I’m on a total yogurt kick. Somehow I managed to survive pregnancy without being much more hungry than normal, but once I started nursing my son I found that I was ravenously hungry ALL the time. Instead of reaching for junk food though, I wanted to make sure I was getting good calories that would satisfy my hunger, help my digestion and be a good source of nutrients for me and in turn for my son. This meant one of my go-to breakfasts or snacks became yogurt and granola.
Yogurt is an excellent source of protein – especially double-strained yogurts like our Wallaby Greek yogurt, or rich and creamy Pequea Valley Farm yogurt made from the milk of grass-fed Jersey cows. Both come in plain and vanilla – ready to have a pop of flavor added to them with fruit and granola. Small containers of Pequea Valley Farm yogurt are available in lemon, peach, maple, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry and black cherry as well as plain and vanilla.
Granola contains plenty of oats, nuts and seeds and small amounts of natural sugars, such as honey or maple syrup. Oats are a recommended food for nursing mothers and nuts are a good source of protein, which will help appease the appetite for longer. Seeds such as flaxseed are a good source of protein, iron and magnesium – two elements that my midwife had prescribed for me to take as supplements during pregnancy.
Wolff’s natural granola is my absolute favorite granola with its deliciously strong vanilla flavor and subtle walnut-y crunch. The Cape Cod Cranberry is equally delicious with its crispy texture and sweet dried cranberry additions. And then there’s the ORGANIC maple variety. I’m a sucker for maple syrup (I got married in Vermont, and our favors were bottles of maple syrup in maple leaf-shaped jars. I’m also slightly jealous that Canadians get to tout the maple leaf as their national symbol, but hey…it’s warmer here!)
Parfaits are an easy and delicious way to use in-season fruit, such as peaches, nectarines, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries and blueberries, which are available now. The peaches and nectarines are still always local this time of year and we get the berries locally whenever possible.
Parfaits
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 mins
Ingredients
- Well-washed berries or sliced fruit of your choice
- Granola of your choice
- Plain or vanilla yogurt
Instructions
- Layer yogurt, fruit and granola in a cup or bowl. If you’re using plain yogurt, choose a particularly flavorful granola, or add a dab of extra vanilla extract – it’s quite good!
- Or, make your own granola using my favorite recipe!
Vermont-Style Granola
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
Ingredients
- 4 cups rolled oats
- ¾ cup wheat germ
- ¾ cup oat bran
- ¾ cup finely chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup flaked coconut
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup honey (plus extra to drizzle)
- 2 Tbsp. brown sugar (optional)
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325.°
- Line one large baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Combine the oats, wheat germ, oat bran & pecans in a large bowl.
- Stir together the maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, oil, cinnamon, & vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then pour over the dry ingredients, & stir to coat.
- Spread the mixture out evenly on the baking sheets. Drizzle with extra honey if desired. Bake in the preheated oven until crispy & toasted, about 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Cool, then stir in cranberries before storing in an airtight container.
