Caramelized Apple, Yogurt & Granola Parfait Recipe

Who ever said Facebook wasn’t good for a couple of laughs? A couple of days ago, in the middle of the morning, I was drinking a cup of green tea, doing my best to ward off the pre-lunch munchies. Breakfast seemed as though it had passed hours before and I was getting the urge to rifle through the pantry. Instead, I reached out for suggestions on my Cookin’ Canuck Facebook fan page. The question I posed was simply, “What are your tricks for keeping snacking under control?” I was expecting answers ranging from eating a container of low-fat yogurt to snacking on fresh fruit. That’s not quite how things went. One of the first responses was helpful: a handful of almonds (or in the case of this particular person – four almonds…no more, no less). It all went downhill from there.

The next responses to my snacking question were as follows: “Cheetos”, “Control? Yeah, right now I’m eating an almond-flavoured brownie and washing it down with a cappuccino. Sorry, no help here.”, “Two kids under the age of five – I don’t have time to snack even if I want to!”, “I polish my nails. You don’t want to risk smudges by sticking your hand in a box or bag. I’ll also brush AND FLOSS!”…and my personal favorite, “Yeah, how do I keep snacking under control? By snacking!” Dang it, not a budding dietician in the bunch!

Besides surrounding myself with healthy snacking options and keeping myself hydrated, I know that one of the best ways to banish the “must have fat and sugar” urges is to eat a breakfast heavy on protein and fiber. This yogurt parfait, while not a completely pristine example of low-fat and low-sugar eating (though I did keep the butter and sugar content to a bare minimum), boasts a good dose of both protein and fiber. Creamy nonfat Greek yogurt is layered with crunchy granola and spice-kissed caramelized apples to make a breakfast that is quick enough for a busy weekday morning (the apples can be made ahead) and pretty enough to serve at a weekend brunch. Cheetos cravings begone!

The recipe:

Core and thinly slice Golden Delicious apples.

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and melt. Stir in apples and brown sugar and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.

Add ground cloves and cook about 5 more minutes, stirring frequently, until the apples are golden brown and soft. Watch closely so that the apples do not burn. Stir in apricot preserves and let melt into apples. Scrape apples into a bowl and cool slightly. The apples can be made a day in advance. Store, covered, in the refrigerator.

Using four 8-ounce glasses, layer Greek yogurt, apples, and granola in any way you desire, ending with apples on top. Garnish with a dollop of yogurt and granola.

Other breakfast parfait recipes:

Kalyn’s Kitchen’s Low-Sugar Double Blueberry Yogurt Parfait
In Good Taste’s Pumpkin Pie Yogurt Parfait
Family Fresh Cooking’s Cherry Earl Grey Applesauce Parfait
Never Enough Thyme’s Peach-Blueberry Yogurt Parfait

(Be sure to head to my giveaway blog for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card.)

Caramelized Apple, Yogurt & Granola Parfaits

2 tbsp unsalted butter
3 large Golden Delicious apples, cored and thinly sliced
2 tbsp (packed) brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 tbsp apricot preserves
24 oz. nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 1/3 cup granola (your favorite kind)

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and melt. Stir in apples and brown sugar and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.

Add ground cloves and cook about 5 more minutes, stirring frequently, until the apples are golden brown and soft. Watch closely so that the apples do not burn. Stir in apricot preserves and let melt into apples. Scrape apples into a bowl and cool slightly. The apples can be made a day in advance. Store, covered, in the refrigerator.

Using four 8-ounce glasses, layer Greek yogurt, apples, and granola in any way you desire, ending with apples on top. Garnish with a dollop of yogurt and granola.

Serves 4.

Printable recipe

Tagged as: apple, brunch, granola, yogurt