When navigating the yogurt aisle you might want to pack yourself a light lunch and some bifocals to get you through that never ending wall of dairy “goodness.” When I was a kid you had two options: stirred yogurt, or fruit on the bottom. Today the varieties are endless. And in fact those varieties have many variations. For the most part, I go with plain yogurt with a reasonable amount of fat to which I can add my own flavours and toppings. However, I do long for the jam-y consistency of the fruit on the bottom variety I once enjoyed as a child. In order to cut down on some of that refined sugar and still enjoy the fruit-on-the-bottom experience, I made this amazingly delicious concoction of fruit, chia seeds (which gives it an incredible texture and is loaded with fibre an essential fats – BONUS) and maple syrup! Perfect to make ahead and store in the fridge for the week. Check out the two flavours below — each recipe makes six yogurt cups each.
Winter Pear and Cardamom
3 Bartlett pears, washed and diced
2 tbsp chia seeds
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 cup water (or apple cider)
3 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
1 500-ml container of plain yogurt
Berry-Berry
2 cups frozen strawberries
1 cup frozen blueberries
2 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 500ml container of plain yogurt
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Place all the ingredients except the chia seeds in a medium pot over medium-low heat.
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Bring mixture to a simmer and then turn down to low.
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Cook for 12-15 min, until the fruit is soft and mixture is jam-like; stir in chia seeds.
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Set aside and allow to cool.
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Once cool, place 1/3 cup of fruit in the bottom of a jar. Top with 1/3 cup of plain yogurt, seal and store in the fridge. Top with granola before you’re ready to eat!
Download a printable version of this recipe here.