I used to make porridge with milk. The thought of making it with water used to gross me out. It was a silly notion I had. Just this week, I decided to make it with water and didn't notice too much difference.
My ifs with porridge:
- If you want to save money, you should make it with water.
- If you have a large group of people to feed and you need a cheap breakfast, porridge is a great idea. You can get a 900g pack of rolled oats for $1.20! (Something to add to your blog, Jess K?)
- If you used to make it with milk, you can now eat your porridge and drink your milk separately at breakfast. It'll make you think you've eaten more at breakfast, and probably fill you up that bit more.
Bircher muesli
Bec tweeted about Bircher muesli and I've been thinking about it ever since. I first heard of it at beach mission, but don't recall ever eating it or making it.
The basic concept is leaving rolled oats to soak in apple juice, dried fruit and yoghurt overnight. In the morning, it will look like cold porridge. You add a shredded Granny Smith apple and other stuff you like e.g. sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, nuts, fresh fruit, milk, honey, cinnamon or yoghurt.
I love the idea of Bircher muesli because you make it the night before and you don't have to apply heat (thus saving gas or electricity and washing up the saucepan).
My ifs with Bircher muesli:
- If you're in a rush in the morning, breakfast is already done!
- If you need to cook breakfast for people, you can prepare this the night before and not have to wake up so early. And you can make it tasty and look pretty - just check out the comments on the highest rated Bircher muesli recipes on Taste.
- If you make it with water (instead of juice), low calorie yoghurt and add some unprocessed oat bran (for fibre) it's a very healthy start to the day.
- If you wanted to be decadent, you could make it with King Island yoghurt, full-fat Greek yoghurt and/or double cream (yum!).
My current batch of Bircher muesli sitting in the fridge is made up of oats, water (I find apple juice too sweet. For you penny pinchers out there, it's a money saver too), yoghurt and some trail mix (nuts, seeds and dried fruit) I found in the fridge. Yummo! Can't wait to eat it in the morning.
Many thanks to Bec for inspiring me.
Update: I forgot to add that porridge and bircher muesli (if you leave out crunchy stuff) are very braces friendly food.
I hope you enjoy it Jess... unfortunately Bircher and i are not friends. I was out for breakfast one morning with dear Jen and in a burst of healthy spirit ordered it rather than my usual bacon and eggs. i thought it was normal museli so when a MU-assive bowl of cold, sticky,slop appeared in front of me i almost cried...being healthy never pays off.
ReplyDeleteTaire! Hello again!
ReplyDeleteThat was an Elsie post, but either way I too am a fan of both porridge and bircher, although bircher is an acquired taste I suppose. I have had savoury porridge, another weird but nice breakfast.
I'm never healthy when I eat out...
...i gave up on it too.
ReplyDeleteI love love love Bircher muesli!
ReplyDeleteOoh! Share your recipe Jess :) Do you use generic or branded oats? Do you use rolled oats or quick cook oats?
ReplyDeleteI've never actually made my own. Is it worth it? Does it turn out like those you get in cafes?
ReplyDeleteI've never had it a cafe so I don't know what to expect.
ReplyDeleteI would use rolled oats & branded. Cos it's so good & if you make a batch, you'd want it to be good. Otherwise it'll just go to waste.
ReplyDelete