Muesli, a versatile mix of rolled oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruits, offers a convenient and nutritious breakfast option. This article explores the benefits of muesli, particularly for weight loss, and provides various recipes and customization tips to make it a delicious and sustainable part of your diet.
What is Muesli?
Muesli is essentially a breakfast cereal that's served cold and made with a base of whole grains (usually rolled oats) and a variety of other ingredients like nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. It’s typically served uncooked, so you can enjoy it straight from the jar, or soak it in yogurt or milk overnight.
Muesli originated in Switzerland by doctor Maximilian Bircher-Benner in the early 1900’s. His version, which is referred to as “Bircher muesli” was made by soaking a dry muesli (like this recipe here) in cream, milk, yogurt or lemon juice until the ingredients become soft. It’s said that he designed this recipe specifically for his patients as a healthy meal that’s rich in nutrients and easy to digest to help with chronic health conditions.
Muesli vs. Granola: Understanding the Difference
While granola and muesli both share similar ingredients, the two are different. Granola, like my Peanut Butter Granola is made by tossing the oats with oil or butter and a sweetener (usually honey or maple syrup) and is baked in the oven until golden and crispy. Granola often forms crunchy clusters that make a great topping for yogurt bowls or smoothies. Muesli is essentially an easier and healthier granola as it has no oil or sweeteners and is either served raw or lightly toasted.
Health Benefits of Muesli
Muesli is packed with many health benefits. It’s high in fiber, protein, and vitamins that provide a steady energy boost to start your day.
Read also: Comprehensive Review of Muesli
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health claims that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and a combination of cereal grains, fruits, seeds and nuts is the most nutrient rich choice to start your day.
Muesli and Weight Loss
Because muesli is high in fiber and whole grains it can help keep you full for hours and can help with weight loss. Swiss Bircher muesli is a perfect example of how to eat oats for weight loss. Losing weight will be so much easier by adding oats to your diet.
Fiber Content
Apple Bircher muesli may promote weight loss because of its high fiber content.
Basic Muesli Recipe
This Easy Muesli recipe comes together in just 20 minutes for a healthy breakfast that can be enjoyed on its own, soaked in your favourite milk or served on top of yogurt!
Ingredients:
- Old fashioned rolled oats - the base of your muesli. The texture of rolled oats work best for muesli and I don’t recommend swapping them for quick oats or steel cut oats. Oats are naturally gluten-free, but often cross-contaminated so make sure to grab certified gluten-free oats if needed.
- Nuts: this is where it gets fun. You can use any variety of nuts you love for this easy muesli recipe! almonds and pecans - for the nuts in this recipe I prefer sliced raw almonds and chopped raw pecans, but feel free to use your favorite variety of nuts. Whatever nuts you end up using, make sure to use raw nuts as to not add any oils or seasonings to the muesli.
- Seeds: same goes for seeds! pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds - for the seeds I usually go with raw pumpkin seeds (aka pepitas) and raw sunflower seeds. We’re toasting these along with the oats and nuts, which really brings out more flavor.
- Dried fruit: there are many different types of dried fruit you can add to muesli. For this recipe to keep it simple I’ve used dried cranberries and golden raisins. You’ll need 1 cup, which you can mix-and-match with whatever you have on hand. Whatever fruit you use, just try to use unsweetened or fruit juice sweetened because a lot of dried fruit can have unnecessary added oils and sugars.
- Coconut flakes - adds a nice flavor and additional crunch. I prefer to use large coconut flakes so they don’t burn while toasting, but shredded coconut will also work.
- Coconut sugar: just a touch to sweeten. If you like a sweeter Muesli, you can add some extra coconut sugar or any sweetener you like. You can also add some spices like cinnamon if you want more flavour.
Instructions:
- Start by mixing the oats, nuts and seeds together in a bowl then spread them out onto a baking sheet to toast.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the oats, almonds, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cinnamon and salt to a large bowl and toss to combine.
- Spread the oat mixture out onto the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, until fragrant and lightly golden.
- Add the coconut flakes to the baking sheet and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the coconut is lightly golden.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10-15 minutes then transfer the mixture back to the large mixing bowl.
- Once toasted, remove from the oven and mix in the dried fruits and optionally a bit of coconut sugar to sweeten.
- Add the dried fruit to the muesli AFTER baking the oats, nuts and seeds. If you add the dried fruits before baking they will dry out too much in the oven and become very hard.
Bircher Muesli Recipe
This adaptable Bircher muesli recipe is my morning go-to. It’s very easy to make ahead - often I mix the muesli with milk and yogurt before going to bed and stash it in the fridge so it’s ready when I wake up. It makes mornings a breeze!
Read also: Paleo Granola Recipes
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of the muesli mix
- 1/2 cup milk of choice
- 1/4 cup yogurt (optional)
- 1/2 grated apple
Instructions:
- Combine the muesli mix with the milk, yogurt, and apple, and stash in the fridge overnight.
- Or: stir together 1/2 cup of the muesli mix, 1/2 cup milk of choice, 1/4 cup yogurt (optional), and 1/2 grated apple.
- Mix together the 1/2 cup muesli mix with the 1/2 cup milk, grated apple, fruit (if using), and yogurt.
Quick Muesli Preparation
Sometimes I just soak the muesli in milk for about 15 minutes - no apple, no yogurt. For me, I’ll soak 1/2 cup of muesli with 1/2 cup of milk for at least 15 minutes. Sometimes I add more milk if it has gotten too thick.
Muesli Variations and Customizations
As I mentioned above, muesli is totally customizable, so feel free to play around with the ingredients and preparation to make this recipe your own.
Nuts and Seeds
Swap the nuts and seeds in this recipe with whatever you have on hand. Walnuts, almonds, pecans, cashews, pistachios, hazelnuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds will all work.
Dried Fruit
Swap in your favorite dried fruit such as chopped dried apricots, apples, cherries, blueberries, bananas, mango, figs, currants, pineapple, etc.
Spices
I like the addition of warming spices like cinnamon, cloves, ground ginger, nutmeg and ground cardamom, but you could also add a blend like pumpkin pie spice.
Read also: Sweet and Savory Keto Cream Cheese
Additional Mix-Ins
Mix in brown rice crisps, rice puffs, millet puffs, wheat germ, chia seeds, hemp seeds, ground flax seeds, or any other add-ins you prefer. Date pellets (an amazing discovery - so much easier than cutting dates; plus they don’t clump).
Other Grains
Also, wheat flakes, oat flakes, etc.
Sweeteners
If you like a sweeter Muesli, you can add some extra coconut sugar or any sweetener you like.
Serving Suggestions
My favorite way to eat muesli is with Greek yogurt and fresh berries for breakfast, but there are so many ways to enjoy muesli.
As Cereal
Serve the muesli in a bowl with cold milk (either regular or dairy-free milk).
Parfait-Style
Serve the muesli in a bowl with yogurt and fresh fruit. Step 1: In a glass or a jar, layer the muesli, Greek yoghurt, and mixed fruits. Step 2: Sprinkle chia seeds or flaxseeds over each layer for an extra nutritional boost. Step 3: Repeat the layers until the glass or jar is filled. Step 4: Drizzle honey or maple syrup over the top layer. Step 5: Refrigerate for 30 minutes so the flavours can meld. Step 6: Enjoy this creamy and filling muesli and yoghurt parfait as a healthy breakfast or a dessert alternative.
Overnight Muesli
Similar to my Bircher muesli recipe you can soak this muesli in milk, fruit juice or water overnight in the fridge (I recommend a 1:1 ratio of muesli and liquid). In the morning, enjoy this overnight oats-style muesli. Step 1: Soak chia seeds in yoghurt overnight. Step 2: Take a bowl and soak oats in apple juice for 15 minutes. Step 3: In a bowl, combine yoghurt, honey, and oats in apple juice with the chia seeds. Mix in the dried berries. Step 4: Pour some of the yoghurt mixtures over some of the berries in four glasses. The remaining yoghurt mixture should be combined with the walnuts, almond slivers, and pistachios.
Hot Muesli
Pour hot milk or water over the muesli in a bowl and let it sit for a few minutes to soften. I recommend a 1:1 ratio of muesli and liquid, but feel free to add less or more depending on what consistency you prefer.
Smoothie Bowl Topping
Sprinkle muesli over your favorite smoothie bowl like this green smoothie bowl or blue smoothie bowl for added crunch and flavor.
Muesli Protein Pancakes
Step 1: In a blender, combine muesli, oat flour, cottage cheese, eggs, baking powder, and vanilla extract. Step 2: Blend until smooth and well combined. If desired, sweeten the batter with stevia or honey. Step 3: Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and lightly grease it with cooking spray or oil. Step 4: Pour 1/4 cup of the batter onto the pan to form each pancake. Step 5: Cook until bubbles appear on the surface, then flip and cook the other side until golden brown. Step 6: Serve the muesli protein pancakes with fresh fruits, a dollop of Greek yoghurt, or a drizzle of pure maple syrup.
Storage Tips
To store your muesli, simply transfer it to an airtight container and store in a cool dry place. (This is important to keep its crispy texture!) Properly stored, muesli can stay fresh for 3-4 weeks. For longer-term storage, you can also keep muesli in the refrigerator or freezer for 1-2 months. Let the muesli come to room temperature before serving. Let the muesli cool to room temperature to avoid moisture buildup.
Tips for Making the Best Muesli
- Use rolled oats: Rolled oats work best to make muesli and give a chewy nutty taste and texture.
- Toast nuts and seeds: make sure to toast the nuts and seeds for the muesli. This will give them much more depth of flavor.
- Add dried fruit after baking: Add the dried fruit to the muesli AFTER baking the oats, nuts and seeds. If you add the dried fruits before baking they will dry out too much in the oven and become very hard.
- Sweeten to taste: If you like a sweeter Muesli, you can add some extra coconut sugar or any sweetener you like. You can also add some spices like cinnamon if you want more flavour.
- Use raw nuts/seeds: Use unsalted and unroasted seeds and nuts for the best results.
Common Questions About Muesli
Should you eat muesli hot or cold?
Muesli can be enjoyed hot or cold! To enjoy it cold, just add your favorite milk to the muesli and enjoy. If it’s chilly outside and you want a warm bowl of muesli, add equal parts muesli and milk to a pot on the stove and let simmer for 3-4 minutes. Remove and enjoy.
Is muesli good for you every day?
Absolutely! Muesli is packed with whole grains, protein, healthy fats and lots of fiber making it a great daily breakfast option.
Is muesli as healthy as oatmeal?
Yes! Muesli is technically oatmeal with the addition of nuts, seeds and dried fruits.
Is muesli gluten-free?
This muesli recipe is gluten-free as long as you use gluten-free oats. Not all muesli is gluten-free depending on the ingredients used.
Can I use quick oats or steel-cut oats instead of old-fashioned rolled oats?
I don’t recommend using quick oats or steel cut oats. Rolled oats provide the best texture for muesli. Quick oats can get soft/mushy quick and steel-cut oats are very tough and need to be soaked for awhile to soften.
How can I sweeten my muesli without adding sugar?
Rely on the natural sweetness of the dried fruit, or add a drizzle of honey or maple syrup when serving.
Can I add fresh fruits to the muesli mix?
Fresh fruits should be added when serving, not during the baking process, as they can make the muesli soggy.
Is homemade muesli healthier than store-bought?
The great thing about homemade muesli is it can be as healthy (or not) as you want, as you control the quality and quantity of ingredients, especially sugar and preservatives.