I don't love breakfast. Never have. But as moms all over the world recite: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
I know I need to eat breakfast to jump-start my metabolism and fight waistline bulge, and my default is a bowl of oatmeal. When I got bored with my oatmeal the other day, I decided to make Alicia's recipe for Nutty Muesli. It's similar to oatmeal but decidedly different, with whole grains, nuts and fresh fruit as essential components.
A Swiss doctor named Maximilian Bircher-Benner invented muesli around 1900 for his hospital patients as an essential part of therapy.
The original recipe called for lots of fruit, while supermarket brands usually contain mostly grains. Alicia's homemade version is versatile. The cereal is wonderful served cold, topped with milk, or soaked overnight in yogurt or milk, as Europeans usually do.
Alicia likes to heat the moist, soaked muesli for a minute or so in the microwave to make a hot cereal, then top with fresh fruit.
Alicia served her Nutty Muesli when I visited her home in Raleigh, N.C., recently, and as we basked in the warm glow of food and friendship, I realized anew how wonderful breakfast could be.
Menu suggestion: Nutty Muesli
Plain or fruit yogurt
Fresh berries
Nutty Muesli
Start to finish: 10 minutes
1 cup whole rolled oats (old-fashioned uncooked oatmeal)
1/2 cup "quick" barley
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup dried cherries (or Craisins)
1/4 cup golden flaxseed
Fat-free yogurt or milk, for serving, if desired
Fresh fruit of choice, optional
Cook's note: Muesli is good served cold in milk (or refrigerated overnight soaked in a little milk). It's also wonderful warmed in the microwave like oatmeal. Serve with fresh fruit for even more flavor and health benefits.
Combine all the ingredients, and store in an airtight container. Serve cold or hot. (See cook's note.)
Yield: 8 servings, 1/2 cup each
Approximate values per serving: 235 calories (52 percent from fat), 14 g fat (1 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 6 g protein, 24 g carbohydrates, 5 g dietary fiber, 2 mg sodium.
Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross are co-authors of "Desperation Dinners!" (Workman, 1997), "Desperation Entertaining!" (Workman, 2002) and "Cheap. Fast. Good!" (Workman, 2006). Contact them at Desperation Dinners, c/o United Media, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016, or send e-mail to telluskitchenscoop.com. Or visit the Desperation Dinners Web site at www.kitchenscoop.com.
© Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross Dist. by United Feature Syndicate Inc.