Here’s to kicking off 2016 in the best way possible: with an energizing and whole breakfast of champions, of course.

In this case, we’re starting off our days Bircher style, with soaked muesli to make all your mornings happier, brighter, and a little saner. If you’ve never heard of Bircher muesli before, think of it as the original overnight oats. Although cultures have been soaking their whole grains, seeds, and nuts for thousands of years, it wasn’t until the early 1990’s when a Swiss physician by the name of Maximillian Bircher-Brenner popularized soaked oats for his patients as a nutritionally superior breakfast. The easy and delicious idea took off and soaked grains like Bircher muesli have been part of a standard European breakfast ever since.

I first encountered the magical world of muesli when backpacking Europe a few years back. I was first confused as to why the heck the oats were raw – shouldn’t they be toasted and clumped together in sugary sweet American granola fashion? This was before my eyes were opened to real foods, mind you. I soon learned to appreciate the simple ritual of muesli: soaking it before bed in a nut milk or yogurt, and enjoying the cold porridge in the morning topped with whatever seasonal fruits I could muster my hands on. I remember staying at a little B&B in the south of Spain for a few weeks in a small casita with a lovely roommate from England. Every morning we would cook our soaked muesli on the small stove in our rickety casita and top each bowl with ripe persimmons, pomegranate seeds, or figs that we found wandering around the Spanish countryside. Oh mornings with muesli…

Museli Love.

Even if your mornings aren’t starting off in the Spanish countryside, that’s OK too. In fact, you can have a delectable, slow morning wherever you are thanks to the addition of some wholesome, nutritious, and hearty muesli made right here in the states – Seven Sunday’s. I’ve been crushing on this brand ever since they sent me samples to taste a while back. Ever since, I’ve been smitten with their sense of community, promotion of a leisurely breakfast for all, and the fact that their products are nutrition superstars made without GMOs, gluten, or anything else artificial. Plus you can find them at Target stores nationwide– yay! Hello breakfast, and helloooo Seven Sunday’s.

So, thanks to the kind folks at Seven Sunday’s, this post is going to filled with major oat love. First thing’s first: museli, pronounced muse-lee, is a breakfast game changer. Although it’s been around for years, muesli is starting to pick up steam in the health food community where it’s being touted as a great whole food breakfast option – which it totally is. Museli is made up of raw or lightly toasted rolled oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and sometimes an occasional touch of natural sweetener like maple syrup or honey. Because it’s packed with whole foods, muesli is a delicious way to get in fiber (hello beta-glucan!), protein, B Vitamins, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and potassium for a totally balanced, and nourishing breakfast.

Of course, muesli can be enjoyed raw – eaten by the handful, or poured into a bowl with nut milk like cereal. My favorite way to enjoy muesli is Bircher-style, which takes your standard bowl of raw oats to a whole new level. Of course, soaking muesli also allows their nutrients to become more easily absorbed while breaking down pesky phytic acid in the process. I prefer to soak my muesli two ways, the first with unsweetened nut milk, and the second in a mixture of coconut yogurt and nut milk. Soaking muesli in nut milk creates a creamy, dreamy smooth texture. The oats are fully absorbed with goodness, and every bite is a dream. Soaking muesli in coconut yogurt plus a hint of nut milk is a total treat with the best thick, hearty texture. Both versions take less than a minute to throw together the night before, and both are uniquely different in changing the taste and texture of the muesli. I hope you try them both, experimenting with your favorite Seven Sunday’s variety as you go!

Seven Sundays Muesli + almond milk or coconut yogurt + some extra goodness = Incredibly simple and delicious Bircher Muesli, two ways. Yum!

Bircher Muesli: 2 Ways

Each version makes 1 serving

Nut Milk Bircher Muesli:

½ cup muesli (Seven Sunday’s is my fav!)
⅓ cup unsweetened nut milk

Combine muesli and nut milk in a jar and stir well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, top Bircher muesli with nuts, cinnamon, seeds, almond butter, and seasonal fruit. Enjoy!

Coconut Yogurt Bircher Muesli:

½ cup muesli (Seven Sunday’s is my fav!)
½ cup unsweetened coconut yogurt
3 tablespoons unsweetened nut milk

Combine muesli, nut milk, and coconut yogurt in a jar and stir well to combine. Refrigerate overnight and enjoy in the morning topped with chia seed jam, nuts, seeds, cinnamon, nut butter, and fruit. Enjoy!

P.S. I’m hosting an Instagram giveaway with Seven Sunday’s until Sunday January 24th – head over for your chance to win all kinds of SS swag!