For breakfast: Bircher Muesli

I came back from the Philippines with several kilograms of dried fig from our fig tree in California - and bircher muesli on my mind. 

Eating bircher muesli is a habit I picked up in Cambodia.  There are many iterations of the traditional Swiss recipe.  One friend had a bowl of this in Switzerland that used condensed milk - she still raves about it.  The version I had in Cambodia did not use condensed milk, but was very creamy and always had grated apple on top. 

  

For my last batch, I used apple juice to soak the oats, added the dried fig, raisins and grated apple, plus a dash of bourbon vanilla extract.  After soaking overnight, the oats are plump and chewy.  I prefer a few spoonfuls of tart yoghurt to top it off and sometimes, a drizzle of honey.

Bircher Muesli

Recipe adapted from Fig & Cherry    

Ingredients  

1 cup rolled oats (not instant oats)

Apple juice to cover mixture*

2 tablespoons raisins and/or other soft fruit

2 tablespoons sunflower seeds, toasted

Half an apple, coarsely grated

Dash of vanilla extract

Vanilla bean yoghurt 

nuts and fresh fruit, to garnish

Instructions
1. Place the oats, apple juice, raisins/soft fruit, and vanilla extract in a shallow container.  Fold in grated apple.  A rectangle plastic takeaway container is perfect. Stir well.
2. Put the lid on and place in the fridge overnight.
3. In the morning, spoon into bowls. Stir in yoghurt.  Top with chopped nuts and fresh fruit.

*Some recipes call for milk instead.