You likely already know that my diet is 100% dairy-free (a vegan diet is, by default, free of dairy). Though I grew up with milk as the primary beverage in our house, had cottage cheese for breakfast, ate cheese-laden pizza for dinner and scooped ice cream for dessert, once I switched to a vegan diet, I fell immediately in love with all the amazing dairy-free options out there.
That’s why, when I was asked to create a recipe for Go Dairy Free’s Dairy-Free Recipe Potluck, they didn’t have to ask twice (actually , they didn’t even have to ask once–I cried out, “YES!” before they could even finish the question).
For those of you who are loath to give up dairy even though it upsets your tummy, or those of you who are veg-curious but don’t feel you could do without your cheese, or those of you who suspect dairy is at the root of your health issues–well, here’s your excuse to finally give dairy-free a try.
[This doesn’t exactly look like a hardship, does it? Who wouldn’t want to dig in?]
And if dairy-free is new to you, know that there are amazing substitutions for all kinds of dairy products available these days. Dairy-free ice creams, cheeses, milks. . . I could go on!
I was never a fan of true muesli when I was a kid, as I found the combination of yogurt and oats a little too tangy for my callow palate. But this milk provides the perfect mate for the creamy goodness of oats–and blended with chia seeds, which plump and soften as they soak, this breakfast bowl offers a meal that’s thick, creamy, substantial and utterly irresistible. As an added bonus, it takes just minutes to prepare: simply mix together the ingredients at night, allow the mix to mellow and soften in the fridge while you sleep, then add fresh fruit in the morning and enjoy your fabulous, almost-instant breakfast. (Don’t worry about cooking the oats–rolled oats have actually been steamed in processing, so are pre-cooked; soaking them overnight is enough to render them soft, chewy and digestible).
I do hope you give this muesli a try. Here’s to your next easy, healthy, dairy-free breakfast! Made this way, it really is the best meal of the day.
Cashew Bircher Muesli with Apples and Dried Cranberries
A luxuriously rich and creamy breakfast porridge that’s substantial enough to carry you through the morning–and it doesn’t require cooking. Feel free to play with the fruits or switch up the nuts and seeds to your liking.
2/3 cup (160 ml) whole old-fashioned oats (use certified gluten-free to ensure gluten-free oats)
1-1/2 cups (360 ml) unsweetened vanilla Unsweetened cashew milk (plain would be fine, too!)
2 Tbsp (30 ml) whole chia seeds
2 Tbsp (30 ml) finely shredded, raw unsweetened coconut
1 tsp (5 ml) cinnamon, plus more to sprinkle, if desired
1/4 tsp (1 ml) ground ginger, optional
1/4-1/2 tsp pure plain or vanilla liquid stevia, or to taste (see note)
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract, optional
3 Tbsp (45 ml) coarsley chopped toasted cashews
1/3 cup (80 ml) naturally sweetened dried cranberries (I used oven-dried cranberries)
1 medium crisp, sweet apple (such as Gala), quartered, cored and diced
The evening before you wish to eat the muesli, combine the oats, So Delicious Cashew Milk, chia seeds, coconut, cinnamon, ginger, stevia and vanilla in a large bowl; mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight, or at least 30 minutes.
In the morning, stir the mixture and add more milk if it’s too thick for your liking. Add the cashews, diced apple and cranberries and stir gently to combine. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon, if desired. Serve immediately. Makes 2 servings.
Suitable for: ACD Stage 2 and beyond, sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg free, soy-free, yeast-free, vegan.
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Hi! I'm Ricki, cookbook author, professional recipe developer, holistic nutritionist and anti-candida crusader. Let me show you how easy it is to eat plant-based, sugar-free, gluten free food that tastes great! 
So you can get the So Delicious Unsweetened Cashew Milk in Canada now? What stores carry it?
Jillian, I received a carton because this post is part of the potluck and challenge. But I understand that it’s on the way! 🙂
Ricki, that looks like a bowl of loveliness! Yum!
Thanks SO much for participating Ricki – this cereal looks incredible! I wish I had a bowl of it right now… maybe I should go make some 🙂
My pleasure! I’m always up for a recipe challenge, as you know, and I think this event is perfect for people who are jumping into dairy-free and vegan living–plus, PRIZES!! 😉 Hope you do try it and love it as much as we did! 🙂
BUMMER! I tried to enter the challenge and it is NOT open to Quebec residents! Why are we always excluded? Pooh, Im still going to try your muesli though, it looks awsome 🙂
Frederique, that IS a big bummer–so sorry, I didn’t realize! Gotta chat with the government out there, I think! (maybe as an ex-Montrealer, I can help?) 😉 I do hope you like the muesli anyway, though! 🙂
Ha ha! Thanks Ricki, but its probably something as dumb as the company not wanting to translate everything! You know everything here needs to be French! 🙂 we will probably get the cashew milk later than you guys too! (having to translate it and all!) 😛
I know that does happen with lots of out-of-country brands, sadly. I hope they bring it over SOON and that you can find it there! It’s really delicious. 🙂
Yum! I tried Bircher Muesli when we were in Switzerland. I loved it! And cashew milk is our fave. It’s so easy to make, but it will be great to be able to buy it!
Thanks Ricki!
Ah, yes, Switzerland! Well, you can’t get more authentic than that when it comes to muesli!! Lucky you! I’d love to hear how this one compares. . . and yes, it’s so wonderful to have it right there in the carton! 🙂
Love your recipes, Ricki! I can’t tolerate oats but will experiment with rice, quinoa or a sliced nut blend instead. Can’t WAIT to try it!
I bet that would work perfectly, Iron Goddess! And I’d even try raw buckwheat groats (add them dry, let sit overnight with the other stuff) if you like them. I make a raw buckwheat granola sometimes, and it’s quite lovely when dehydrated–I imagine it would work in this recipe, too. 🙂
i thought that cashews, along with peanuts, were restricted on the candida diet. it gets so confusing
I know, Sue! There are MANY variations of the diet out there, and they are all different. 🙁 However, many do allow cashew (none allow peanuts), and I love cashews, so I do use them. All nuts have mold, and the top 3 for mold are peanuts, pistachios and Brazil nuts. I’ve found that you can avoid mold on Brazils if you buy really fresh ones and eat them fairly soon after buying. But I don’t use peanuts or pistachios (boo hoo–I love pistachios). Since each person is different, I’d say to try the cashews and see how they work for you. If you have a worsening of symptoms any time within 4 days after eating them, remove them again for a while and try later. But do note that this recipe is for the later stages anyway, since oats aren’t allowed until Stage 2 or later. 🙂
You’ve totally convinced me to try that milk next time I see it! And the mueseli sounds delicious to me. Love anything I can make ahead!
It’s really rich and thick, Cara, but not too thick for something like cereal or coffee. I really am enjoying it! And the muesli is great for a quick brekkie. I put it in the fridge and forget about it till the morning! 🙂
You always have some of the best recipes! Love that we were both doing this fun dairy free challenge together and spreading the love of happy tummies!
Ricki,
Your breakfast looks completely DELICIOUS, for ANYONE, even someone not following a special diet. That’s the charm of it. Thank you for linking to my recipe, as well. It was fun to participate in this challenge!