Jamie's Bircher Muesli

So something healthy tomorrow starts with...

Recipe: Jamie Oliver’s bircher muesli (or pukkolla)

Ingredients (makes around 4-7 portions)8 large handfuls of organic rolled oats
2 large handfuls of ground bran
1 handful of chopped dried apricots
1 handful of chopped dried dates
1 handful of crumbled walnuts
1 handful of smashed or shopped almonds, hazelnuts or brazil nuts
milk (or soya/almond/oat milk) to cover
1/2 crunchy apple per portion, washed and unpeeled

Put oats and bran into a large Tupperware with apricots, dates and any other soft fruit (I added dried cranberries). Add the walnuts, almonds, any other nuts and seeds. This mixture will keep for up to two months in an airtight container.

The night before you want to eat your pukkolla, put two portions of the oat mixture into a bowl and cover with the milk, grate in half an apple per person and stir immediately to keep apple from discolouring. I’ve also read in forums about people adding nutmeg and cinnamon at this stage. Place in the fridge overnight.

When you’re ready to eat it, slice or mash half a banana per person, stir into the soggy oats and add honey to taste. Serve with a dollop of yogurt and some fresh mixed berries.

or

Porridge with cinnamon and banana

1. In a medium-sized saucepan, mix the oats, cinnamon, milk and half the sliced bananas. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Turn down the heat and cook for 4-5 mins, stirring all the time.
2. Remove and divide between 4 bowls, top with the remaining banana, strawberries, a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Once upon a time, cinnamon was more valuable than gold. And while these days I'm betting most of us would rather get our hands on 24 karats over 24 ounces - a bar over a stick - this bark-cum-spice has just as much bite as it does bark. The potential health benefits attributable to cinnamon could be stated as nothing short of astonishing.

It's possible we're just brushing the surface here, for Chinese medicine and Ayurveda have long revered cinnamon as a superpower used to treat things such as colds, indigestion and cramps and also believed to improve energy, vitality and circulation. The following are ten health benefits associated with this beloved spice that studies have suggested:

1. 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower your bad cholesterol (or LDL).
2. Cinnamon may help treat Type 2 Diabetes by lowering blood sugar levels and increasing the amount of insulin production in the body.
3. Cinnamon has antifungal properties, and it's been said that candida cannot live in a cinnamon environment. 
4. Cinnamon can reduce the proliferation of leukaemia and lymphoma cancer cells.
5. Cinnamon has an anti-clotting effect on the blood.
6. Honey and Cinnamon combined has been found to relieve arthritis pain.
7. When added to food, cinnamon inhibits bacterial growth and food spoilage, making it a natural food preservative.
8. Just smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory.
9. Cinnamon fights the E. coli bacteria in unpasteurized juices.
10. Cinnamon has been found to be an effective natural remedy for eliminating headaches and migraine relief.
11. Cinnamon can also help stabilize blood sugar (which is great for weight loss). A couple of dashes in your morning tea or cereal is all it takes!

Now, this said, we are absolutely not advocating you start guzzling the cinnamon - as it has been found to be toxic in large doses. We are, however, wholeheartedly encouraging a little pinch (or stick) here and there in places you might otherwise have overlooked (in your tea or coffee, added to savoury dishes, etc.) - if not for your overall health, for its undeniably enchanting aroma and flavour.