Quinoa Bircher Muesli

I have become something of a bircher muesli connoisseur lately.

There are some great ones in Sydney.

Exhibit a) The ‘Morning Jumble’ breakfast platter at Bread and Circus wholefood canteen in Alexandria has a strapping bowl of it, studded with goji berries alongside a pot of yoghurt with pomegranate seeds and fruit.

Exhibit b) Anyone who follows me on Instagram will know about my Sunday morning love affair with the version at Three Blue Ducks in Bronte. It was  just the thing to give me the get up and go to have my first swim of the season two weeks ago. It was so good, I almost wept. Theirs is an artful splay of yoghurt, toasted almonds, berries and fruit. The watermelon is somewhat inspired.

And lastly, Will and I have become somewhat attached to the architectural version at Baffi and Mo in Redfern. We like to sit there on a Tuesday morning, after we’ve been to the post office. I’ll read the Good Food section, he’ll have a snooze and we’ll make our way through a square bowl crammed with yoghurt soaked oats topped with fruit and a berry compote.

But some days it’s harder to make it out. Sometimes you want the good stuff at home. And so this is what I’ve resorted to.

While I endorse the slow release carbs in oats I find in all the other versions, I like the bonus hit of protein I get from rolled quinoa even more. So I’ve tinkered around until I’ve found a ratio of the two that I’m happy with.

This quinoa bircher takes what I love about lots of versions in Sydney and jumbles them in together. For some chew of dried fruit, I’ve turned to slivers of dried pear. I like to add a shake of chia seeds for ‘glue’ . For a bit of extra nuttiness and omega three I add in some ground linseed. There are flaked almonds (even better when they’re toasted, brazil nuts and even some zip from fresh fruit- berries and passionfruit are my current favourite combination.

I can make a tub of it and keep it as an emergency stash in the fridge. Of course it’s nice to be able to get out and about- but on those days when you just can’t bring yourself to donk a stroller down the fifteen stairs, it’s good to know that there’s also something excellent to eat that’s hiding in a fridge just ten feet away.

Quinoa Bircher

Serves 4

Shopping/foraging
3/4 cup of oats
3/4 cup of rolled quinoa
1/4 cup of chia seeds
1/4 cup of ground linseed
1 1/4 cups of yoghurt
1 1/4 cups of milk
1 apple,, cored and grated

To serve: chopped brazil nuts, chopped dried pear, blueberries, passionfruit and toasted flaked almonds.

Here’s how we roll

1) Combine the oats, rolled quinoa, chia, linseed, yoghurt, milk and grated apple together in a tupperware. Stir well to combine and allow to steep for 1 hr minimum (overnight is good).

2) Stir well before serving it  topped with chopped brazil nuts, dried pear, blueberries, some passionfruit and toasted flaked almonds.

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