Mary Sweeting gives us her take on the classic Bircher muesli breakfast.

The whole concept of this dairy free Bircher is that you put it together the night before you eat it, so on waking it's good to go.

This gives the coconut milk time to soak into the oats, seeds and nuts, making for a hydrating and delicious start to the day. Soaking the oats and nuts also deactivates phytic acid, which can stop you taking in their important nutrients.

You can make a Bircher with your own choice of milk or yoghurt; grated apple, cinnamon and raisins is the classic, whilst here I've added protein and healthy fats by using chia seeds, nuts and coconut milk, which helps to keep blood sugar more regulated, giving you more energy for longer.

This version includes walnuts, pumpkin seeds and chia seeds, though you could also try adding raspberry and raw cacao for extra magnesium and antioxidants as well as a wonderful flavour.

Coconut and chia bircher (serves one)

Ingredients:

4tbsp whole oats
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 cup coconut milk (Tesco does a good one which isn’t overly sweet)
Handful of walnuts, cashews and pumpkin seeds
Handful of desiccated coconut
Handful of fresh raspberries

Method:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a serving bowl, stir thoroughly and leave in the fridge overnight.

2. Take out of fridge in the morning, stir and add a little water if needed.

- Mary Sweeting blogs about food and travel at therestoredkitchen.com