Everybody Likes a Parfait!

Donkey was right about parfaits: Everybody likes them! And you know what? I have found the perfect ingredients for one. :)

I use variations of three ingredients:
Low-fat vanilla yogurt
I use low-fat vanilla yogurt (preferably Kroger brand) because it's a little more tart than regular vanilla yogurt or non-fat yogurt. I like it because it gives anything a little kick!

Granola cereal
Granola cereal is best for parfaits because there are biggish chunks that make the granola extra crunchy. (I like the Kroger brand for this, too.)

Fruit
I used to use fresh blueberries almost exclusively. Then I switched to fresh strawberries. Today I discovered that frozen fruit is divine in parfaits. The bit of juice you get in frozen fruit provides a nice syrupy texture that gives the parfait a cobbler feel. Right now I'm using Kirkland's Trader Farms Triple Berry.*

So basically, just layer each ingredient on top of each other. I don't put too much effort into creating multiple layers. Usually, I just scoop some yogurt into a Tupperware container, throw a large handful of berries on top, sprinkle about a third of a cup of granola cereal on top of that, and finally, add a few more heaping spoonfuls of yogurt on the very top. Then I put the lid on the container and let the parfait sit in the fridge for a few hours.

In my opinion, those last two steps are crucial. At least some of the granola cereal has to be touching a layer of yogurt. Then, when you let the parfait sit in the fridge for a while, the granola gets a bit soft and chewy. But because it's granola cereal, some of the granola chunks stay crunchy. In the end, you get a sort of tart cobbler concoction -- but it doesn't have ice cream! So it's healthy!

Try making a parfait my way! I promise that you won't regret it!


*"But, Sara?" you ask. "What's a marionberry?" I know, I know -- I wondered, too! Let's let Wikipedia tell us: marionberry.