Bircher Muesli with Pears and Raisins

This is a lovely high fibre breakfast treat, made tasty by the addition of sweet, nutritious, fresh and dried fruit. On the weekend I often soak the oats in the juice as soon as I get up, then we take our dog for a long walk and enjoy this breakfast when we return.

serves 4
V

what you need
1 cup (90g) rolled oats
3/4 cup (180ml) pear juice
1/4 cup (40g) raw almonds
1/3 cup (80ml) natural yoghurt
(european or greek style)
1/3 cup (50g) raisins
1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
2 poached pears, sliced

what you do
1. Combine the rolled oats and pear juice in a bowl and soak for up to one hour, or even overnight (this soaking assists your body to digest the oats, enabling you to retain maximum nutrition). Refrigerate if soaking overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan forced). Spread the almonds onto an oven tray and bake for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool, then roughly grind in a food processor.
3. Stir the yoghurt, raisins and lemon zest into the oat mixture. Serve with the pears, sprinkled with ground almonds.

Note: You can use raw pears, if you prefer.
Out of season, you can use canned or preserved pears.

GF option: Use gluten-free oats.

 rolled oats like other cereals, have a hard, inedible outer husk that must be removed before the grain can be eaten. What remains is called a groat, and rolled oats are traditionally groats that have been rolled into flakes, then steamed and lightly toasted. Oats are an excellent source of thiamine (vitamin B1), iron, and dietary fibre. This fibre helps to reduce cholesterol levels in the bloodstream, which helps to prevent heart disease.    

 © Jane Grover - NAKED FOOD - the way food was meant to be