So after posting my simple breakfast muesli, I thought I’d share with you my equation for the perfect muesli blend. But before I go into detail, let’s chat about muesli.

What is Muesli?

Muesli (pronounced: /mu : zli/) is a raw, dry cereal mix made up of grains, dried fruit, nuts and seeds. It was developed by a Swiss doctor, Maximilian Bircher-Benner, who used it as a prescription for his patients. Muesli is a popular breakfast item, especially in Europe, and even more so in Switzerland and Germany. It’s typically served and eaten directly after combining with milk or yogurt or it can be soaked overnight in the milk and then served.

Why Muesli?

It is made of a nutrient-dense blend of ingredients that provide you with a balanced bowl of carbohydrates, fat and protein that give you energy and keep you satisfied throughout the morning.

Muesli is also such a versatile breakfast. It can be made the night before for those busy mornings or lazy days when you don’t want to fuss with an extravagant breakfast. It can be adapted to the ingredients you have on hand, different taste preferences, allergies and special diets. AND it can be used a variety of different ways! It can be eaten raw with a little bit of milk or yogurt, or soaked over night for a softer version. You can also heat it up or use it as a topping. The possibilities are endless.

Why make your own?

First of all, making muesli is quite simple. It’s merely tossing ingredients into a bowl and storing them in an airtight container. Making your own also lets you choose what ingredients go in. This is key because a lot of commercially sold Mueslis tend to add additional sugars besides those found naturally in the dried fruit. Now don’t get me wrong, there are some good pre-packaged mueslis out there. I just find it easier to make my own, especially since it can be so individualized! I can switch up the combination of ingredients depending on the day, what I have on hand, and what I’m in the mood for. It’s really ideal.

The Perfect Muesli Blend:

[2 cups grain + ½ cup dried fruit + ¼ cup flakes + ¼ cup nuts/seeds + 2 tbsp add-ins]

Grains: Oats (optional: Gluten Free Oats) and/or puffed amaranth, barley flakes, buckwheat flakes, puffed kamut, puffed Millet, puffed quinoa, rye flakes, spelt flakes, wheat flakes

Dried fruit: Apples, apricots, cherries, cranberries, currants, dates, figs, goji berries, golden raisins, mulberries, pineapple, raisins, etc.

Flakes: Ground flax seed, quinoa flakes, wheat bran, wheat germ

Nuts: Almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts Seeds: Chia Seeds, hemp seeds, poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds

Add-ins: Acai powder, bee pollen, cacao nibs, cacao powder, coconut flakes, lucuma powder, maca powder, matcha tea powder, nuts, plant-protein powder, seeds, spirulina powder, spices – cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, turmeric, etc.

How to serve:

Topping | sprinkle on top smoothies or yogurt as a substitution for sugar-coated granola Cereal | served with milk (cows, almond, cashew, soy, oat, etc.) – Soaked or Unsoaked Yogurt | served with yogurt for a protein packed breakfast or snack Porridge | combine with milk and heat on the stove for a warm breakfast option

Why Soak Muesli?

Soaking muesli significantly changes the texture, making it quite a bit softer and for some easier to digest. Soaking also helps reduce the amount of phytic acid. Phytic acid is a naturally occurring compound found in whole grains, nuts and seeds. As we digest these foods, the phytic acids binds (or using more technically term chelates) with zinc, calcium, iron and magnesium making it harder for a bodies to absorb those nutrient. The amount of phytic acid can be reduced by soaking (as well as cooking and sprouting) the whole grains, nuts or seeds. By doing any one of these methods, our bodies are better able to absorb and utilize the nutrients we need!

 Muesli Blend - How to create your own Muesli Blend
Muesli Blend – How to create your own Muesli Blend

Some of my favorite combinations

Cinnamon Apple | [2 cups oats + ½ cup dried apples + ¼ cup ground flax + ¼ cup walnuts + 2 tbsp hemp seeds + ½ tsp cinnamon]

Super food | [2 cups oats + ½ cup dried goji berries, mulberries, cacao nibs + quinoa flakes + ¼ cup chia seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds+ 2 tbsp maca powder + lucuma powder]

Tropical | [2 cups oats + ½ cup dried pineapple, mango, papaya + ¼ cup ground flax + ¼ cup cashews + 2 tbsp ¼ cup coconut flakes]


Make sure to follow Nourished by Nutrition on Instagram. If you make this recipe tag #nourishedbynutriton so I can see what you have made and feature you!


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