As a dietitian, one of my favorite ways to relax is to experiment in the kitchen. Creating new recipes either from scratch or modifying ones I've found in a cookbook or on the Internet is my way of keeping food and eating interesting and fun. Which means, of course, my favorite recipes are constantly changing! One meal that I do like to keep fairly constant, at least on the weekdays, is breakfast.

Years ago when traveling in Europe I was introduced to muesli. I loved it then, and am still loving it today. My version differs quite a bit from the original one developed by a Swiss physician, Maximilian Bircher-Benner back in the 1900s. He believed in healthy food as a necessary medicine for his hospitalized patients. Still popular in Switzerland and Germany today, muesli is often eaten as a light dinner meal.

One of the reasons muesli has made my list of favorites is its versatility. Each time I make a batch I vary the ingredients just enough to make it new and interesting. What does my current version look like?

First I mix the following together and let stand for 15 minutes, or even overnight:

• 1 cup nonfat, plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
• ½ cup Bob's Red Mill Old Country Style Muesli

Then I mix in:

• 1 cup fresh blueberries, or other fresh fruit

Voila! That's it. Easy, tasty and best of all it's nutritious and filling.

Nutrition Information:

• Calories 423
• Protein 21.0g
• Fat 6.5g
• Carbohydrates 81.0g
• Dietary Fiber 11.5g
  

What's so wonderful about this is you can easily make your own muesli mixture, instead of buying the prepackaged version like I used above. All you need is a little creativity. Here are some suggestions to get you going--play around with different combinations and proportions of these until you get the taste that is just right for you: whole grain oats, whole grain rye, whole grain triticale, whole grain wheat, flaxseed, unsweetened coconut, almonds, walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flaxseeds, bran, pecans, wheat germ, macadamia nuts, raisins, dates, dried apricots, dried cherries...what others can you think of?

You can even try using different milks instead of yogurt. Soy, rice or almond milk would work particularly well. On those cold, brisk mornings when only a hot breakfast will do, try your muesli steaming hot. Just simmer the muesli/milk mixture over medium to low heat for 4 to 5 minutes and enjoy!