Cranberry and Orange Bircher Muesli

Swiss physician, and pioneer nutritionist, Maximilian Bircher-Benner (1867-1939) created Bircher Muesli as part of a healthy eating plan that was an essential part of his therapy for his patients at his sanatorium in Zurich. Bircher-Benner introduced his Bircher Muesli in about 1900 and over the years different versions of this have appeared, but the main ingredient is always soaked raw oats. True Bircher Muesli also contains grated apple, and nuts, and is served with yoghurt. The oats in the original Bircher Muesli were soaked overnight to soften them, but with modern rolled ‘quick oats’ this is not necessary. The consistency of a Bircher Muesli should be moist, not a sloppy mixture.

For the following recipe, I like to soak the dried cranberries in the orange juice overnight so the cranberries are soft and plump and infused with the orange flavour by morning.

RECIPE: CRANBERRY AND ORANGE BIRCHER MUESLI

Serves 1

¼ cup rolled oats

¼ cup milk

¼ cup yoghurt

1 dessertspoon brown sugar

1 dessertspoon dried cranberries (also known as ‘craisins’)

Grated rind of 1/8 of an orange, and juice of ¼ of an orange

¼ apple, grated

¼ banana, diced

1 teaspoon sunflower seeds

1 dozen blueberries

1 tablespoon flaked almonds

1. Optional: Soak the dried cranberries in the orange juice overnight.

2. Place oats in a breakfast bowl and add the milk. Stir, and leave to give the oats and milk time to soak and soften while preparing the rest of the ingredients (TIP: grate the apple last so that it doesn’t discolour and go brown).

3. Mix all ingredients in with the milk and oats and adjust for taste.