Bircher Muesli Recipe

History of Muesli

Muesli was introduced around 1900 by the Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner for patients in his hospital, where a diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables was an essential part of therapy. It was inspired by a similar “strange dish” that he and his wife had been served on a hike in the Swiss Alps. Muesli in its modern form became popular in Western countries starting in the 1960s as part of increased interest in health food and vegetarian diets. The original Bircher muesli was soaked overnight with water and lemon juice, and then eaten with yoghurt. 1

Original Bircher-Benner recipe

bircher muesli

The original Bircher-Benner recipe consists of the following ingredients:

  • Apples, “two or three small apples or one large one.” The whole apple was to be used, including skin, core, and pips.
  • Nuts, either walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts, one tablespoon.
  • Rolled oats (previously soaked in 3 tablespoons water for 12 hours), one tablespoon.
  • Lemon juice from half a lemon.
  • Either cream and honey or sweetened condensed milk, 1 tablespoon.

The dish was prepared by mixing the cream and honey or condensed milk with the soaked oats and lemon juice and, while stirring, grating the whole apple into the mixture. This method prevented the apple pulp from browning.

Cinnamon Bircher Muesli

Here is my adaptation of Bircher Muesli with less sugar and sweeteners and more nutrient dense ingredients.

bircher muesli

Serves 1

Ingredients:

  • ½ – 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • ¼ cup gluten free oats
  • ½ tablespoon pumpkin seeds
  • ½ tablespoon sunflower seeds
  • 1 tablespoon hemp hearts
  • ½ tablespoon chia seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ apple, grated

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined. Store in the fridge overnight or until the oats, seeds and fruit have soaked up most of the liquid. You may wish to stir this mixture occasionally.


Source:

Kurmann, Joseph A.; Rasic, Jeremija L.; Kroger, Manfred (1992), “Bircher Muesli”, Encyclopedia of Fermented Fresh Milk Products: An International Inventory of Fermented Milk, Cream, Buttermilk, Whey, and Related Products (1 ed.), Springer Verlag, p. 75, ISBN 978-0-442-00869-7