Elevate your breakfast parfait with a zesty punch of pickled cherries complemented by crunchy homemade granola and creamy Greek yogurt.
Servings: 4
Serving size: 1 parfait (170 grams)
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
Granola:
- 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons rolled oats
- ¼ cup, plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut flakes
- 3 tablespoons raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- 3 tablespoons raw sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup, plus 2 tablespoons puffed brown rice cereal
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1½ tablespoons (23 milliliters) warmed coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) maple syrup
- ¼ cup, plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened dried cherries
Pickled Cherries:
- 1 cup thawed frozen cherries, halved, with liquid drained
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) water
- 3 cups plain reduced-fat Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C). In a medium mixing bowl, combine oats, coconut flakes, pepitas, sunflower seeds, puffed brown rice cereal, cinnamon and salt. Toss gently with a rubber spatula and set aside. In a small bowl, stir together coconut oil and maple syrup. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and gently stir until evenly incorporated. On a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, evenly distribute the granola, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. If necessary, you may divide the granola among a few baking sheets.
- Bake for 20 minutes, remove from the oven and gently toss. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes, until granola is golden brown and crisp. Set aside to cool. Once granola is completely cool, transfer to a large bowl and toss with dried cherries.
- While granola is cooking, prepare quick-pickled cherries. In a jar or small bowl with a lid, combine cherries, vinegar and water.
- Cover and let sit for at least 20 minutes or up to 2 hours. Cherries should taste tart when done. Drain liquid and return pickled cherries to the jar or bowl.
- To assemble parfaits, layer ¾ cup yogurt, ¼ cup pickled cherries and ½ cup granola in each of 4 serving cups. Leftover granola can be stored in an airtight container for about 1 week.
Nutrition per serving: CALORIES 393; TOTAL FAT 18g; SAT. FAT 9g; CHOL. 17mg; SODIUM 123mg; CARB. 43g; FIBER 5g; SUGARS 22g; PROTEIN 23g; POTASSIUM N/A; PHOSPHORUS N/A
Note: Nutrition information for potassium and phosphorus in unsweetened coconut flakes and puffed brown rice cereal not available. Apple cider vinegar not included in analysis as cherries are drained before serving.
Chelsey Amer, MS, RDN, is a New York-based registered dietitian nutritionist, cookbook author and coach helping women tired of dieting feel their best through food without restriction or obsessing. When not helping clients, she develops tasty, food-allergy friendly recipes and photographs every bite for her healthy food blog on ChelseyAmerNutrition.com.