Coconut & Mango Bircher Muesli Inspired By Zanna Van Dijk
Zanna is a big fan of oats and mentioned her overnight oats with coconut which are right up my street. As a personal trainer and fitness blogger, I feel like when it comes to fuelling your body and knowing what makes a great breakfast; Zanna knows. She's a big fan of oats, and whilst I cant promise these oats will make you look like Zanna, they really are delicious.
Everyone is short of time in the morning, no matter who you are. I mean, that's a pretty sweeping statement but I'm going to stand by it. At least some of your mornings will be spent bleary eyed and dashing out the door without so much as a glance in the mirror. So, the idea of being able to whip up a batch of oats on a Sunday evening and then being able to scoop them and go as you rush out the door in the morning is definitely something I like to do. These soaked oats, or bircher muesli are completely fool proof. Genuinely you can't go wrong and they are a complete game changer when time is not on your side.
The premise is this: simply cover you oats with a liquid (apple juice, milk, coconut milk, almond milk, cream, yoghurt, orange juice are all great) and leave for a few hours or overnight. The oats will plump up and become creamy and delicious. Eat this is in a fancy hotel and the chances are it will be made with cream. Yes. That is why it tastes so good. Sorry about that.
You can add mashed berries, grated apple, dried fruits, nuts, seeds, desiccated coconut....or all or any of these and stir them through. Top with stewed apples, poached apricots or berry compote for a really delicious breakfast. For these Zanna inspired oats I have used the tropical flavours of coconut, mango and lime for a zingy, zesty and delicious flavour combination to ensure your day starts with a spring in your step.
The bircher is topped off with delicious mango steeped in a lime syrup which everyone loves.
- Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
For the bircher:
300g oats
400ml coconut milk
300ml almond milk
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp desiccated coconut
juice and zest of 1 lime
For the mangoes in lime syrup:
1 mango
110g sugar
125 ml water
1 lime, zest and juice
Instructions
Put all the ingredients for the muesli in a large bowl. Give it a good stir. Cover with clingfilm and leave in the fridge overnight.
If it's too stiff when you come to serve it, you can always loosen it with more liquid. Scoop into bowls and top with the mango and some coconut flakes.
For the mango:
All you have to do is pop the sugar and water in a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar is all dissolved.
Bring gently to the boil and then turn down the heat and simmer for 2 minutes.
Turn off the heat and add the lime juice and the zest.
Allow the syrup to cool.
Peel the mango and cut into slices, or chunks, whichever you prefer.
Pop the mango in a bowl and then douse the mango in the syrup and leave to mingle for an hour or so in the fridge (that’s the mango and syrup mingling…not you. Don’t climb in the fridge).
Serve chilled.