This nutritious dish—sometimes mistyped as “museli,” “meusli,” “muselix,” and “muslie”—was created by Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner in the 20th century to serve as a healthy breakfast for hospital patients as a part of their treatment. (source – Wikipedia Muesli article) The original Bircher muesli recipe was a bit different than what it is today. It was made by using raw oats, grated apples, and chopped nuts mixed with water, lemon juice, and sweetened condensed milk.Needless to say, it took off after its creation, and muesli breakfasts spread quickly throughout Switzerland. The recipe became so widespread in the country that many still refer to it as “Swiss muesli” or “Swiss-style muesli.” Despite its European origins, muesli has also become a favorite breakfast food in the U.S., with successful brands like Alpen Muesli and Bob’s Red Mills appearing in health food stores across the country. Some of the links in this section are affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase using a link, I will get a commission at no cost to you. With that being said, these ingredients and brands are just a suggestion, and I suggest you take this basic muesli recipe and change it up according to your taste buds. My only recommendation is that you read the labels while you are shopping for these ingredients. When I am at the store, I make sure to buy products that are unsweetened, unsalted, and organic as much as possible. I prefer organic ingredients because USDA organic requirements prohibit the use of pesticides in farming, and I prefer that my muesli breakfast bowl in the morning has none of that in it. This recipe results in 16 cups of mixed muesli (approx. 16 servings), though you can halve or multiply the recipe as necessary. Please refer to the formula sheet below for ingredients and their amounts.
Quick Cooking Rolled Oats VS. Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
You can use either quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats for muesli. I prefer using quick oats because they don’t require any extra cooking to soften them. Add in milk or yogurt, and they’re ready to eat! If you are not sure about how they are different, be sure to check out this comprehensive article on rolled oats vs. old-fashioned oats. However, if you prefer to use old-fashioned oats—a thicker cut than quick-cooking oats—I recommend roasting them in the oven before eating. Simply spread the rolled oats on a large baking sheet alongside nuts and seeds (if desired) at 350 degrees F. for 10-12 minutes. Just make sure to give it a toss halfway through the process.
Dried Fruit
To give your muesli mixture an irresistible sweetness, you can add any dried fruit that’s unsweetened and doesn’t contain sulfur (marked as “unsulfured”). Some of my favorite dry fruits include dried apples, golden raisins, dried apricot, goji berries, and dried mango. If I am making this DIY muesli during the holidays, I like using dried cranberries. However, be aware that most dried cranberries are sweetened with sugar as they are pretty bitter without it. That being said, you can find use orange juice-sweetened cranberries at health food stores like Whole Foods, Sprouts, and Trader Joe’s.
Seeds and Nuts
Want to add more protein to your vegan muesli? Any unsalted raw seeds or nuts will work. My go-to additions to this muesli cereal recipe include pumpkin seeds, sliced or slivered almonds, sunflower seeds, pecans, and walnuts. You could also add ground flax seeds to your muesli to increase its omega-3 fatty acids. However, don’t add them to the cereal mixture until just before you eat it, as they must be refrigerated until use. I also enjoy adding ground warm spices for additional flavor, stirring in a pinch of ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, ground ginger, or ground cardamom. Just remember that a small amount goes a long way!
Serve it as cereal with milk: Prepare your muesli as a breakfast cereal by mixing it with an equal amount of cold milk (I recommend one cup for every cup of muesli). You can use cow or plant-based milk, such as oat or almond milk (which you can even make at home using my effortless recipes for Almond Butter Milk or DIY Almond Milk!). Then, top off your cereal muesli with fresh fruit (strawberries and blueberries are my faves) for extra juicy and sweet flavors. With yogurt: Give your muesli an irresistibly creamy texture by soaking it overnight in plain Greek yogurt. If you don’t want your muesli quite as soft, you could make a yogurt bowl by topping off your mixture with Homemade Vanilla Yogurt or your favorite store-bought brand. Or, make your muesli part of your favorite yogurt parfait with recipes like my fresh and flavorful Greek Yogurt Parfait. Alternatively, you can use this muesli to make my Overnight Oats with Yogurt by simply using this muesli mixture instead of rolled oats. With juice: Enjoy your muesli in European style by serving it with fruit juice, such as orange juice. Make oatmeal: To make muesli oatmeal, mix 1 cup of water or milk for every ½ cup of muesli. Then, bring the mixture to a quick boil on the stovetop or in the microwave, give it a quick stir, and serve. This simple oatmeal comes together in just 5-10 minutes. If you need further instructions, check out my Almond Milk Oatmeal recipe. With fruit on top or on the side: Top it off with a handful of fruit, or better yet, make a batch of my Fruit Breakfast Salad and serve it on the side. Optional sweeteners: If you have a sweet tooth, in my opinion, the best muesli recipe is one that has delicious natural sweeteners, like Pureed Blueberries, Unsweetened Applesauce, or Cranberry Maple Sauce. Alternatively, a drizzle of honey is yet another way of adding some sweetness to your morning bowl.
I use this one-gallon glass jar to store my muesli mixture. If you want to keep your muesli for longer than a month, place the cereal in smaller containers and remove as much air as possible.
Use a large bowl to mix: I highly recommend using a large bowl to combine your ingredients, as this recipe results in 16 cups of muesli, and you need enough space to distribute your ingredients evenly. When I made muesli on Instagram, I mixed all the ingredients in a large, 1-gallon glass jar, and as you can see, it is best to do it in a big bowl and then transfer it to the container. Use organic and gluten-free certified ingredients: Reduce your gluten intake, cut unhealthy chemicals from your diet, and support all-natural farms by using organic and gluten-free ingredients in this muesli dish. Halve or multiply the recipe as you please: You can prepare as many or as few servings of this breakfast dish as you’d like. Refer to the formula to increase or decrease your ingredients accordingly. Get creative: There are countless different ways to customize this easy homemade muesli recipe, and trying out new combinations is the best way to vary your diet without the hassle of everyday prep time. Whether you try this dish using an overnight oats-style, mix in some peanut butter, or top it with additional fresh fruits, don’t be afraid to have fun with it! Eat smaller portions for weight loss: If you’re trying to shed some pounds, I recommend consuming it in smaller portions (perhaps, ½ cup per serving.) Though it is made using healthy and nutritious ingredients, consuming muesli in smaller portions is ideal for weight loss.
Other Breakfast Bowl Recipes You Might Also Like
When you make your own muesli, you’re bound to fall in love with tasty breakfast foods. Try these other fan-favorite breakfast bowl recipes, and you’ll start every morning energized and satisfied.
Microwave Quinoa Breakfast Quinoa Breakfast Porridge Steel Cut Overnight Oats Buckwheat Overnight Oats Crock Pot Steel-Cut Oats Can’t get enough? Check out the rest of our breakfast bowl ideas.
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