Bircher muesli with blueberry compote and lime
When did Bircher muesli become en vogue again? A couple of years ago already? Up till now, I never jumped on board. What can I say: as you can see in my oatmeal and quinoa porridge recipes, I just love hot porridge for breakfast any season of the year, so my oats would always end up in the pan or oven regardless of outside temperature or time schedule. But lately, I’m beginning to yield to the advantages of cold infused grains.
My youngest has quite a sensitive stomach. A few weeks ago, she said that hot oatmeal in the morning just felt too heavy for her and she’d rather start the day with something lighter. Exploring the option of Bircher muesli or overnight oats, I read that the recipe for it was developed in the 1900s by the Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner, who soaked raw grains overnight in order to make them more easily digestible for his patients. A good reason to give it a try! And when my girl finished her breakfast without the usual hesitation and asked if she could have the same the following day, I was game.
The recipe that won us over is the one you see in the pic: coarse oatflakes, soaked in almond milk together with grated apple and lime zest, popped in the fridge at night and ready to grab in the morning. Served with a ready-in-minutes hot blueberry compote, a big dollop of soy quark or yogurt for protein and a load of fresh fruits, it’s one of the healthiest breakfast treats one could wish for. Packed with nutrients and slow-release carbs, it’s sure to keep you going till lunchtime.
After years of dismissing time considerations, I’ll finally admit that it is quite practical to be able to just grab your breakfast straight from the fridge. You can further up the nutritional value by adding nuts, seeds or grated veg and flavourwise, as with hot oatmeal, the variation possibilities are endless. Plus, overnight oats make the most adorable springtime breakfast glasses.
So, whether you’re a long-term Bircher afficionado or a relative newbie, I’d urge you to try this one: it’s plain delicious.
Bircher muesli with blueberry compote and lime – serves 4
Ingredients
for the Bircher:
- 200 g rolled oats
- 1 red apple, peeled and grated
- zest of 1 lime
- 500 ml almond milk or other plant based milk of choice
- 1 tbsp. maple syrup
for the compote:
- 250 g blueberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 tbsp. water
- 1 tsp. maple syrup
Plus:
- 300 g soy quark or plantbased yogurt
- slices of red apple, mint leaves and fresh blueberries, to serve
Preparation
In the evening, put all the ingredients for the Bircher in a bowl and mix well. Cover and place in the fridge overnight.
To make the compote, put the blueberries and water in a pan over a medium heat. Cook until the berries are soft and the juice has thickened to a thin syrup. Stir in the maple syrup, then turn off the heat.
When ready to serve, stir the overnight oats and divide them over four bowls or glasses. Top with the soy quark and blueberry compote and enjoy with sliced apple and fresh blueberries.
