Better than Bircher Müesli: Fruity Chia Bowl

Posted by Hiba on Feb 15, 2015 in Recipes & Food

Growing up in Switzerland – and the Swiss-German part no less – Bircher müesli was everywhere. In Switzerland, no hotel breakfast buffet is complete without this beloved breakfast food.

Bircher müesli or simply Bircher as it is called in the French part of Switzerland where I have lived for the past 16 years, is a breakfast of oats soaked in milk, yoghurt, fruits, nuts and seeds. It is made in advance and kept in the fridge to be eaten over several days, making it a quick and convenient breakfast food.

Bircher müesli was invented by a Swiss doctor called Maximilian Bircher-Benner as a way of helping the patients at his sanatorium in Zürich heal through the power of soaked cereal, fruits, and raw nuts and seeds. This might sound obvious to our modern ears, but was revolutionary at the end of the 19th century when meat, potatoes and white bread were the norm.

And while the original Bircher müesli is a pretty good breakfast choice if you are able to digest milk and oats, I am not a fan of either and I know many people also find them hard to digest.

Enter the Fruity Chia Bowl: Using a simple cashew milk instead of milk and chia seeds instead of oats, this breakfast is better than Bircher and might even keep you going for longer.

Indeed, chia seeds were the food of choice for Aztec and Mayan warriors, who believed that a single tablespoon would keep them going for 24 hours. I am not sure I can guarantee 24 hours, but my husband and I both tried 5-6 hours between breakfast and lunch and it definitely kept us going! I wrote more about the wonder of chia seeds here in case you need more convincing!

This Fruity Chia Bowl is super easy to prepare, taking only a few minutes in the evening and can be eaten for up to 4-5 days. There is something I find very gratifying about food that is waiting for you in the fridge: I see it as a love note from me to me or my husband.

So here’s how to prepare your own love note to yourself and your family. The recipe is very versatile, so feel free to adapt it to suit your needs or just keep things interesting!

INGREDIENTS (for about 8 servings)

1 cup/175 grams raw, unsalted cashews – preferably soaked for 3-4 hours to make them more digestible and easier to blend. Rinse well before using.

FRUIT OF YOUR CHOICE such as:

250 grams raspberries (I used frozen without defrosting them first)

1 medium apple (sour apples like Granny Smiths give more taste)

1 medium pear

1 medium banana

Juice of 1 lemon

3.5 cups/950 ml water

3/4 cup or 135 grams chia seeds

Spice of your choice – a little vanilla or cinnamon powder work well. I usually don’t add spices during preparation and add  some to my bowl instead so I can change the taste a little every day.

METHOD

Chop fruit into the size you like and place in a big container that has a lid. Place the frozen raspberries in there as well. Pour the lemon juice over the fruit and stir. The lemon juice is very important as it helps keep the fruit fresh and lends a sour, almost yoghurt-like taste.

Drain and rinse soaked cashew and put them in a blender with the water. You have just made cashew milk! If you want a sweeter taste, you can add a little maple syrup, honey or dates to this mixture although I find it doesn’t need additional sweetness thanks to the fruit. If you are adding spices you can also add them in at this point.

Once you have made your cashew milk, add the chia seeds. Pulse very briefly on the lowest setting of your blender – just enough to mix the chia seeds without actually blending them.

Pour the milky mixture over the fruits and stir. If you want an even closer experience to the original Bircher, you could add quinoa or buckwheat flakes and stir again. I don’t personally find this is necessary and prefer the taste and texture without.

Cover the container and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours to allow the chia seeds to create a jelly-like texture.

You can keep your Fruity Chia Bowl in the fridge for about 4-5 days, so you have breakfast ready for almost the whole week! For the best taste, take your Fruity Chia out of the fridge at least 10 minutes before eating.

You can now find chia seeds in any organic store. I usually order them online here as they are cheaper to buy in bigger sizes. You can use code WIV403 to get up to $10 off your first order.

Are you a fan of Bircher müesli? Let me know what you think if you give this alternative a try!