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Friday Fare, Health, Healthy on the cheap

Bircher Muesli: Honestly Fitness Version

March 19, 2015

Being a part of the general health and fitness community, bircher muesli isn’t a new recipe for me. However, I sometimes have to take a step back and realize that just because I know about it doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone else knows about it. I wanted to share this bircher muesli recipe with you because I have been having it regularly for the past few weeks and think it is a brilliant and healthy breakfast!

The History of Bircher Muesli

The creation of bircher muesli has been credited with the Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner in the early 1900s. He created it for his patients whose therapy included plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, which sounds very sensible to me! As the story goes, he was apparently inspired by a dish he had received when he and his wife hiked the Swiss Alps.

The Original Bircher Muesli Recipe

The original bircher muesli recipe is said to be made up of rolled oats, lemon juice, sweetened condensed milk or cream, grated apple and topped with hazelnuts or almonds. It was also advised to soak the oats overnight, which is a practice I still do with my oats today. The idea behind soaking your oats comes from the desire to decrease the phytic acid in oats. because a decrease in phytic acid through soaking of oats allows for better mineral absorption. For a pretty intense peer-reviewed article regarding this, click here.

Honestly Fitness’ Bircher Muesli Recipe

In an effort to lower the fat content and calories of the original bircher muesli recipe, my bircher muesli recipe makes some simple swaps and additions. I have found that the combination of the ingredients I use create a delicious bircher muesli that is satisfying to eat, keeps you full for hours and is packed with vitamins and minerals, and healthy portions of complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and protein. A perfect addition for an active lifestyle because remember; healthy eating and exercise go hand in hand 🙂

Bircher Muesli Recipe

Honestly Fitness Bircher Muesli

Alice Williams
A delicious and nutrient packed breakfast which can be made the night before. Just grab the jar and go in the morning!
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Ingredients
  

  • Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup 2% milk or your choice of milk
  • 1/2 cup raspberries
  • 1 tbsp sliced almonds or nut of choice
  • 1 tsp ground flax seeds
  • 1 tsp chia seeds
  • 1 tsp hemp seeds or pumpkin seeds
  • Juice of half a small lemon

OPTIONAL

  • 1/2 scoop of vanilla or chocolate protein powder
  • Matcha green tea powder

Instructions
 

  • Simply mix together all the ingredients (EXCEPT for the Greek yogurt) and then store in a jar overnight. In the morning, enjoy it cold or slightly warmed up and top with Greek yogurt and anything else you wish!

Notes

For the bircher muesli in this photo, I used hemp milk to soak the oats!
Adapted from Original Bircher Muesli Recipe

What’s Your Verdict?

Let me know if you make this bircher muesli recipe and how it turned out for you! I absolutely love hearing your feedback and it is assuring to know that other people are enjoying the foods that I love eating. 

What is your usual go-to breakfast?

Honestly yours,
Alice

Thank you for always supporting me! For more Honestly Fitness, check out my Instagram, Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest, and don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter!

Friday Fare, Health, Healthy on the cheap, Products I love

My Favorite Carbohydrates

February 17, 2015

Contrary to what you may read or hear, carbohydrates (and especially complex carbohydrates) are good for you and essential for your well-being. A while ago, I wrote a piece about carbohydrates and why you should not cut them out of your diet. Click here to read the blog post to get up to date on why you should not go on a low-carbohydrate diet. I realize that there are many reasons people go on a low-carbohydrate diet, but they tend to have specific reasons for doing so. For the majority of people, it is not necessary to cut out carbohydrates to lose weight and fat.

Newsflash: Carbohydrates aren’t evil

I eat a variety of carbohydrates daily, which range from leafy green vegetables (yes, vegetables are a form of carbohydrates!) to delicious sourdough breads. I wanted to compile a list of my favorite carbohydrates which I think can help introduce some variety in your diet and encourage you to try new foods.

My Favorite Carbohydrates 

My Favorite Carbohydrates

 1. Marble Rye Bread

How I enjoy it: Try adding some smashed avocado on top in place of butter (like this).

2. Garbanzo beans (or chickpea’s as is said in the UK)
How I enjoy it: I make a veggie burger with them (like this)!

3. Bananas
How I enjoy it: On their own, with nut butter or in a fruit salad.

4. Sesame Rye Crackers
How I enjoy it: Usually with some smashed avocado I have to admit. I love avocado!!

5. Quinoa
How I enjoy it: Fabulous for stir-fries! Try cracking an egg over some cooked quinoa to make ‘fried rice’ 🙂

6. Brown Rice
How I enjoy it: I love having brown rice in warm salads and adding it to soup for a heartier meal.

7. Sourdough Bread
How I enjoy it: Same as the marble rye bread honestly!

[Tweet “7 Healthy and Delicious Carbohydrates”]

Another notable carbohydrate I love is oatmeal. I make overnight oats (here is a fun kombucha overnight oats recipe) or healthy pancakes with them (four ingredient recipe here).

What is your favorite carbohydrate and how do you eat it?

Honestly yours,
Alice

Thank you for always supporting me! For more Honestly Fitness, check out my Instagram, Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest.

Health, Healthy on the cheap

Yalla Mediterranean

February 1, 2015

Last weekend I was invited to try out a new Mediterranean restaurant called Yalla Mediterranea. I was supposed to go with my friend Lauren (from LaurenLivesHealthy.com) but unfortunately she was ill and could not make it 🙁 Despite the fact that I would be trying it out alone, I could not turn down an offer to try out a new restaurant (especially with Mediterranean type food, mmm). Let me just preface this whole post right now by saying that it was SO worth it.

review of Yalla Mediterranean

Yalla Mediterranean describes itself as a fast-casual restaurant that offers fresh, healthy and flavorful Mediterranean fare. Walking into Yalla Mediterranean is like walking into someone’s garden … quite literally as there are small lemon trees in the center of the restaurant and a herb garden on the wall! I loved the atmosphere; you could tell this was a place that served wholesome and healthy food that cared about using quality ingredients. The menu is set up so that you first select a type of meal (pita wrap, salad or ‘Yalla’ plate), then a protein (which is grilled right in front of you) and finally (but not least) three delicious sides.

review of Yalla Mediterranean

review of Yalla Mediterranean

review of Yalla Mediterranean

What Did I Eat?

Look at how cool that grill is! Basically, the meat is placed upon the grill and it cooks as it rotates down the grill. It takes all of 2-5 minutes. I was so impressed that Yalla offered wild Alaskan salmon as a protein choice, and for under $10. This place is so affordable and seriously so delicious. I chose the Yalla plate (which consists of you choosing rice with either lentils or grilled vegetables) with kefta (a lamb and beef meatball) with arugala and beet salad, Greek potato salad and Greek eggplant salad.

Honestly Fitness Verdict?

 What did I think? DELICIOUS. I have never had a beet salad before which tasted this good, and the kefta was grilled to perfection. Everything was so fresh and flavorful!

review of Yalla Mediterranean

review of Yalla Mediterranean

 Can’t Forget About Dessert!

And guess what I had for dessert? I had Greek frozen yogurt with honey and baklava AND a chocolate pita cookie!!! My God, my tastebuds were in heaven. The cookie was gluten-free as it was made out of almond flour and had a great chewy texture to it. The frozen yogurt was out of this world; truly a genius combination of foods.

Come to San Francisco Already!

Right now, they only have a location in Pleasant Hill but will be opening up new stores around the Bay. I have been told that a Yalla location will be opening up in Daly City (right next to ME) in April or May. I cannot wait and will be there all the time … like no joke. It is healthy AND affordable. Just typical that I will be moving out to Salt Lake City in June. I hope Yalla open up a location there soon!!

I hope this post gives you a nudge into trying out Yalla Mediterranean. And if you do, let me know what you think! The cool thing about Yalla is that they are open to new ideas and are forward thinking (they have a 1 bin policy and have made it so that everything in the store is compostable).

Honestly yours,
Alice

Thank you for always supporting me! For more Honestly Fitness, check out my Instagram, Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest.