Today’s recipe is inspired by one of my favorite snacks – yogurt and granola. Back in college (and before I really got into cooking), I used to have yogurt and granola as meals on their own. Something about the creamy, tangy yogurt mixing with the crunchy, sweet granola really hits the spot for me. So I wanted to create a parfait that had different layers of textures, in homage to my favorite college snack. This parfait is layered with farm fresh blueberries, creamy banana, vanilla coconut yogurt and homemade buckwheat crispies in place of granola. I hope you all love it!

But I wanted to talk about something else today, too. Up until now I’ve been silent on the matter of the recent shooting in Orlando. Mostly because I haven’t been able to process it. It doesn’t seem real; it can’t be. How could it be possible for one man to cause so much terror and loss? It doesn’t seem like something that should happen in our modern society. We go about our daily lives, worrying about traffic and dinner plans and the weather, never imagining that our lives could be torn apart in seconds by the acts of one person. It seems so monstrously unfair. I can’t even begin to imagine what the LGBT community must be going through right now. I can’t even begin to imagine what it’s like to not feel safe in places frequented by my community. They’ve suffered enough injustice at the hands of our society, and now this? My eyes well up as I write this. My heart breaks for the lives lost, and even more for the lives left behind in pain and sorrow. Again, it seems so monstrously unfair.

Although this was a heinous and unspeakable hate crime committed on the LGBT community of Orlando, this was also an attack on all Americans. None of us are safe. At any point, any person (even one who had formerly been investigated by the FBI) can walk into a store and purchase a gun, legally. Even a semi-automatic assault rifle. Yes, there are people who own guns who are law-abiding, good citizens. But those people, in this situation, don’t matter. I’m sorry, they don’t. When 49 innocent lives are lost, it should supercede all other arguments. And this isn’t counting shootings such as the ones in San Bernadino or Sandy Hook. When will we learn? When will we make a change?

Trever Noah, the host of The Daily Show, made an excellent point in his recent show. After 9/11, he said, we learned from our mistakes. After 9/11, we learned that airplanes could be used as weapons, so we increased security at Airports. We didn’t ban flying – we just made it harder to carry concealed weapons and dangerous items onto planes. So why is it so inconceivable to make it harder for people to purchase and own guns? Why is that offensive? 49 people DIED because lawmakers couldn’t find the courage to make a change after San Bernadino, after Sandy Hook. They did NOTHING. And perhaps if they had changed the law, this attack could have been prevented. And that’s the worst part. It probably could have been prevented.

So now not only do I pray for the victims and their families, but I pray for change.

Print

Vanilla Yogurt Parfaits w/ Sweet Buckwheat Crispies

These vanilla coconut yogurt parfaits are layered with creamy banana, farm-fresh blueberries, tangy yogurt and homemade buckwheat crispies.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 2 -3

Ingredients

Buckwheat Crispies

• 1 1/2 Cups Raw Buckwheat Groats
• 2 Tbs Coconut Oil melted
• 1/4 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 Cup Maple Syrup
• Pinch of Sea Salt

The Parfaits

• 1 Banana sliced
• Vanilla Coconut Yogurt
• Handful of Blueberries

Instructions

Buckwheat Crispies

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a bowl, combine coconut oil, vanilla, maple syrup, and sea salt. Mix until everything is evenly combined.
• Add 1 1/2 cups raw buckwheat groats to mixture, and stir until everything is evenly coated.
• On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spread out buckwheat groats evenly. (Note – do not use tin foil – the buckwheat groats may burn.)
• Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
• Once done, set the oven to broil and broil for 2-3 minutes, or until tops are browned, checking often to ensure the buckwheat doesn’t burn.

Assembling the Parfaits

• This is where you can get creative. I used blueberry and banana in my parfaits, but you can use any fruits you like. Strawberries or mango would go great too.
• Assemble layers of fruit, yogurt, and buckwheat crisps, using as much of each as you like. Again, be creative and don’t worry too much about amounts.
• Serve in glasses and enjoy!

P.S.

If you make this recipe and post it on Instagram, be sure to tag me @wellandfull and #wellandfull so I can see! I love seeing your takes on my recipes :)