Ya’ll. Have you tried using quinoa in place of granola in your yogurt parfaits? It’s so good! The chewy quinoa is a nice texture against the creamy yogurt. It’s also a great way to get your whole grains in as well as up the fiber and the cancer-fighting antioxidant value.

Because I’m a die hard fan of Siggis, I used their plain version here, but you could use whichever yogurt you have on hand. I did add a little granola on top for crunch, but by swapping most of the granola out for quinoa, you can reduce the calories, fat, and sugar. Cook your quinoa the night before and chill it overnight to make putting this together in the moring easier.

Tips for Choosing a Healthier Yogurt

I created a Grocery Guide video on this very topic - watch it! But since you’re already here, I;ll give you a little taste of the main things to look out for when trying to choose a healthy yogurt:

1. Sugar. You could have guessed this one. Most flavored yogurts on the shelf today are heavily sweetened. Go for the plain and add your own fruit. If you can’t stomach the plain, choose a flavored yogurt with 15g or less.

2. Don’t be a slave to the fat-free yogurt. If your saturated fat intake is relatively low - aka you follow a plant-based diet, don’t eat meat every day, and don’t eat much dairy - the choosing the full-fat yogurt is a fine choice, especially if it’s something you really enjoy. Furthermore, fat makes us feel full and satisfied and may help prevent you from overeating, and thus, gaining weight.

3. Choose organic if you can afford it. Dairy from grass-fed cows is higher in heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats which may help reduce your risk for heart disease.

Spiced Quinoa Parfait

What You Need

1 cup dry quinoa

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup yogurt

1 cup blueberries

Granola and/or Nuts for topping (optional) - I used this Granola because I already had it made

-Cook your quinoa according to the package. When done, stir in vanilla and cinnamon. Chill overnight.

-Alternate layers of quinoa, blueberries and yogurt using 1/2-3/4 cup of the cooked quinoa.

-Top with granola or nuts if desired.

Enjoy!

I was not compensated by Siggis for this post.