Cold Oatmeal with Yogurt and Fresh Berries
We first learned to love cold oatmeal in Hawaii, of all places. We were intrigued by the cold, creamy scoop of what locals were calling muesli after the dish of soaked grains and dried fruits made popular at the turn of the century by Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner for patients in his hospital.
The original Bircher muesli consisted of grains and fruit soaked overnight with water and lemon juice, and then eaten with yoghurt. We knew about that dish, but the version served in Hawaii was decidedly more luxurious and fattening, thickened with cream, bananas and fresh coconut. We wanted more of it, but without extra calories.
We adapted our own version by soaking yogurt, oats, dried and fresh fruits, and fat free milk, and enjoyed serving it cold for breakfast the next morning — it’s not unlike rice pudding. Then we found this recipe for a version we love. Try it as a cold breakfast during warm months. It totes well for breakfast at work and school, as well.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups quick-cooking oats
- ¾ cup fat-free vanilla yogurt
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¾ cup fresh raspberries - optional
- ¾ cup diced strawberries - optional
- ½ cup fresh blueberries - optional
- ½ sliced banana - optional
- ½ medium apple - peeled, cored and coarsely grated
- 3 tablespoons flax seed (ground)
- ¼ cup walnuts - chopped
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- OR diced and sliced fruits of your choice!
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, yogurt, orange juice and honey.
- Let stand 5 minutes.
- Gently fold in the raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, banana slices, apple, flax seed and walnuts -- or the fruits of your choice (dried is best, for the mix-in portion).
- Sprinkle with cinnamon.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Serve cold, garnished with berries, yogurt, or nuts and seeds if you have them, for crunch, or, sliced fresh fruits.
Spa Index Kitchen Notes
Nutrition
Cold or hot, it’s always good. Never thought I’d like cold oats but I’ve been converted. Not during cold weather, however.
I’ve come to prefer cold soaked oatmeal over hot! With berries and yogurt. Keeps a long time so having breakfast is never a problem now.
I LOVE THIS DISH. LOVE. IT. I can make up a batch of my cold soaked oatmeal, and, like you said, it’s best with dried berries in the actual mix. I mix all kinds, and let it soak, and eat it every morning for days because it lasts so long. Then, I just add whatever fresh sliced fruit I want on top. It’s one of my favorite things. My current “fave” is those orange-infused cranberries, almonds, and orange zest.
Good. Good with chocolate chips and raisins, and good with nuts. And good with fruit.