For those of us who are getting just a little bit bored with the typical oatmeal- I offer you Meusli.
This cereal was originally created in the early 1900’s by Dr. Maximilian Bircher-Benner for his patients in his Swiss hospital. Dr. Bircher-Benner was an early pioneer in nutrition and its healing potential. He believed that raw foods especially had a nourishing and healing affect on the body. His reasoning was that raw fruits and vegetables drew energy directly from the sun and by consuming them one would be in harmony with nature, and thereby derive greater vital force. {As a side note, there are people who feel that honey is the best sweetener for this reason, that it comes from the nectar of flowers and derives more balancing properties. I like to think the same about maple syrup.}
Whether you believe this or not he also believed in physical activity such as gardening, and refraining form alcohol, coffee, chocolate or tobacco. In essence he believed in a simple, down to earth lifestyle which he observed in the shepherds of the Swiss Alps. His clinics were highly successful, supposedly inspired American physician John Kellogg who was also promoting a healthy lifestyle, including vegetarianism and spartan living. While Dr. Bircher-Benner was touting meusli, Kellogg was developing, Yep- Corn flakes in 1894, and along with C.W. Post, created Grape Nuts in 1898! Who knew!
To me Meusli (sometimes referred to as Bircher) was very European and sort of weird. Lets be honest, compared to crunchy sweet granola it can seem somewhat flat. However, after looking at how much sugar and oil goes into granola making it starts to look suspiciously more like dessert than something you might consider healthy for breakfast.
I have come to really love meusli. The raw oats have a toothsome chewiness that I find very enjoyable, along with the natural sweetness of dried fruits. I also love how quick and easy it is to eat, and in warmer days a better option than hot oatmeal. Bobs Red Mill makes a good version already mixed. It has a nice balance of dried fruits and nuts that I really like. I am known to enhance that with some fresh fruit and a splash of cinnamon. Just like oatmeal, you can doll it up any way you like. You may also create your own premix.
I think that using a thick rolled oat, such as This One, is better than a quick cooking rolled oat. The quick oats are a little on the papery side, and though perfectly fine and delicious, I find them less satisfying. It’s worth the effort to search out some thick rolled oats. Throw in some sunflower seeds, walnuts, pepitas. For sweetness add some dried fruits such as dates, coconut, raisins, apricots or cherries. I will often add chia and flax to mine, and I use coconut milk to make it more yummy.