Thursday 21 June 2012

Yogurt Parfaits With Honey Maple Granola

Ahhhh breakfast, the lovely meal of extremes, a meal which I am normally tempted either to skip or smother with pancakes, bacon, eggs and a pile of other time consuming, delicious foods dripping with fat and tasties. In an effort to reform my ways, a wonderful compromise was made in my kitchen this morning, one involving lots of yogurt and plenty of fruit! What makes these parfaits perfect? The fact that while filling all criteria of tastyness and semi-healthiness, they can also be prepared in advance! Enjoy!



Fruit Puree

Makes about 2 servings (Per recipe, I made 2, one mango, one cherry)

Ingredients:

Mango puree:
-5tbsp water
-1tbsp brown sugar
-a heaping half cup of frozen mangoes

For the cherry puree, I used the same quantities with the exception that I only put 2tbsps of water.

1)Throw water and fruit into a small pot, heat until fruit turns soft
2)Add brown sugar, miss thoroughly
3)Simmer at low to medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes while crushing with a potato masher/fork/whatever is available

The puree should reach a state like this:



Once it has reached this point, let it cool, puree can be stored in fridge for a week or so and can be canned to last indeterminately!

At this point I could just tell you to layer it into some plain yogurt, mix it with some granola and tell you that you're golden! Right? Right!? WRONG!!!!

Seriously....make yourself some granola...even better, make yourself some yogurt!

Now for a granola recipe: this little mix is quite simply a blend of many things which I love to eat with breakfast! Feel free to experiment yourself, just remember to use fat, sugars, grains and to stir it! In addition to being awesome and full of nutrients, granola has the wonderful benefit of making lovely gifts! So buckle in and prepare to make yourself some tasty granola which is more flavorful, healthier and cheaper than the rubbish you buy at the grocery!



Honey Maple Nut Granola:
Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 20 min.
Cool time 20 min.
Servings as topping:8-10

Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit

Ingredients:

1/3 c. Butter
1 tsp. Vanilla
3 tbsp. Honey
3 tbsp. Maple Syrup
2 tbsp. Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 c. Oats
3/4 c. Almonds
3/4 c. Walnuts
4 tbsp. Flax Seeds
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Hefty pinch of nutmeg
1 tsp. Canola oil (for greasing)

1)Grease a cookie sheet, preferably one with a rim
2)Melt butter on stove, take off heat and add vanilla, sugar, maple syrup, salt and honey.
3)Coarsely chop almonds and Walnuts and grind flax seeds very fine
4)Combine nuts, flax and oats
5) Mix wets and dries, spread out over the cookie sheet
6)Bake for 20 min.
7) After 10 minutes, stir mix very well, stir again 5 minutes later.
8) Remove from oven, let cool.
9) Enjoy!

The Actual Parfaits:

Once you have your yogurt, granola and syrup made, its only a matter of mixing it all together, cut up fruit optional (I used local strawberries).

Take a tall parfait glass or other decorative glassware, fill the base with one puree, add a layer of yogurt, some fresh fruit, more yogurt and the other puree (rinse and repeat as high as you can make it). Coat the top layer with puree, decorate with some fresh fruit and coat generously with granola. Bon appétit!



2 comments:

  1. Everything you make looks son good! Mathieu dit qu'il achètera ton livre lorsque tu l'aura produit ;) Ton parfait à l'air tellement léger et frais!

    Alicia
    :)

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    Replies
    1. Awww thanks Alie! Pour Mathieu, c'est bon a savoir, remercie le pour moi :) Je l'ai bien aime, tu va en faire bientot? :P

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