Healthy Overnight Oats (inspired by Bircher Muesli)
Muesli is a cold oatmeal dish made with rolled oats soaked overnight in milk, yogurt or juice and topped with various nuts, seeds and fruits. In case you didn’t know, muesli was invented by Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner for patients in his hospital. It is now eaten as a standard breakfast item in many countries around the world, especially in Europe.
I eat oatmeal at least a couple of times a week for breakfast, but it is my preferred breakfast food when we travel. No matter where we go in the world, I always look forward to a hearty bowl of warm oatmeal in the hotel restaurant for breakfast. It’s a healthy way to start the day since I can’t guarantee what type of food we’ll have for the rest of the day when we are out exploring different places.
I was introduced to Bircher Muesli in 2014 when we spent a month in Luxembourg. I was looking for warm steel cut oats at the breakfast buffet that I usually have in hotels in North America, but couldn’t find it. When I asked the staff for oatmeal, they had no clue what I was even saying (since they mostly speak French there). Then I said I was looking for “avoine” (oat in French) and they pointed me towards this giant bowl of muesli. I took a little bit in my bowl and sat down with disappointment to eat it, but it ended up being a very satisfying meal. Once we got back home to Canada, I went back to eating my plain old warm oatmeal in the morning.
Then in 2015, we went to Sydney, Australia, and the muesli at the hotel was another level. I completely fell in love with it, but it wasn’t until our trip to Fiji in 2019 that I decided I must figure out how to make this bowl of goodness when we return home. So, I researched and tested various recipes over the past few months, and I’m really pleased with this version.
Original Bircher Muesli has five components – soaked oats, apples, nuts, lemon juice and a sweetener. It is meant to be served fresh by adding the shredded apples and various nuts and seeds as toppings on the overnight oats. As a working mom, I try to minimize any extra work in the morning, so I add everything the night before. The texture becomes slightly softer and less crunchy than the ones you get in hotels and restaurants, but the flavour is just as good. I usually mix everything in a medium container and then fill a couple of small containers or jars to take with me to work in the morning. My kids love eating this in the morning as well. Since most elementary schools have a nut-free policy, make sure to skip the nuts if you are planning to pack this as a school snack for your kids.
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The beauty of making muesli is the flexibility to add or substitute ingredients. The apple, oats, yogurt and milk is the base. Everything else is based on your preference. I buy most of my “superfoods” seeds and grans from Prana. They have a wide selection of organic superfoods and snacks for the whole family. Check out their site and use the promo code below to save on your order (coupon code valid for Canadian consumers only) 😊.
If you haven’t tried this type of muesli before, I suggest giving this exact recipe a try first. Your taste buds will be delighted! Comment below and let me know what ingredients you love to put in your muesli.
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Prep time: 5-10 mins | Servings: 4 (one-cup portions)
Ingredients
1 apple, grated (Red Delicious is my favourite, but any type of apple works)
1 peach, grated (optional)
1 cup quick rolled oats
1½ cup Greek or Plain yogurt
1 cup milk
1 tbsp honey or agave syrup
2 tbsp almonds, sliced or slivered
1 tbsp chia seeds (whole, not ground)
1 tbsp hemp hearts
2 tbsp raisins (golden or Thompson)
Substitutions:
Milk: almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, oat milk
Nuts: chopped pecans or walnuts
Seeds: pumpkin seeds, ground flaxseed
Fruits: dried dates, apricots, figs
Instructions
Grate the apple using a cheese grater.
Grate the peach if using.
Place grated fruits in a medium-size container and add the remaining ingredients.
Stir to mix well. Add a couple of more tablespoons of milk if the mixture is too thick. You want it to be a bit runny because the oats and chia seeds will absorb the moisture.
Cover and refrigerate overnight. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Serve cold. Top with slices of banana, fresh berries, and shredded coconut if desired.
If you give this recipe a try, I’d love to know how it turns out.
Comment below or share a photo on IG and tag @emmaya.us.
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About Me
Hi there! I’m Tahmina - mom of two girls, an engineer, a passionate baker, a decent cook, and a creative event planner.
I’ve always enjoyed baking but became passionate about it after I had my first child. Now I combine my knowledge from working in the food industry and increased interest in food and nutrition to experiment with various ingredients and recipes.
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