A change of season heralds a change of breakfast in my kitchen. I’m no longer getting up in the dark, scurrying around before 7am in the half light, trying to keep warm with a large bowl of porridge. Instead the sun is my natural alarm clock and it bathes the kitchen in a gentle, welcoming light that greets me when I pad out of the bedroom in my dressing gown. This sunnier outlook calls for a lighter, more energetic breakfast.
Bircher muesli, or overnight oats, is the original muesli, invented by Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner for his patients in the 1900s. His recipe requires the oats to be soaked in milk for a period of time to soften them, making them easier to digest, as oats had not yet been made “quick” by manufacturing processes. Soaking is no longer required for muesli, but creating a breakfast inspired by Dr Bircher-Benner is a tasty, nourishing and wholesome start to the day.
A bowl of soft, cold oats. Granted, it doesn’t sound overly appetising. In fact, it sounds like prison food. But when injected with flavour and texture, and topped with fresh fruit and yoghurt, it really is good.
There are a myriad of variations possible with bircher muesli, from the soaking liquid (milk, cream, condensed milk, juice), to the oats (add nothing or add any mix of nuts, dried fruit or grated apple) and the topping (fresh, stewed or dried fruit, nuts, jam). I’ve experimented with many combinations over the years and this is my current favourite, inspired by my recent trip to Byron Bay where bircher muesli was on the menu at every cafe for breakfast.
I use coconut water to soak the oats, because I like the subtle sweetness it provides (juice can lend too much sweetness). I stir yoghurt in to the soaked oats to add the creaminess the milk would otherwise provide. In keeping with the coconut theme I add shredded coconut to provide texture along with chia seeds which soak up the liquid like a sponge and aid digestion. Flaked almonds (or any almonds you have on hand) bring their nuttiness as well as a slight crunch.
The traditional topping is grated apple and nuts, but any seasonal fruit is perfectly at home atop a bowl of bircher. Adding sliced mint and a gentle squeeze of lemon to a summer fruit topping lifts the whole dish into something much more interesting. For those going into the cooler months, stewed apple or pears with hazelnuts and a drizzle of maple syrup would be delightful.
Apparently bircher muesli is also eaten as a light evening meal in Switzerland and Germany, which makes me feel better about the several bowls of muesli I’ve had for dinner during this pregnancy so far. That’s how tasty it is.
Coconut and Almond Bircher Muesli
Serves 4, 10 minutes to prep and serve, overnight to soak
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 2 cups coconut water
- 1/2 cup flaked almonds
- 1/4 cup black chia seeds
- 1/4 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
Topping:
- Greek yoghurt
- Squeeze of lemon
- Tart, green apple, grated
- Walnuts, chopped
- Mint, chopped
- Strawberries, sliced
- Banana, sliced
- Sunflower seeds and/or pepitas
- Honey, maple syrup or agave (optional, the coconut water and fruit already add sweetness)
In a large bowl combine oats, coconut water, chia seeds, flaked almonds and shredded coconut. Stir to combine. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
To serve, scoop the soaked oat mixture into bowls and top with enough greek yoghurt to form a porridge-like consistency when mixed in. You can add some milk (cow/soy/almond/oat all fine) to help achieve this.
Top with grated apple, walnuts, strawberries and banana then sprinkle with seeds, chopped mint and drizzle with honey if desired.
I love bircher muesli. I’ve been eating it since childhood as my mother used to make it for me, usually with whole milk and grated apple. Your version sounds gorgeous, and I think that eating it for a pregnancy dinner is entirely warranted! Love the photos too. Thanks for another lovely post Amelia! xx
Thank YOU Laura! Your mum was ahead of her time. All the trendy cafes in Melbourne serve bircher these days.
i love your recipes and amazing photos!
Thank you for those lovely words Desi.
Beautiful photographs Amelia.I love bircher muesli so much – especially its tart flavour. I like to put mine in little pots and take them to work
http://glutenfreerosie.com/2013/09/17/bircher-muesli-breakfast-pots-gluten-free/ x
I love that idea Rosie! Thanks
This looks delicious! I’ve never had bircher muesli before but this looks like a promising breakfast option.
It is! And it can last an extra day in the fridge, so it’s great to prepare ahead for a couple of days (or more).
Your timing is impeccable. I have been wanting to try out Bircher muesli but was put off by the high sugar content it seems to require. This recipe looks perfect for me, especially as I love coconut. Pinning it now and trying it soon, thank you!
Excellent! You’re welcome Deepa.
Beautiful post! Thanks for sharing this:)
Thanks for stopping by
Doctor Bircher! I had no idea this brekkie was invented by a physician. Absolutely love the idea of soaking the oats in coconut water, and the scattering of mint looks so pretty. Your striped measuring jug is ace!
How ACE is that jug?! I got it as a belated birthday present from a friend, and it went into a post immediately
Ok spooky. Was just thinking I should get a bircher recipe and thought hmm, wonder if Milly’s got one? Voila!
Your wish is my command Neha
Yum, trying this tonight!
Great! I hope you enjoyed it Rhian.
Bircher muesli is one of those things that utterly confounded me when I first moved to Melbourne. To my Canadian mind, muesli is crunchy, sweet, and best served with yogurt. Why anyone would want to eat mushy muesli, I really had no idea.
But this looks tasty, and knowing the history behind it (and what is actually in those cups of mushy oats at cafes) makes me cautiously optimistic that I’ll like it.
I promise, it’s good. When I explained bircher muesli to my New York friends their faces squished up with a “COLD OATMEAL!?” kind of face. But it’s not, it’s tasty.
Love this ! In Scotland, at smaller hotels, you had to order your oatmeal for breakfast the day before! But it was served hot.
I have eaten this all week and it’s amazing….thanks Amelia! It also is quick to make in the morning which is an added bonus
I definitely would have eaten this all the time when I was pregnant.
Awesome! I’m so excited that you tried it and liked it Flynn. I hope all is well in your household. Looking forward to the races!
Yum! I especially love the use of mint and nuts here. Time to revamp my breakfast for spring.
It’s a fabulous spring breakfast.
Did this last night and was really delicious – I added the mint too. I reckon this would be great with poached fruit, to add a little sweetness, especially if you don’t add honey (mine isn’t runny so doesn’t really work)
Poached fruit would be delicious Karen. If you don’t have time, you can just add some chopped dried fruit to soak overnight with the oats. Dried apricots get lovely and plump and dates go all fudgey, both adding sweetness.
We love steel-cut oats, which we prefer over rolled oats for the texture. We make a batch and then eat it for a week of breakfasts, usually with savory ingredients and a soft-boiled egg (julienned leftover greens, beets, sesame seeds, sriracha, fish sauce, etc.), but your recipe for bircher muesli sounds tantalizing. Now you’ve got me wondering if s-c oats could be adapted for your bircher muesli. Any thoughts? Thanks. Ken
Hi Ken. You can use steel cut oats, they just won’t get as soft as rolled oats so the texture will be slightly different. Enjoy!
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