A moderately healthy dessert that lets the apples shine
Apple Parfait
Ingredients
- 2 apples peeled, cored, & diced*
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 cups vanilla Greek yogurt
Instructions
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Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
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Add apples, and saute for 1 minute.
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Add sugar and cinnamon, and saute for 1 more minute.
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Transfer apples to a plate to cool, about 10 minutes.
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Place 1/2 cup yogurt in the bottom of a wine or martini glass. Repeat with second glass.
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Place 1/4 of apples in each glass.
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Add 1/2 cup yogurt to each glass.
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Top with remaining apples.
Notes
I used Honey Crisp for this recipe; use which apples you like best.
This week’s recipe focus is apple desserts. However, the chosen recipes serve two very different purposes. This week’s new recipe, which published on Tuesday, is a suggestion for Thanksgiving dinner. Today’s recipe is a way to curb your sweet tooth while trying to watch your calorie intake during the holiday season. This recipe almost could be a breakfast dish, as it’s pretty darn healthy-ish. But as we’re amidst the season of eating, I’m keeping it on the healthy dessert option list.
To learn more about this recipe, originally published in October 2016, keep reading.
It occurred to me, as I was working on this recipe, that I probably could compile a cookbook of Greek yogurt recipes. Over the past several years, I have become a devotee of this dairy product. Dipping sauce? Greek yogurt. Soup thickener? Greek yogurt. Light summer lunch? Greek yogurt. Dessert inspiration? Greek yogurt. Those are only the beginning.
So, it makes sense that my apple dessert has Greek yogurt in it. I’ve made many indulgent apple treats, as you might have noticed in Monday’s apple dessert collection. This fall with only two of us at home, it’s better that I not bake as many. Two people + one big pan of desserts = trouble
Of course, that doesn’t mean that my sweet tooth has disappeared. Nope. It’s still here and intact. So, how is one to make a dessert that satisfies one’s cravings without leaving lots of extras around? I could make smaller amounts of baked goods. But sometimes I just want a little sweetness without a ton of fat and calories, which is where today’s recipe found its roots.
This recipe, although simple, took a bit of tweaking. When I made my first batch, it was a failure. I cooked the apples for too long, which resulted in a mostly mushy sauce. Slightly chunky applesauce and yogurt make for a boring dessert in my book. Back to the stove I went and found that just the tiniest amount of cooking was perfect. Take a slight edge off the bite of the apple, add some extra sweetness, and the apples are good to go.
When making this recipe, I would encourage you to serve it individually in glass, so the layers can be seen. However, I’d suggest using a piece of glassware that has a wider mouth. Trying to assemble this neatly in a snifter with a narrow mouth was a bit tricky.
For those of you who want a healthy dessert but prefer berries, these Vanilla Blueberry Pie Parfaits would be a delicious choice.
