Originating in Switzerland at the beginning of the twentieth
century, when Dr Bircher-Benner invented it as a part of ensuring
that his patients had a healthy diet,[1] muesli has lasted the test
of time and has grown into many different variations in the past
century. At its most basic, muesli consists of rolled (flaked) oats,
grain(s), nuts, seeds, and dried fruit; it differs from granola in
that it is less sweet (in North America, granola tends to have rice
or maple syrup added to it) and is not roasted (although muesli can
be toasted if wished).[2]
Eating a healthy breakfast is very important to give you the best
possible start into a busy day. If you want to increase your fibre
intake and save money at the same time, muesli makes the perfect
breakfast food. It's easy to make your own at home, allowing you to
skip undesirable additives often found in pre-packaged muesli.
Moreover, you can vary the ingredients as much as wished to suit your
own preferences. In this article, you'll learn the basics of preparing
muesli.
!! Ingredients !!
The basics:
* Grain flakes, for example rolled (flaked) oats, wheat flakes, rye
flakes, etc.
* Dried fruit, to taste, preferably organic and unsulphured
* Nuts and seeds, whole or chopped, to taste
* Milk
* Yoghurt
* Fresh fruit, if desired
Dr Bircher-Benner's "real" muesli:[3]
* 3 tbsp medium oatmeal or 4 tbsp rolled oats
* 135ml (4 1/4 fl oz) water
* 180ml (6 fl oz) live, natural yoghurt
* 4 tsp lemon juice
* 4 tbsp honey
* 800g (1 lb 12 oz) dessert apples, well scrubbed
* 4 tbsp unblanched almonds or hazelnuts, finely chopped
Basic muesli:[4]
* 4 cups rolled (flaked) grain (barley, oats, rice, rye, or spelt)
* 1/2 cup sunflower seeds (hulled)
* 1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
* 1/2 cup sesame seeds
* 1 cup almonds, roughly chopped
* 1 cup dried fruit, chopped
* 1 tsp cinnamon, ground
* Fresh fruit, to serve
* Plain yoghurt, to serve
Swiss style muesli:[5]
* 1 cup rolled oats
* 1/2 cup barley flakes
* 3/4 cup low fat milk
* 1 large apple, cored and finely chopped
* 1 punnet blueberries (or add another finely chopped apple)
* 1 tbsp honey
* 1 cup non-fat yoghurt
* 1/2 cup toasted almond flakes
* 1/4 tsp cinnamon, ground
Toasted muesli:[6]
* 750g rolled oats
* 250g barley flakes
* 1/2 cup roasted buckwheat
* 1 cup wheatgerm
* 1 cup coconut flakes
* 1/3 cup sesame seeds
* 1/2 cup flaked almonds
* 250g dried fruit medley
* 250g sultanas
* 1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
* 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
!! Steps !!
Clockwise from upper left: a peach, rolled barley, an apple, rolled
oats, dried apricots, rolled rye, and some raisins. Decide on the
type of muesli you want to create. Muesli can closely follow
traditional muesli varieties, or you can depart from the basics and
build on it make the exact type of muesli that you enjoy the most.
This article presents a few choices but feel free to experiment
beyond the recipes to find your own style.
* Basic muesli (wheat free)
* Bircher-Benner's "real" muesli
* Swiss style muesli (a variation on the Bircher-Benner muesli)
* Toasted muesli
* Flavoured muesli
* Stylised muesli (for example, sultana-nut or raisin-nut muesli,
tropical muesli, apricot muesli, chocolate muesli, etc.)
!! The Basics !!
Buy the ingredients. When purchasing the ingredients, look for the
best quality. Go to a health food store or market that you can trust
has a rapid turnover in its bulk goods. Ask about the origin and
quality of the items if this is not evident to you.
* Purchase organic grain where possible. The possibilities include:
oat flakes (traditional), rye flakes, barley flakes, rice flakes,
and spelt flakes.
* Look for organic and/or unsulphured dried fruits. These will be
better for you and the lack of sulphur is good for people who have
a reaction to sulphur, such as asthmatics.
* Prefer organic nuts and seeds where possible. It is even better if
you can purchase the nuts and seeds in their shells, as this
guarantees their freshness. Note that peanuts and cashews are not
nuts but still make a great addition if liked.
* For the milk and yoghurt additions, again organic makes a good
choice. If you don't use dairy products, look for alternatives
such as soy, oat, and nut-based milks and yogurts.
* Don't buy too much. It is best to buy enough ingredients to make
enough muesli to last a few weeks, and then to stock up again.
This will ensure freshness and enable you to consume the muesli
within a short period of time.
* Prepare the storage. Muesli needs to be stored in an airtight
container to maintain its freshness. Find a suitable airtight
container (for example, a plastic cereal container with lid, an
extra large resealable freezer bag, or a glass jar with a
close-fitting lid, etc.). Store in a cool, dark place.
Place ingredients in a container. Mix the muesli ingredients. It is
easiest to mix the ingredients in a large bowl and then transfer it
to the container. However, if your container is large enough to shake
the ingredients around, you can add direct (see following step). If
you're making muesli intuitively, ensure that the bulk of the muesli
is grain, with the other ingredients added in quantities that suit
your needs. Remember that dried fruit is high in calories and
fructose, so keep these to a minimum. Alternatively, follow the more
precise amounts outlined in the recipes provided with this article.
* Cut larger dried fruit, such as dried apricots or apples, into
smaller pieces to make it go further. Smaller dried fruit, like
raisins and dried cherries, can go in whole. Dried fruits can also
be expensive, and you only need a little piece to flavor a bite of
muesli.
* Turn the sealed container to mix. Mix well. A good
method is to leave some space at the top of your container, then
close it tightly and slowly turn it upside down. Turn it right
side up again and repeat until well mixed.
* Serve with fresh fruit and yoghurt. Enjoy your homemade
muesli. You can add milk to it or enjoy it with some yoghurt and
fresh fruit (prepare those separately). See the following recipes
for additional ideas on eating muesli with yoghurt and fruit.
!! Dr Bircher-Benner's "real" Muesli !!
This version is frequently referred to as "Bircher muesli" for short.
Originally it was an "apple dish" and not a breakfast cereal. Even
today you can enjoy this as a dessert as well as eating it for
breakfast.
* Pour the water into a suitable bowl. Add the oats. Leave to soak
overnight.
* Mix the yoghurt with the lemon juice. Stir into the soaked oats,
along with the honey.
* Grate unpeeled apple straight into the muesli. Mix through to
avoid discoloration.
* Sprinkle the nuts over the top. The muesli is now ready
to serve.
! Variation On Soaking !
Try this alternative. In this variation, the muesli is soaked
overnight and the lactic acid helps to break down the grain. The
benefit of doing this is easier digestion and maximum digestion of
the nutrients.[7]
* Soak the muesli overnight with 1 cup of water, yoghurt and apple.
Cover the bowl with a plate and refrigerate.
!! Basic Muesli !!
* In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients. The
muesli is now ready for storage or serving. Add toppings of fruit
and yoghurt.
* Vary the basic muesli. Suitable variations include roasting the
seeds and nuts, adding a 1/2 cup of flaked coconut, or adding
flaxseed. If you like vanilla, store the muesli with a vanilla
pod, which will flavour the muesli.
!! Swiss Style Muesli !!
* In a small bowl, mix the oats and barley flakes with the milk.
Refrigerate overnight.
* Remove from the refrigerator at breakfast time and mix
through the remaining ingredients. It is now ready to serve.
!! Toasted Muesli !!
* Preheat the oven to a moderate heat (180ºC/350ºF/Gas mark 4).
* Cover a baking sheet or tray with baking paper (parchment paper).
* Spread the oats across the tray. Place them into the oven and bake
for around 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Keep a close eye on
them, as they burn easily, and stir them frequently.
* Using a dry frying pan, toast the coconut, sesame seeds, and
almonds. Toss frequently to prevent burning. Remove from the heat
and allow to cool.
* Once cooled, combine all the ingredients and pour into an
airtight container. Provided the container is airtight and is shut
promptly after use, the toasted muesli will keep well for at least
2 weeks after making it.
!! Video !!
!! Tips !!
* Rolled oats are very common and may be used alone or in a mixture
with other grains. Check the bulk bins at your nearest natural
foods store for other rolled grains to add variety and texture.
* If you like variety, use smaller containers and make different
kinds of muesli, such as bit of chocolate muesli in one, some
dried-berry muesli in the next, etc.
* Or, make muesli with a base of just the oats and nuts and store
that. For variety, sprinkle on different fresh and dried fruits
when you pour your muesli into a bowl. If you do this, you can
even continue to use the base as a hot cereal on alternate days.
* If raw oats are too chewy, let it sit for a time in milk, yoghurt,
or a mixture, as outlined in some of the recipes here.
* Try different kinds of plain yoghurt, until you find one you like.
Some will be very tangy; others, very mild. You can mix the
yoghurt with some plain milk if the taste is too strong.
* You will find that yoghurt "handles" better on muesli if you can
get it without added thickeners (typically gelatine, pectin, or
starch).
* Muesli makes a great dessert on its own, or serves as an excellent
crumble topping for dessert fruit, muffins, biscuits (cookies),
slices, muesli/granola bars, etc.
!! Warnings !!
* Don't add sticky or moist foods or fresh fruit to your mix. They
typically contain a lot of water, which makes them mould very
quickly. Instead, add them to the bowl when you serve the muesli.
!! Things You'll Need !!
* Mixing bowl
* Mixing implement
* Airtight container
* Cutting board and knife for cutting fresh fruit, dried fruit,
nuts, etc.
* Baking tray for toasted muesli (cookie or baking sheet)
* Baking paper (parchment paper)
* Frying pan
!! Related WikiHows !!
* How to Make Bircher Muesli with Pear and Berries
* How to Make Swiss Style Muesli
* How to Make Warm Muesli
* How to Eat Muesli
* How to Make Sunflower Seed Muesli Bars
!! Sources And Citations !!
!! Article Tools !!
* Read on wikiHow
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