, I’ve always known some people can be funny with fibre just like kids are with wholemeal and multiseeded.
Maybe there are ways to change their minds about this champion breakfast.
Recipe by Gordon Ramsay taken from Timesonline.co.uk here. Serves 4.
Bircher Muesli
Ingredients
- 200g/2 cups rolled oats
350ml apple juice or semi-skimmed milk
1 red apple (Pink Lady or Fuji apple)
125g natural or low-fat plain yoghurt
seasonal fresh fruit, to top
dried nuts, fruit and muesli, to garnish (optional)
runny honey, to drizzle and sweeten to taste
Place the oats in a bowl and cover with enough apple juice or milk to
moisten them. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and chill for an hour, or preferably overnight, in the fridge.
Peel the apple if you prefer, then coarsely grate (discarding the pips) and stir into the oats. Stir in enough yoghurt to reach a desired consistency. You could also add more milk, yoghurt or apple juice to loosen the mixture if it is too thick. I’ve added a couple of tablespoons of orange juice for flavour and texture.
Serve the muesli in individual bowls topped with the seasonal berries of your choice or a sliced banana, then drizzle with a little honey.
Sprinkle with toasted nuts, granola or muesli or even some dried berries, etc. Customize it to your taste! The variations are countless.
