Yogurt, Berry And Granola Parfait

Last week, I introduced you to these new granola bars that can be baked at home with minimum fuss.

While I loved the granola as such, I also wanted to use it in other creative, yet easy and healthy ways. And what better than parfait? Parfait was traditionally used to refer to a layered frozen dessert creation. But somehow along the way, it has come to mean a healthy snack (or even breakfast) made by layering yogurt, fruits and oatmeal or granola. Yogurt parfait is so easy and a great way to put together a delicious and healthy breakfast.

I used low-fat Greek yogurt, but you can use regular yogurt or even non-dairy options like soy or nut yogurt. I used a medley of fresh strawberries and blueberries on top. For sweetness, I swirled in some homemade blueberry compote. For protein and fiber, you can use cooked oatmeal in parfait or just crush up some granola if you are short on time.

The crushed granola added some much-needed texture and crunch to the parfait bowl.

Fruit compotes are my latest obsession and I make them using different fruits. It’s a great way to use up over-ripe and bruised fruit. It’s not exactly jam, but more like a cooked-down chunky puree. For the blueberry compote, I cooked extra-ripe blueberries with just a touch of sugar, water and lime juice till the berries burst and the mixture thickened slightly. This can be stored in a clean jar in the refrigerator and lasts a couple of weeks if you use a dry spoon each time and store the jar air-tight. Use it in parfait, spread on pancakes and toasts, drizzle over ice cream and more. It’s a great alternative to the much more sweeter jam or fruit syrup.

This parfait doesn’t really need a recipe, you can basically use any combination of granola, fruits and even nuts that you like. But I will give you the compote recipe too, because it is so good and the basic recipe works for any kind of fruit. I particularly like to use all kinds of berries and stone-fruit like peaches, nectarines, plums and cherries.

YOGURT, BERRY AND GRANOLA PARFAIT

You will need: (Serves 2)

• Low-fat Greek yogurt – 1 cup (or use regular plain yogurt)
• Blueberry compote – 4 tbsp (recipe follows)
• Granola – 1/2 cup (I used 2 crushed granola bars)
• Fresh blueberries – a small handful
• Fresh strawberries – 5-6, chopped

How to:

• In a bowl or large cup, layer the yogurt, blueberry compote and granola. Top with fresh blueberries and strawberries. Serve immediately.

BLUEBERRY COMPOTE

You will need:

• Blueberries – 1 lb, very ripe
• Water – 1/4 cup
• Lemon/lime juice – a small squeeze
• Sugar – 1-2 tbsp (depends on the sweetness of the berries)

How to:

• Take the blueberries and water in a deep saucepan and start heating on medium heat.
• Add a small squeeze of lemon/lime juice and sugar. (Taste the berries first to see how sweet they are. I just used 1 tbsp sugar.)
• In a while, the berries will start to break down. Mash them slightly with a spoon and simmer till the compote thickens to your liking, maybe 10-15 minutes.
• Cool completely and spoon into a clean, dry jar. Store in the refrigerator and use as needed.

Notes:

• A fruit compote is very rustic and usually chunky. So the fruit is not pureed or broken down fully. If you want a smooth sauce, you can make what is known as coulis. Find my blueberry coulis recipe here.
• Follow the above recipe for any fruit. Just peel and cut up larger fruits like strawberries, peaches and apples.
• You can also flavor the compote with a little vanilla extract or cinnamon powder, if you like.

The parfait bowl is great as breakfast, a healthy post or pre-workout snack and maybe even a light dessert.

Tell me, do you like parfait? What do you add to your breakfast parfait bowl? Do share.

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