Blackberry Parfait (vegan, gluten-free)
April 11, 2019
This blackberry parfait is the perfect healthy make-ahead breakfast recipe. Creamy vegan yoghurt layered with gluten-free granola and blackberries - swoon!
Step aside oatmeal, it’s parfait season! This healthy make-ahead breakfast is my go-to for sunny days: creamy dairy-free yoghurt layered with fresh blackberries and homemade stove-top granola. In other words, layers upon layers of healthy deliciousness!
What is a breakfast parfait?
A breakfast parfait has three main components: yoghurt, fruit, and granola. Let’s talk a little bit more about each one:
1. Yoghurt:
The ‘bulk’ of this healthy breakfast comes from creamy yoghurt. I like to use plain yoghurt so I can adjust the sweetness level to my own preferences and avoid unnecessary added sugars.
I have created a two-tone effect with my yoghurt – how pretty does it look? (Answer: just pretty enough to win you over!) To make the base layer this gorgeous purple shade, I stirred through some black goji berry powder and a little maple syrup for sweetness. If you do not have goji berry powder, you could use acai powder, beetroot powder, or any superfood powder of you choice. Alternatively, blend the yoghurt with some fresh raspberries for a naturally coloured pink layer!
The second layer is simply plain yoghurt. I find that the naturally-sweetened goji layer, fresh juicy blackberries, and granola provide enough sweetness for this recipe. However if you have a sweet tooth you could stir a little maple syrup into this layer too (and psst – check out my brownie recipe!)
2. Granola:
The second component is granola. I made my super easy stove-top granola recipe which is vegan, nut-free and gluten-free. (but definitely not taste-free!) It”s the perfect easy granola recipe for your yoghurt, as you can make it in one pan in just 20 minutes!
Granola provides textural contrast to this parfait, providing a satisfying crunch to every bite. Trust me, you do not want to live in a world where parfait is made without granola. What a sad place that would be.
I recommend making your own granola over buying shop bought for 3 reasons:
- Shop bought granola is so expensive. I’ve no idea why, but at least it makes me feel super savvy when I eat my own homemade version 🙂
- Shop bought granola can be packed with added sugars. And as much as we all love sugar, t’s really not that good for you. My stove-top granola is naturally sweetened with maple syrup, making it a guilt-free addition to these vegan breakfast parfaits.
- Homemade everything just tastes BETTER. Doesn’t it? Plus, you can customise it to your personal flavour preferences which is great for picky eaters or those with allergies.
3. Berries
If you grow your own berries, a fresh dish like this is the perfect opportunity to use them. Sweet plump blackberries are the star of these vegan breakfast parfaits, but any fresh summer berry will do. Raspberries or strawberries work particularly well, but you could even use a combination if you’d like!
Berries are great to eat in the morning as they are super high in antioxidants. Antioxidants prevent oxidation (duh!) which is a natural chemical process that can cause your DNA to mutate. This can potentially lead to disease, which is why it’s important to get your berry fix every day. Aside from in these gorgeous parfaits, I like to add berries to my smoothies, pancakes, and muffins!
I like to leave the berries whole in these parfaits for further textural contrast. If you wish, you could make some quick chia jam to use instead. I’m sure you are seeing just how customisable these are, which is why I love breakfast parfaits SO MUCH!
You could use defrosted frozen berries to make yoghurt parfaits, but note that using frozen berries will compromise the texture of the parfait. Fresh berries are best if you can find them, as they are less mushy. If you do use frozen berries, be sure to sweeten them with a little maple syrup, as frozen berries are generally quite sour.
How to make blackberry parfaits:
Making these fruit and yoghurt parfaits couldn’t be easier. Simply mix together the ingredients for the fruity yoghurt layer, then top with granola, plain yoghurt, blackberries and more granola! (Can you ever have too much granola? um no.)
What’s so great about this breakfast is how easy it is to prep the night before. I like to make a batch of granola on the weekends and store it in a jar to use throughout the week. In the morning, it’s a matter of mixing the yoghurt and layering up the breakfast parfait.
You can prep the yoghurt layers the night before and store them in the fridge to speed things up even more. But please DO NOT add the granola to the yoghurt if you are doing it this way! It will turn into a sloppy, mushy mess which is not cool at all. To avoid disappointment, simply add the granola on top in the morning before serving.
Recap:
- A breakfast parfait contains three 3 elements: yoghurt, granola, and fresh berries.
- DO NOT skip the granola. Just don’t.
- You can prep this breakfast parfait ahead of time, provided that you add the granola just before serving.
- It’s really all about the granola.
As always, if you make this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, let me know by leaving a rating/comment below. You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for more vegan recipes!
Blackberry Parfait (vegan)
Ingredients
- 400 grams Non-Dairy Yoghurt
- 1 teaspoon Maple Syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Goji Berry Powder optional, see notes
- 4 tablespoons Stovetop Granola see notes for recipe
- 75 grams Fresh Blackberries
Instructions
- Prepare the fruit layer y mixing 150g of the yoghurt with the maple syrup and goji berry powder. Stir well until no lumps remain. Divide between 2 small glass jars.
- Add 1 tbsp granola to each jar. Divide the remaining 250g yoghurt between the jars.
- Top with the fresh blackberries and remaining granola. Enjoy!
Shivani’s Tips
- I used my homemade stove-top granola recipe for the granola layer.
- This can be prepped ahead – simply skip adding the granola, store in the fridge, and top with the granola in the morning just before serving.
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Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2019 Shivani Raja
Mmm loving that action shot in the middle! Parfait is such an underrated dish, isn’t it! xxx
Thank you so much Tajda! I completely agree – but at least that means more for us hehe! x