Recipe to beat high blood pressure: fruity muesli

This breakfast cereal was invented over a century ago by Dr. Bircher-Benner at his clinic in Zurich to improve children's diet. Soaking the cereal, here using milk, makes it easier to eat and digest.

Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus overnight soaking
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 250 g (1 c) rolled oats
• 125 g (1/2 c) raisins
• 350 g (1 1/2 c) fat-free milk
• 1 apple
• 10 ml (2 tsp) lemon juice
• 25 g (1 oz) hazelnuts, roughly chopped
• 12 g (1/2 oz) pumpkin seeds
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) sesame seeds
• 125 g (1/2 cup) chopped strawberries
• 60 ml (4 tbsp) plain nonfat yogurt
• 20 ml (4 tsp) honey

Method:

1. Place the oats and raisins in a large bowl and add the milk. Stir to mix evenly, then cover and place in the refrigerator. Leave to soak overnight.
2. The next day, just before eating, grate the apple, discarding the core. Toss the apple with the lemon juice to prevent browning.
3. Stir the hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds into the oat mixture, then stir in the grated apple and strawberries.
4. To serve, divide the muesli among 4 cereal bowls, and top each with a spoonful of yogurt and honey.

Mango Muesli:

• Soak the rolled oats in 350 millilitres (1 1/2 cups) low-fat buttermilk.
• Just before eating, stir in 125 grams (1/2 cup) roughly chopped almonds and 75 grams (1/3 cup) sunflower seeds, then add 1 roughly mashed banana and 1 chopped mango.
• Serve topped with plain nonfat yogurt.

• Hazelnuts are a particularly good source of vitamin E and most of the B vitamins, apart from B12. Like most other nuts, they have a high fat content; however, this is mostly the more beneficial monounsaturated fat.
• By making your own cereal, you know exactly what's in it and what's not! High levels of sodium, fat and sugar are missing from this nutritious cereal recipe.Each serving provides:

Key nutrients:

• 330 Calories
• 80 Calories from Fat
• 9 g Fat
• 1 g Saturated Fat
• 0 g Trans Fat
• 11 g Protein
• 57 g Carb
• 7 g Fibre
• 65 mg Sodium

Blood pressure nutrients:

• 19 mg Vitamin C
• 54 mg Magnesium
• 577 mg Potassium
• 166 mg Calcium

That sounds delicious! Not only is it healthy, but the added fruit makes it an exciting and versatile breakfast. This should be great for picky-eaters!