Muesli is a healthy super speedy recipe that’s been around since 20th century! And in my house, Dried Cherry Muesli {vegan & naturally sweetened} is one of our favorite versions of this timeless recipe.
When I studied aboard in France, I ate a lot of cheese and bread. And I really do mean a lot. Can you blame me? I was a broke college student in a country with the best bread and cheese in the world!
Most nights my dinner was a gloriously crusty French baguette (70 cents) and half a little wheel of Camembert (1 euro), and some delicious wine. Mmm… so good! Not so good for me but regardless, so good. Needless to say, I ended up having to buy bigger jeans a few months after arriving.
In an effort to find some sort of balance with my “French” dinners, I searched the grocery store for something healthy. Luckily I found an unexpected old European breakfast to help me out. Bircher Muesli.
At first I had no idea what Muesli was. I found a few different random Muesli boxes tucked between mostly familiar American-style cereals. I figured, what the heck, it’s worth a try! Especially since the photo on the box cover had dried fruit in it, which I LOVE!
Since I adore dry cereal, I tried eating muesli dry (without milk)… it was not great. Uncooked oatmeal dry is kind of blah. So then I copied the photo… with milk. Haha thinking back, why the heck didn’t I just start by adding milk. I don’t know, I’m weird I guess. I think I’m the only person on earth that prefers dry cereal so that was my natural inclination.
The milk made ALL the difference! Soft oats, slightly crunchy nuts, chewy dried fruit and sweet coconut. Love at first bite mes amis. Oh la la. After that I became a little obsessed. I would buy a box a week, trying different flavors and adding various fruit toppings. Then while traveling I was lucky enough to get free muesli at hostels and B&B breakfasts. That just keep my Muesli love alive.
Sadly after my European love affair with Muesli, I forgot all about it once coming home. Shortly after arriving, I got hooked on granola.
Recently thought, I really felt like I needed to shake up my breakfast a bit and stumbled across my old French love, Muesli. Exactly what I needed right now. Super-fast to make, versatile, satisfying and healthy. Seriously the perfect stress free mommy breakfast!
It has become my to-go morning meal after long nights up with my teething peanut. So when baby and I are up, bleary eyed at 430am, muesli is my breakfast EVERY TIME! Since all I have to do, is pour muesli in a bowl, pour milk and then spoon in my mouth, I can feed myself no matter how zombie-like I feel.
A breakfast ideal for zombies is a breakfast for me! Plus it makes me feel kinda french and fancy even at 430am 👑
Bon Appetite!
Dried Cherry Muesli {vegan & naturally sweetened}
Yields a big batch. Enough about a week of breakfast.
Individual Serving size: 1/2 cup muesli, 1/2 milk and 1/2 fruit mix in (shredded apple or smashed banana).
- 5 cups rolled oats
- 2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted
- 2 cups sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup chia seeds
- 1 cup dried cherries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut on a baking sheet. Bake 7 to 11 minutes, watching closely, until the coconut is evenly golden brown. Let the coconut cool.
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl including the cooled coconut, then transfer to an airtight storage container. Store for 2-3 weeks.
To serve, pour 1/2 cup muesli in a bowl and cover with 1/2 milk of your choice. I like using unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Top with 1/2 a shredded apple or mix in 1/2 a smashed banana. Adding a spoon of yogurt is also really good 😋
Happy eating!
Recipe slightly adapted from Alexandra Cooks.
Originally posted 2016-11-04 11:00:00.
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