I’m not gonna lie: I am not a huge fan of yogurt. Try as I might, there’s just something about the taste that just kinda squicks me out. [I’m also one of those apparent nutjobs who hates cow’s milk, but that’s another story for another day.]

Then last Saturday morning, I found myself rushing to leave my apartment relatively early so I could go drive to Indianapolis for a high school friend’s wedding. I knew I needed some espresso for the nearly four hour drive, but I wasn’t sure what I was going to eat. I stopped at a local coffee shop, ordered my usual vanilla latte, and then decided to order a yogurt parfait. It was simple – it had plain vanilla yogurt, along with honey, strawberries, and fresh mint. And perhaps I was just starving, but it was actually very good. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it – even as I wolfed half of it down in the coffee shop’s parking lot before hopping on the interstate.

That parfait got me to thinking: What if I made my own yogurt parfaits? Would that be a way to get myself to eat more yogurt? I mean, we all know that plain yogurt [either Greek yogurt or whole fat yogurt – not the sugary fruit-flavored yogurts that are popular] is supposedly really good for you. But as I mentioned before, I’ve just never been a huge fan of it.

When I got back to St. Louis on Sunday, I decided to make some simple homemade granola. And I thought that it would go great with some yogurt so that I could make my own little parfaits. Behold:

These parfaits are simple and delicious, and very healthy [for the most part]. The best part is that they’re super versatile. For my parfaits, I used the following: honey, my homemade granola, raspberries, and whole fat plain yogurt. But if you hate raspberries, use strawberries or blueberries. If you want to go vegan, use agave nectar in place of the honey, and coconut yogurt in place of the whole fat yogurt. Your options are endless! That being said, this post is not really a recipe, as I don’t think you can quite qualify this as a recipe. But I thought it would be cool to share how I made my little parfaits – in the hope that you will be inspired to make your own. I think these parfaits have converted me from a yogurt-hater to someone who can eat yogurt – if it’s done right! 😉

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Simple Granola + Raspberry + Yogurt Parfaits.

Ingredients:
– Honey or agave nectar
– Granola [homemade or store bought]
– Yogurt
– Fruit of your choice

Instructions:
1. In a small jar or bowl, add some honey or agave nectar to your liking.
2. On top of the honey/agave nectar, add several scoops of yogurt.
3. Top the yogurt with granola, then garnish with fruit of your choice.
4. Mix all the ingredients together with your spoon, and enjoy!
5. Note: You can layer all of the ingredients in a jar, then close the jar and store it in your fridge overnight for an easy and tasty breakfast on the go in the morning! Dooo itttt.