Yogurt Granola Parfait

Every once in a while we stumble upon something so simple we almost don't want to admit that we didn't know about it.  Such is the case with the Yogurt Granola Parfait.  The height of simplicity with a few layers of ingredients taking only moments to put together, it wasn't something that I learned I loved until I was on vacation in Italy last October.

European Yogurt Parfait... creamy and delicious!

Breakfast on the Seabourn Legend was indeed a daily treat and became one of the favorite parts of my days on the ship.  Dining most mornings outside, in The Cafe, my husband and I took in the views of the approaching ports as the golden hues of the rising sun set the landscape aglow.

With servers taking care of our daily cappuccinos and cooked to order items, we would wander into the buffet area for choices of fresh breads, fruits and yes, yogurt parfaits.  Admittedly not a buffet girl, I chose to skip the bufet offerings the first few days, and turned up my nose at my husband's parfaits thinking that the granola would me mushy and the yogurt full of fat.  I could not have been more incorrect, sort of.

Prepared ahead of time, the yogurt was layered with granola, and yes, the granola did lose most of it's crunch, but in such a delicious texturiffic sort of way that I found myself craving it as the day went on.  In addition, something about the fresh, European yogurt had me ready to pack my bags and move to Europe.  Creamy, and yes with some fat, it was like something I've never tasted here in the USA.

Breakfast on the Legend... Legendary indeed!

Coming home there was no way to recreate the luscious treat we had on the ship, but as my memory fades, the Trader Joe's Greek Yogurt has become a decent substitute, and when layered with one of our homemade granolas it has also become a treat.  Our most recent Apple Cinnamon Granola blended nicely with a dose of vanilla yogurt for a delightful parfait.  The Orange Almond or Maple versions from a few weeks ago have worked their own magic with the vanilla or plain yogurts.  Frankly, any granola layered with any sort of yogurt and optionally topped with fresh fruit can become this wonderful yogurt parfait treat.

As I find myself yearning for my breakfast without responsibility on the ship, the yogurt parfait takes me back, if only just for a moment.  Simple, tasty and a good start to your day, yogurt and granola make a wonderful pairing.

Yogurt Parfait

I'm almost embarrassed to post a recipe so simple, but as I was not aware of the deliciousness of this concoction, I wanted to share with others who are in my boat...

Yogurt

Granola

Fruit

In a small dish, layer yogurt and granola.  Allow to stand for 10 plus minutes to allow granola to soften.  Top with additional granola and fruit of your choice for a delightful start to your day.