Do They Have Rehab For Food Addictions?

My obsession with yogurt and granola began when I was a freshman in college.  Almost every freshman at my university lived in the dorms and was required to purchase a meal plan to eat at the DC (dining commons).  Some of the food was edible, a couple things were actually delicious (Santa Fe chicken salad and the fresh warm cookies), but the majority of it was barely tolerable.  On days where absolutely nothing looked appealing, I turned to the salad bar where they always kept two containers of yogurt—one plain, one flavored.     

 

The DC also stocked a large jar of homemade granola next to their cornflakes, and it was chock full of raisins, sunflower seeds, and almonds, which gave the perfect crunch when mixed into a bowl of yogurt.  And if I ate my yogurt and granola as a dessert, I’d walk over to the ice cream toppings to add a spoonful of chocolate chips.  It wasn’t long before all of my friends caught on to my tricks, and I got them hooked too!

 

Now that I make my own granola, my obsession has spiraled out of control to become an addiction.  (YGA: Yogurt-and-Granola Anonymous, anyone?)  I need my bowl once a day, whether it’s with a healthy serving of sliced fruit for breakfast, with a few extra scoops of granola for a snack, or with a sprinkling of cinnamon for dessert.

 

See if you can resist this tasty breakfast parfait!

 

 

Yogurt and Cherry Parfait

serves 1

Even though the layers look pretty, I prefer to mix everything together so every bite has a chunk of fruit and a few bits of granola.  If plain yogurt is too tart, substitute vanilla yogurt or whatever your favorite flavor may be.

1 c. plain nonfat yogurt

¼ c. granola

10-15 cherries, pitted and quartered

1. In a tall glass or a bowl, layer the yogurt, granola, and cherries, alternating between the ingredients.  Serve immediately.

 

 

*Note:  If making the parfait for yourself, I found that the easiest way to remove the cherry pit was biting it out.  Obviously not the best method if you’re serving this to someone else, but it’s a lot faster and doesn’t require a fancy-shmancy cherry pitter!