Müesli. (A Great Way To Start Your Day.)

Prepare it once and have breakfast to grab and go (almost) all week.

I grew up eating muesli. We actually put the two dots on the “u” of the müesli (like this). And we called it Birchermüesli, but I don’t expect you to try to say that. 

Although I grew up in the southern region of Switzerland, closer to Italy, land of pasta and sauce, some of the central Swiss dishes made it to our cuisine too–like this breakfast favorite. I remember my mother preparing it on Sundays, or, when we had a nice selection of ripe fruit. Ironically, I didn’t love it back then. I guess my palate wasn’t developed enough to appreciate all the good stuff in this breakfast. 

This summer, my friend Sherry flew to Zurich for a few days and sent me a picture of the delicious pastries the bakery there had displayed (see this post that I wrote years ago, to find out what’s kosher in Zurich). One of the images had these pretty cups filled with, you guessed it, delicious looking Birchermüesli. Once she tasted it again, Sherry started preparing it back home. We discussed methods and techniques over the phone, I remembered that my mother grated the apple with a coarse grater and, guess what happened next, we both got hooked on Birchermüesli again. And this is what I ate all summer long. I took it with me to the pool, to work meetings, in the car to drop off kids in camp…and everywhere I went people wanted to know what I was eating and if the recipe was found on Between Carpools. I laughed, and I said “you just wait.” And so, here it is. 

Take advantage now when berries, peaches, and plums are still in their prime. This isn’t only a summer breakfast, we eat it all year round, but it’s better with good summer fruit. 

The best part?

Make it once and eat it for a few days. Birchermüesli will last 2-3 days in your fridge. After that it will get too mushy. 

But, until then, it’s that perfect grab and run recipe. And so, so filling! 

You will need old fashioned rolled oats, milk, plain Greek yogurt, and fresh fruit. 

Start by placing your oats in a jar or bowl and covering with the milk.

Use any milk you prefer, I use whole milk. There are no exact measurements here, and you can prepare less if you want. Simply cover the oats with the milk by an inch or so. 

The oats will soak up the milk. Refrigerate overnight (or for at least 8 hours). 

When the oats are just about done soaking, prepare your fruit. 

I like to grate the Granny Smith apple with a coarse grater. This adds a good texture and taste. You can use a grater like this one here. 

Add the overnighted oats to the fruit.

Add yogurt.

Mix it all together and enjoy! 

Play around with the flavors and customize it to your liking, including the type of fruits that you prefer. Add chia seeds. Add mango and make it exotic. It all goes.  You can top with shredded coconut, or nuts for crunch–but do that only right before eating . 

I like to divide the mixture into ready to go cups– so that they are literally grab and go. 

It’s perfect for teenage girls who leave to school early, and need something filling and healthy to eat.