Name: Get your fibre in with poached pears and bircher muesli for breakfast
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups rolled oats; 4 1/2 cups pear juice (use apple as an alternative); 1/2 cup white chia seeds; 2 pears, coarsely grated, discard core; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 2 cups Greek-style yoghurt; 1/3 cup honey; 4 packham pears, peeled; 2 cinnamon sticks; 4 cardamon pods; 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric; 1 small knob of ginger (2–3cm), peeled and very thinly sliced; 1/2 cup seed mix with fruit and nut mixture

If breakfast is your favourite meal of the day, then making something delicious is a given. This poached pear and bircher muesli is full of fibre, is perfectly satiating, but most of all, extremely delicious. Make this dish ahead of time to enjoy before work, or on a Friday night for a wholesome weekend brekkie.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

4 1/2 cups pear juice (use apple as an alternative)

1/2 cup white chia seeds

2 pears, coarsely grated, discard core

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups Greek-style yoghurt

1/3 cup honey

4 packham pears, peeled

2 cinnamon sticks

4 cardamon pods

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 small knob of ginger (2–3cm), peeled and very thinly sliced

1/2 cup seed mix with fruit and nut mixture

Method

Step 1

For the bircher muesli, in a large bowl, combine oats, 2 1/2 cups pear juice, chia seeds, grated pear, ground cinnamon, 1 1/2 cups yoghurt and half the honey. Stir well, cover, then refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Step 2

2 Place whole pears in a medium saucepan with 2 cups pear juice, remaining honey, cinnamon sticks, cardamon, turmeric and ginger. Add enough water to just cover the pears, then place a disc of baking paper on top. Bring to the boil on high heat, then reduce heat to low. Cook for 40–45 minutes, until pears are very tender

Step 3

Transfer pears to a heatproof bowl. Return cooking liquid to heat and boil for 12 minutes or until it’s reduced by half with a syrupy texture. Pour over pears and let cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

Step 4

Check consistency of bircher muesli – stir in a little of pear syrup if it’s too thick. Spoon bircher muesli into bowls, top with halved pears,

bircher muesli with poached pears in black bowls with red tablecloth and dark lighting — (Photography: Tim Roberts, Styling: Michele Cranston)

Lucy Busuttil Recipe developer and food stylist

Lucy Busuttil has more than 15 years of experience spanning Michelin-starred kitchens, food styling and editing. Mentoring a contestant on a celebrity cooking show led to a cookbook collaboration. Now a freelance food stylist and recipe writer, Lucy combines her culinary expertise with an eye for beauty, on full display in this issue’s cover.

Senior food editor Sarah Murphy Senior food editor

Sarah Murphy is a Senior Food Editor who has worked across leading Australian food magazines since 2010. She holds a Bachelor of Communications (Advertising and Public Relations) and has contributed to magazines including delicious., The Australian Women’s Weekly Food, Super Food Ideas and Woman’s Day. Sarah has also worked across multiple cookbooks for delicious. magazine and The Australian Women’s Weekly Cookbooks. Currently, Sarah is the Senior Food Editor for Better Homes and Gardens Magazine and oversees all food content, creating and developing achievable recipes for readers that still excite and impress.