The Root Cause

Bircher Crumble Parfait for Breakfast

One set of ingredients, 3 different breakfasts. Now that’s convenient. That’s what’s available when you make this Bircher Crumble Parfait for Breakfast. #winningatbreakfast

At my Mad Food Science Parent Workshops, many parents are shocked when they see the amount of sugar, additives and preservatives going into the food we typically are buying from the supermarket. One of the most common questions I get asked is about breakfast cereals. Food manufacturers have done a brilliant job at convincing us breakfast cereals are a great way to start the day. The reality of course, is many are just empty carbohydrates. They do little to sustain or nourish our bodies. In the case of kids, they do little to get them ready to learn at school.

The one thing I will acknowledge is breakfast cereals are convenient, so I can see why many households rely on them. But, there are many other real foods which are equally convenient, it’s just they don’t come in a packet, so there is no-one marketing them. Take for instance this Bircher Crumble Parfait. Make a big batch of it on Sunday, pop it in the fridge, then serve it in a bowl in the morning.  BAM! A convenient, nourishing real food breakfast. Packed with long lasting carbohydrates for energy, good fats and protein to help keep tummies full, support growth and development, plus brain function.

You can choose to use this convenient breakfast in 3 different ways. Be sure to check out the 3 ways to serve this breakfast at the end of the recipe.

This recipe will make 6-8 serves depending on how much your family eat.

Ingredients

Bircher

  • 2 cups rolled oats (not quick oats – this is important because quick oats have had the goodness bashed out of them)
  • ½ cup LSA (Linseed, Sunflower Seeds & Almonds)
  • 2 small oranges juiced, retain the fibre
  • 1 grated apple
  • ¼ cup sultanas
  • 2 tblspns sunflower seeds (or chopped pepitas)
  • ½ tspn cinnamon
  • 1 tblspn chia seeds – optional, if your kids don’t mind their texture
  • 2 cups milk of your choice – we use Pure Harvest Coco Quench (mix of coconut and rice)

Crumble

  • 30g butter
  • 1 cup oats
  • ½ cup LSA
  • Thumbnail sized amount of grated ginger

Parfait Topping

  • Dollop of Natural Greek Yoghurt
  • Chopped seasonal fresh fruits
  • Optional – chopped nuts, toasted coconut flakes or shredded coconut

Method

Bircher

  1. Put all ingredients except the milk into a container
  2. Add the fibre from the orange, and mix well
  3. Add the milk, and stir through so well combined

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Will store well for 3-4 days.

If you’re short on time, you can even make this in the morning and serve but it’s better for your digestion to allow the oats to soak in the juice and the milk overnight.

Crumble

  1. Melt the butter over medium heat
  2. As the butter starts to melt, add the grated ginger, and saute for about a minute – watch the butter, you don’t want it to burn
  3. Add the oats and LSA, and stir ensuring all the oats and LSA are coated in the butter
  4. Keep stirring the oats and LSA until they start to brown a little – this may take about 2-3 minutes
  5. Add in the maple syrup and stir around to coat all the oats, stir for another minute
  6. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool. The oats will become crunchy as it cools

Store the cooled crunchy oats in an airtight container in your pantry.

Note, we only use 1 tspn of maple syrup because we quite like the bite of the ginger in this crunchy topping but you may prefer to start with 2 tspns of maple syrup so the ginger isn’t so noticeable.

One Breakfast, 3 Ways

Breakfast 1 – Bircher Crumble Parfait

  1. Spoon a quantity of bircher into a bowl
  2. Top with some chopped seasonal fruits – we used 1 banana and 4 strawberries between 4 bowls
  3. Add a good dollop of natural Greek yoghurt
  4. Add 1-2 tblspns of your crumble

Breakfast 2 – Bircher Muesli

  1. Spoon a quantity of bircher into a bowl
  2. You can choose to leave it as it, add a dollop of yoghurt or even sprinkle it with a few chopped nuts

Breakfast 3 – Parfait Crumble

  1. Add ¼ – ½ cup of your crumble to a bowl
  2. Add a good amount of natural Greek yoghurt to the crumble
  3. Top with some chopped seasonal fruits – alternately, you could use slightly defrosted frozen berries
  4. Add some chopped nuts for an extra protein and fats boost, or some toasted flaked or shredded coconut

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Just a reminder, you don’t need to be a master chef, or have a big spotless kitchen to make awesome nutritious meals or snacks for your family.