Overnight Muesli

Perfect Pairing:  Favorite toppings

I used to do a lot of international travel with my job and became a bit of a hotel breakfast buffet connoisseur.   The European buffets especially intrigued me.  Broiled tomatoes for breakfast?  I can get on board.  Blood sausage?  Never.  They always had a large selection of deli meat and cheese with hard rolls and butter.  That was pretty standard.  The buffets usually had muesli as well.  I was a huge fan of that dish. 

According to Wikipedia, Muesli is "a popular breakfast meal based on uncooked rolled oats, fruit and nuts.  It was developed by Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner for patients in his hospital.  It is available in a packaged dry form, ready made, or it can be made fresh."  I guess that is why it is often called Bircher Muesli.  Thank you Wikipedia!  I often wondered that.

I always assumed muesli was filled with cream (and maybe it is at the hotels), but I realized I could make my own version with very little fat and it still tasted like it was doused with rich cream.  Rolled oats are soaked overnight in fresh orange juice and water.  The next morning I add a grated granny smith apple and fat free Greek yogurt.  The yogurt is what makes it creamy and rich.   I love making muesli at the beginning of the week and enjoying it all week for breakfast.  It is a super healthy breakfast that is also very filling.  It is a refreshing change from hot oatmeal, if that is your standard.

You can top off muesli with a variety of toppings like berries, coconut, pecans, walnuts, almonds, honey, peaches, bananas, raisins, etc.  My favorite combination is berries, honey, sliced almonds, and dried cranberries. 

 

Overnight Muesli

Lindsay at Perfecting the Pairing
Printable Recipe

 

Ingredients:

·         2 cups rolled oats

·         1 tsp orange zest

·         Juice of one orange

·         1 1/3 cup water (approximate)

·         ¼ tsp vanilla

·         1 pinch of salt

·         1 granny smith apple, peeled and grated on a box grater

·         8 oz fat free Greek yogurt (honey or vanilla flavored)

·         Optional toppings:  berries, coconut, pecans, walnuts, almonds, honey, peaches, bananas, raisins, etc.

Directions:

Place the oats in a large bowl, add the orange zest.  Juice the orange into a liquid measuring cup.  Add enough water to reach 1 and 2/3 cup total liquid.  Pour the juice and water over the oats, add the vanilla and pinch of salt.  Stir to combine and try to make sure the oats are submerged in the liquid.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, stir in the grated apple and Greek yogurt.  Garnish with preferred toppings. 

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