What is it and why should I try it?
Chances are you’ve tried muesli (similar to granola) from a box in the grocery store before, but have you ever considered making your own at home? Let’s take a look into what exactly is involved as far as ingredients for this dish, and then venture onto some food blogs to check out some easy recipes.
Wikipedia defines muesli (pronounced MYOOZ-lee) as a “breakfast or brunch dish based on rolled oats and other ingredients like grains, fresh or dried fruits, seeds and nuts, that may be mixed with milk (of various kinds), yogurt or fruit juice. Developed around 1900 by Swiss physician Maxmilian Bircher-Benner for patients in his hospital, muesli is available ready made in packaged dry form, or it can be made fresh. In Switzerland and Germany, it is also eaten as a light evening dish called Birchermüesli complet, or muesli with butterbrot and coffee with milk.”
A Healthier Version of Granola
According to the Minimalist Baker, muesli is “similar to granola, only it’s typically unsweetened, includes no oil, and it’s raw.” The baker goes on to explain that while raw oats may not be appealing, she prefers to roast hers for optimal flavor and texture. Others soak their muesli overnight to get a softer blend that’s easier on the digestive system.
In any case, there’s no real end to the number of possibilities you can work from in concocting your homemade muesli. As long as the ingredients include some variation of seeds, nuts, grains (including oats), and fruits (dried works best unless served fresh immediately), and they’re raw (for the most part), you’ve got a bonafide muesli blend. Now let’s check out what some of the experts have done for their recipes:
Recipes for Breakfast or Brunch
Overnight Muesli for a Hot Day
Soak your oats in apple juice overnight for this tasty treat, and then add all your favorites using this recipe as a guide. Keep it cool in the fridge until serving time on a hot summer morning!
Almond and Quinoa Swiss Muesli
With hemp hearts, quinoa, seeds and coconut, this version makes five cups, best served alongside fresh berries.
Orange, Coconut, and Blueberry Toasted Muesli
Orange zest, vanilla extract, and pecans give this recipe its kick. Serve over nut milk or in layers with yogurt and fresh fruit slices for a healthy breakfast parfait.
Minimalist Baker’s Toasted Pumpkin Muesli
This blog boasts of recipes containing the least number of ingredients (hence the word “minimalist”) and they’re all vegan. For this one, you’ll only need 9 ingredients (unless you add nut milk or extras) and should only take about 20 minutes to prepare. Make it in the fall, or anytime you’re craving pumpkin flavor!
Quick and Easy Nut-Free Muesli Bliss Balls
These are, as stated, easy peasy with all you need popped into the food processor and then shaped into balls and refrigerated. Fun for kids to make and eat!
Similar to the bliss balls, these are bars with quinoa, nuts, seeds, and cinnamon. Their creator recommends you refrigerate for 45 minutes, cut the batch into the size bars you like, then store in an air tight container to keep fresh.
With only healthy ingredients that together taste like carrot cake batter, you’ll love this one for breakfast, made into muffins, or tossed into smoothies. You can prep it for overnight muesli or serving immediately.
For desserts or special occasions:
This colorful and fragrant muesli blend can be served up on Christmas morn or given as gifts in pretty jars (just leave the fresh fruit out). Divine!
When you want to serve a healthy (sort of) dessert snack, give these a try. They’re a cinch to make and then pop in the freezer to set. (Especially pretty if you have dark chocolate offset with a pistachio muesli for topping, imo)
Mix up leftover muesli with your favorite fresh fruits (make it colorful with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.) and yogurt or vegan yogurt and then pour into pretty popsicle molds for a refreshing morning treat!
Apple Strudel Crunchy Muesli-Style
A muesli-fied version of Austrian apple strudel, this one involves a little bit of frying, but the large apple, oats, seeds and nuts keep it heart-healthy. Serve it up warm in pretty dishes for best results!
If you’re interested, the original Bircher-Benner recipe is here (and was ideally served fresh before any other parts of the meal).
