Cinnamon Apple Yogurt Parfait with Protein Granola

For any eating plan to be successful, we know that it must have two components: realistic and sustainable. It sounds great on paper, but when your plan looks like a steady diet of chicken, broccoli, and cardboard, it’s easy to shift off the plan.

In order to encourage sanity, we created this recipe—to tame your natural craving for something sweet —with a new twist of protein granola. It’s the perfect option for breakfast, a snack, or even dessert.

Why it’s a Healthy Recipe

Not only are apples lower in sugar compared to tropical fruits, they’re also full of pectin, a combination fiber that has a long list of health benefits. It can help with weight control to lowering cholesterol to preventing gallstones.

Instead of regular yogurt, we used Greek yogurt, which is loaded with more protein and also contains probiotics, which promote beneficial gut flora. This good bacteria will keep your immune system strong and can also help with digestive issues.

Ingredients

Serving size: 1 parfait (1 serving)

Cook time: 20 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Apple mixture:

1 apple*, sliced very thinly
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. grass-fed butter**
1 lemon, freshly squeezed
1 tbsp. Truvia, or sweetener of choice

For the yogurt:

1 c non-fat Greek yogurt, plain
Sweet Leaf Stevia drops (~25 drops), vanilla crème flavor***

For the protein granola:

½ c oats
2 tbsp. almond slices
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
3 tbsp. egg whites
2 tsp. honey
2 tsp. Truvia
1 tsp. coconut oil
½ tbsp. ground flax
Nutmeg, to taste
½-1 scoop vanilla protein powder [optional]

*We used Fuji apple, but any crisp apple would work just fine here.

**We used Kerrygold Pure Irish grass-fed butter.

***You can substitute this with ½ tsp. vanilla extract and 1 tsp. Truvia, or sweetener of choice.

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees; Spray a cookie sheet with coconut oil or cover with a sheet of parchment paper to prevent sticking. In a small bowl, combine all of the protein granola ingredients, and toss to coat evenly. Spread the mixture flat on the cookie sheet, and bake for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, break up the granola pieces with a spatula or large spoon and bake for another 8 minutes.
Meanwhile in a small sauté pan on medium heat, add all the ingredients of the apple mixture. Stir continuously as the apples soften and the flavors develop, about 5 to 8 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the non-fat Greek yogurt and the Stevia drops. Stir until smooth.
Assemble the parfait. For presentation purposes only, a glass cup, martini glass or clear coffee glass mug would work well. Layer 1 tbsp. of granola, then a small scoop of yogurt then the apples and more granola. There’s no exact science to this step, just continue layering, and have fun with it. Use the remaining ½ ingredients for the second glass.
This recipe makes 2 servings.

Nutritional Information & Macros

Macros per serving:

207 calories
5.7g fat
14.5g carbs
24.3g protein