Yogurt Parfait with Cherries

Yogurt Parfait with Cherries

Yogurt parfait recipe for a healthy and simple breakfast solution! Fresh cherry compote layered with creamy yogurt and crunchy granola.
I gave in and purchased a few pounds of bing cherries. 

If you are a cherry fanatic and need an excuse to eat them first thing in the morning, you’re going to love this healthy cherry yogurt parfait recipe! I created a simple two-ingredient compote to add between each creamy yogurt layer.
Aren’t these fresh bing cherries gorgeous? What is your favorite variety of cherries? If you’re going to take the time to remove the pits from cherries, why not spend a few more minutes to make a luscious cherry compote! All you have to do is simmer the cherries with a squeeze of fresh orange juice, and it’s done in under 10 minutes.

The cherries become tender, and the juices concentrate into a gorgeous light sauce. No refined sugar or thickening ingredients. All-natural yumminess! You’re going to be mad at me for sharing this recipe with you. Why? It tastes like cherry pie! (Inner kid squealing and doing the happy dance)

cherry yogurt parfait with granola on top

Customization is the name of the game!  Creamy, fruity, crunchy and healthy!

side view of a glass of cherry yogurt parfaits with granola

 Just add them to a small resealable jar or container and just grab and go! 

Oh and don’t forget about that cherry compote! You can add it to just about anything, and you’re going to want to!  How will you build your perfect parfait?

What is Compote?
You can use dried or fresh fruit. The sauce is typically cooked in sweetened syrup and spices if desired. You want tender pieces of fruit that maintain most of its shape after cooking. I used fresh cherries which have a little amount of natural pectin. I was going for a thinner concentrated sauce (not a thick set jelly), all I needed was some sweetness and acidity from the orange juice and heat to help lightly thicken the juices to coat the cooked cherries nicely.
Yogurt Parfait with Cherries
Yogurt parfait recipe for a healthy and simple breakfast solution! Fresh cherry compote layered with creamy yogurt and crunchy granola.
Ingredients

4 cups bing cherries, pitted and cut in half
zest of 4 orange
5 tablespoons orange juice
4 cup yogurt, or greek yogurt (dairy, soy, coconut, cashew)
1/5 cup granola
Instructions
In a small saucepan add cherries, orange zest, and juice.
Taste the compote and add any additional sweetener like agave, maple syrup, or honey as needed.
Enjoy immediately or cover and enjoy the next day.
Equipment
1 qt. Saucepan
Oranges are rich in a variety of nutrients. 
Orange, like other citrus fruits, is an excellent source of vitamin C (it provides about 60 percent of the daily recommended dose). Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. 
Oranges contain many types of phytochemicals. Hesperetin and naringenin are flavonoids found in citrus fruits. Naringenin has bioactive effects on human health, as an antioxidant, a scavenger of free radicals; has anti-inflammatory properties and serves as a systemic modulator of the immune system. This substance has been shown to reduce the damage caused by DNA oxidation in cells in in vitro studies.
All of these compounds have been shown to have antioxidant properties.  Eating fruits naturally rich in flavonoids helps the body protect against lung and oral cancer.
These vitamins are essential, in the sense that the body must obtain them from external sources to replenish supplies.
Potassium is an important component of cellular and body fluids and helps regulate the work of the heart and blood.