No Time to "Cook" Breakfast

I’ll admit, muesli and I don’t know each other. I am a huge fan of overnight oats where you combine rolled oats, milk (I use almond milk) and plain yogurt overnight and simply heat in the morning. Abbie, our newest nutrition nerd, suggested muesli and I pretended I knew what muesli was. I thought muesli was a cold cereal that came in a box but clearly didn’t know. In case you’re unacquainted with this concoction, I’ll let Abbie tell you about it. 

How many times have you grabbed something for breakfast, yogurt’s a popular choice, simply because it’s the easiest thing? This week we set out to debunk the myth that delicious means time consuming. You can put together a hearty, nutritious, flavorful breakfast in minutes the night before you plan on eating it. The key is to have the main ingredients prepped and ready so that all you have to do is mix.

So, on to this magical concoction called muesli. Basically, it's granola, without the toasting and baking. You take a bunch of uncooked rolled oats and other things you like, such as chopped nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and coconut, mix it all together, put it in a sealed container, and walk away. Some of my favorite ingredients to use for muesli are Bob's Red Mill Old Fashioned Rolled Oats and Unsweetened Shredded Coconut. Various nuts, seeds, and dried fruit should be available at most grocery stores. Look for raw, unsalted varieties. Also look for dried fruit that is fruit only, made without sulfites or sugar.

The night before you want to use the muesli, simply mix a scoop of it with some yogurt and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. You can thin out the yogurt with water or substitute the water with or nut milk, if you prefer. You can use all milk and skip the yogurt but this results in thinner muesli. You can also add a touch of sweetness to the yogurt with maple syrup, honey, or agave.

The next morning, as you wonder how you could possibly find something for breakfast since you have to be out the door five minutes ago, you open the fridge and voila! Breakfast is served.

The following is a combination of several muesli recipes I've gathered in my head over the years, with a special nod to Mark Bittman and Heidi Swanson.

Basic Muesli Recipe

4-6 Servings

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats

2/3  cup nuts (chopped) and seeds (I used walnuts, almonds, and sunflower seeds)

1/3 cup dried fruit, chopped (I used dried cranberries and apricots)

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut

1/4 teaspoon salt

Plain yogurt

Maple syrup, agave, or honey to sweeten (optional)

*Remember to use whatever nuts, seeds, fruit, etc. that you like.

Directions:

Combine the oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, coconut and salt in a large bowl. Transfer to a container until you are planning to use it.

When ready to use, for each serving spoon 1/2 cup of yogurt into a bowl. Thin with 1/4 cup nut milk and sweeten with a teaspoon of maple syrup, agave, or honey if desired. Stir in 1/2 cup of the Muesli and place in the refrigerator overnight. Serve garnished with a few chopped nuts or dried fruit.

Do you muesli? What are your favorite fall breakfasts? Any time-saving tricks?