Red White and Blueberry Parfait

The 4^th of July –no work, no school—it’s all about family, fun, barbecues, playing and fireworks—and of course great food (woot, woot!)!  Our clients tell us that with all the fun, the downside is they end up feeling bloated from overdoing it on all of the food—and they typically munch all day on chips and sugary treats.  They tell us their kids also tend to fill up on junk food and get sugar highs—then they often throw tantrums as they come crashing down.  So every year we get requests for a festive, delicious and healthy recipe that the entire family can enjoy while preventing the bloat and sugar highs/crashes.

This Red White and Blueberry Parfait is sweet, crunchy, rich and creamy—and it’s red, white and blue, so it’s perfect to serve on the 4^th!  With homemade granola and three different berries, it’s irresistible. Plus, it’s waistline-friendly! 🙂

Here’s why it works it’s magic:

1.It’s delicious and refreshing!

2. The secret to staying satisfied, preventing energy peaks and valleys and not overdoing it is to be sure that you’re getting fiber and protein together. This fiber/protein combination provides a longer lasting energy boost and helps to prevent hunger, so you won’t feel the need to incessantly snack away on the junk food in front of you. What’s more, this combination fills your stomach and keeps your blood sugar stable.  It’s when your blood sugar dips that you crave energy (think food!) and the quickest pick-me up you can get—sugar!  So snacks that contain fiber and protein will help you to fight sugar cravings too!  Woot, Woot!

The yogurt helps to pack in the protein, and the granola and berries provide fiber and phytonutrients to keep you healthy and satisfied!

Red White and Blueberry Parfait

Makes 1 Parfait (Save extra granola for more parfaits!)

Ingredients

Granola: (can purchase a low-sugar store-bought variety if you don’t want to make your own)

4 cups rolled oats

½ cup wheat germ

½ cup sliced almonds

½ cup finely chopped pecans

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup sugar free maple syrup

¼ cup honey

¼ cup olive oil

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

(Granola makes about 5 ½ cups, so you can make this parfait for weeks to come!)

Parfait

1/3 cup Greek yogurt

¼ cup raspberries

¼ cup blueberries

1 large strawberry

2 tbsp homemade granola

Directions:

Granola

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Combine oats, wheat germ, almonds, and pecans in a large bowl.
3. In a saucepan, stir together brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, olive oil, and vanilla. Bring this mixture to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a couple minutes. While still warm, pour this mixture over the dry ingredients and coat thoroughly.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until crispy. Halfway through the baking process, stir the granola. Let cool, then store in an airtight container.

Parfait

1. In a small parfait glass, add about half of the Greek yogurt.
2. Top with the raspberries. Then, add a tablespoon of the granola.
3. Add the rest of the Greek yogurt.
4. On top of this layer, add a layer of blueberries and top it with the second tablespoon of granola. Then, add the strawberry on top. Enjoy!

Calories: 182

Carbs: 33 g

Fat: 2 g

Protein: 8 g

Cholesterol: 3 mg

Sodium: 75 mg

Sugars: 21 g

Fiber: 6 g