In the cold season, the selection of fresh regional fruit and vegetables is unfortunately very limited. But what you can almost always rely on are apples.
Since they can be stored well, you can buy them almost all year round when they have been grown in the region. And this local fruit is so versatile in the kitchen that you won't run out of recipes any time soon.
Combined with the Verival Bircher Urkorn muesli, you can bake wholesome energy bars from apples. They not only taste delicious, but also keep you full for a long time and are packed with healthy ingredients. So it's a perfect healthy breakfast or snack.
Discover our Bircher muesli and porridge
What is Bircher muesli?
Bircher muesli is the oldest and first muesli ever. It was named after the Swiss doctor Maximilian Oskar Bircher Brenner, who recommended it to his patients as part of a healthy diet. Originally, it consisted of grated apples, oat flakes and milk.
Over the years, a wide range of variations and new interpretations have been developed and are now served for breakfast all over the world. Our Verival version contains not only wholegrain flakes, apples and hazelnuts but also sultanas, figs and almonds.
Why are apples so healthy?
Who hasn't heard the saying ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away’ and, as with almost every piece of wisdom, there is a lot of truth in it. Apples are a real vitamin bomb with vitamins B1, B2 and B6, which help to activate your metabolism and regulate blood lipids and cholesterol.
This regional fruit also contains a lot of potassium, a mineral that is particularly important for athletes to supply the muscles with the necessary energy.
4 tips for preparing the bars
- Grated apple: Add a grated apple to the bar mixture. It's best to leave the peel on and grate it with the flesh. The peel contains most of the fibre and vitamins. Grated apple is also a great topping for porridge.
- A pinch of cinnamon: Cinnamon not only smells and tastes great, it also has a whole host of beneficial properties. It stimulates circulation and digestion. It also lowers blood pressure, relieves cramps and aids concentration. This makes it one of the most important Ayurvedic spices.
- Sugar-free enjoyment: The Apple Bircher muesli bars rely entirely on the plant-based sweetness of fruits, maple syrup and agave syrup. If you prefer, you can substitute honey for the agave syrup.
- Make your own apple sauce: It's so quick and easy to make your own apple sauce. For the bars, simply peel, quarter and core two apples. Then cut the quarters in half again. Add about 200ml of water and a dash of lemon juice (to prevent the apple pieces from turning brown) and simmer on a medium heat for about 15 minutes. When the fruit is soft, blend it finely with a hand blender and leave to cool. Weigh out 50g of the purée for the bars. The rest of the apple purée can be stored in the fridge for a few days. It also tastes great with porridge, muesli and yoghurt.
Discover our organic porridges here!
What is the best way to store the bars?
These muesli bars are nice and moist thanks to the apples. However, this also means that they should only be stored at room temperature for a few days. If you want to make them in advance, you can easily freeze them. Simply take the desired amount out of the freezer the night before and enjoy it for breakfast the next day, just like fresh.
Have fun baking and enjoy your bars!
