Bircher muesli

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats
½ cup fresh orange juice
½ cup natural yoghurt
¼ cup currants or sultanas
¼ cup chopped dried apricots pinch of ground
nutmeg large pinch of ground cinnamon
1 Granny smith apple, grated, to serve
2 tablespoons natural yoghurt, extra
1 cup seasonal fresh berries, to serve

 Method:

1. combine the oats, juice, yoghurt, currants or sultanas, chopped apricots, nutmeg and cinnamon in a large bowl and stir well. chill overnight.

2. To serve, stir in the grated apple, put into serving bowls and garnish with the extra yoghurt and the berries.

HINTS AND TIPS:

* You will need—large bowl, vegetable peeler, grater, cup, liquid and spoon measures and a large spoon.

* When in season, passionfruit is a wonderful addition to bircher muesli, so try adding the pulp of 4  assionfruit to this recipe. If you cannot wait for the season to begin, use a small can of passionfruit pulp, readily available at the supermarket.

* There are many varied recipes for bircher muesli and it should be remembered that this recipe like all recipes in this book—is just a guide and so the addition of a favourite ingredient or removal of any gredients that are not so liked is easy and encouraged.

* For gluten intolerance, the use of ‘oat’ style cereals can be substituted. One in particular is made from rice-meal; however, like most foods that are a gluten substitute, the end result will certainly have a different texture, one which coeliacs are quite used to. * For a dairy-free option, simply replace the yoghurt with the same quantity of orange juice, or any other fruit juice, like apple, pineapple, mango, apricot or peach.

* Fruit yoghurts can be substituted for natural yoghurt, the only difference being that the end result will be just a bit sweeter.

* Any dried fruit can be substituted for the ones mentioned in the recipe, as long as the overall quantity for this recipe doesn’t exceed ½ cup.

* Other spices that could be used in this recipe include mixed spice or allspice to replace the cinnamon and nutmeg. If no spices are on hand, simply omit from the recipe altogether.

* As much as bircher muesli is intended for breakfast, it makes for a great afterschool snack for very hungry children.

* Once made, store the muesli in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days. Even though it may last up to 5 days, it does begin to break down too much by day 3 and is considered a fresh product once the  range juice is added.

* Mixing in freshly grated apple adds a refreshing crunch to the bircher muesli. Topping with yoghurt and berries is just one example of how to serve this dish. Serving a dollop of bircher muesli with cold milk is

simple and still delicious. Chopped fresh banana or melons can replace the fresh berries.