Tropical Bircher Muesli with Chia, Mango, Coconut & Passion Fruit

For the past couple of years I have been a frequent contributor to the beautiful Dish Magazine, doing the odd travel piece and writing and shooting regular recipes for the publication. In addition they have featured fortnightly recipes from here (From the Kitchen I mean) on their website, choosing from the blog archives to suit the season. Happily, I will now be shooting a brand new recipe for their website (and here of course!) each time. The more I cook, style and photograph the more I love it, I suppose it is a bit (haha - a LOT) of an obsession, but now that Henry is in Melbourne and Rich moves to Wellington on Sunday (!!!) I figure it is better to indulge that passion of mine. As always the more I learn, the more I realise I still have so much to learn...and I guess that is what makes it such an addiction :)
Anyhoo - blah blah blah - let me introduce you to the best summery breakfast around - perfect for this vile (I find - sweating much?! Sleeping at all?!) weather, and before the humid, sticky heat gives way to the first wee nip of autumn. Basically you bung the ingredients in a container before you go to bed, then in the morning - tah dah - you have the luscious, oaty, creamy, fibre-packed brekky at the ready. I have done all sorts of flavour combinations in the past, but this one just seems perfect for the end of summer - a tropical delight - mango, coconut, passionfruit, vanilla and blueberries all mingle together in a delicious manner, so that even though you intended to sneak back to the fridge for just one more mouthful, you might find yourself standing there scraping the bottom of a container with your spoon a few moments later...




Tropical Bircher Muesli with Mango & Coconut
3 tablespoons chia seeds (1 tablespoon reserved for garnish) 1 ½ cups rolled oats 2/3 cup flaked tasted almonds (2 tablespoons reserved for garnish) 1/4 cup dessicated coconut, lightly toasted 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste finely grated zest of ½ lime 2/3 cup natural yoghurt 300ml light coconut milk ¼ cup milk (almond if you prefer) or coconut water 1 tablespoon runny honey optional 1 cup fresh blueberries (2 tablespoons reserved for garnish) 1 mango, cut into cheeks, 1 cheek sliced, the other chopped Pulp of 2 passion fruit (1 reserved for garnish) ¼ cup toasted coconut shavings
Put chia seeds, oats, almonds, coconut, vanilla bean paste, lime, yoghurt, and milk in a bowl and mix to combine. Leave overnight in the fridge. Before serving, stir throug blueberries, chopped mango and pulp from one passion fruit. If you want a looser consistency, thin with a little more milk, and if you want it a little sweeter add the honey, although the mango is so luscious you may find you don’t need it. Serve topped with sliced mango, remaining passion fruit pulp, coconut shavings, and reserved chia seeds, almonds and blueberries.
Serves: 2-3
(If making to keep don’t add the mango before storing, add it just before serving. For all-round options swap the tropical fruits for banana and dates, stone fruit, the traditional grated apple, mixed berries or even rhubarb)