Tag Archives: recipes

March 25, 2019 · 7:15 pm

Vita-Mix – How to Make Green Smoothies

Herewith an oldie, but goodie. Think of it as a belated St. Patrick’s Day post. I heard some folks talking about green smoothies and remembered this wonderful work by Lea Ann Savage back in the early days of the blog.

Health Secrets of a SuperAger

Lea Ann Savage, a Vita-Mix demonstrator, is a reader who has conquered chronic fatigue through lifestyle changes associated with her diet. She contributed the popular item on Watermelon Sorbet and we invited her to share her story and some of her expertise on green smoothies. What she shared with us below is in my estimation the last word on Green Smoothies and just in time for summer, too. You can read more about Lea Ann at her website.

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I made three lifestyle changes that helped me to overcome my 7-year battle with Chronic Fatigue: 1) I got off all forms of processed Sugar, 2) I got off of all products that contain Wheat, and 3) I began drinking Green Smoothies daily.

Lea Ann Savage AKA The Vita-Mix Lady

I learned about Green Smoothies from the book, “Green For Life” by Victoria Boutenko. Everyone needs more raw…

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April 7, 2012 · 9:26 pm

What is a Tasty Apple Dessert or Snack?

When I lived in London, I experienced some very nice dishes despite being a vegetarian at the time. One of my fondest recollections is the postprandial cheese and fruit tray. It always felt so civilized to finish up a meal with some palate cleansing fruit and/or cheese.

That brings me to, as Monty Python would say, “Something new and completely different.” Back in August I wrote about The Dark Side of Apples and confessed to my weakness for apple pie, apple turnovers and apple cobbler. In that item, I also mentioned that I still try to eat ‘an apple a day.’ Last April I wrote about how Eating an Apple a Day Improved Cholesterol Levels.

The something new and completely different is a simple variation on the European cheese and fruit tray.

For the past few days I have been including gorgonzola cheese with my apple snack. I cut the apple into about eight parts and then spread gorgonzola cheese on each part as I eat it. I love the combination of tastes and textures as the sweet apple meets the biting taste of gorgonzola and explodes on my taste buds. I would like to recommend this to anyone looking for a very healthy and nutritious snack or dessert. Although I have a picture of a wedge of gorgonzola here, I prefer it crumbled. I think it combines better with the apple that way. Of course, you can get crumbled gorgonzola by the tub at Costco.

This is a classic Mr. Lazy Cook dish; utter simplicity.

The apple amounts to 95 calories, 0.3 grams of fat, no cholesterol, 1.8 mg of Sodium, 25.1 grams of carbohydrates, 4.4 grams fiber and 0.5 grams of protein.

One and a half ounces of gorgonzola yields 150 calories 12 grams of fat, 7.5 grams of saturated fat, 45 grams of cholesterol, 420 mg of Sodium, no carbohydrates, no fiber and 9 grams of protein.

Okay, there is a lot of saturated fat there and a fair slug of Sodium too. But, it is also a good chunk of protein. Don’t miss The Dark Side of Apples.

You can decide for yourself if this fits your nutrition template. I think it works well with mine – and tastes great, too!

As the old song goes, I don’t care if it rains or freezes, as long as I’ve got my crumbled cheeses.

Although I have specified Gorgonzola, you can use any blue cheese for this snack. Gorgonzola is Italian blue cheese. I am Italian.
Tony

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January 21, 2012 · 3:14 pm

Chia Seed Chocolate Milk Shake Recipe

I picked this up from one of the creative folks in the Vitamix Enthusiasts Group. Thanks, Diane! Have to admit it seemed an unlikely combination at first, but it sounds delicious.

Chocolate Chia Milk Shake
2 Tbsp Chia Seeds
1/4 c Lowfat Milk
3 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
1 Tbsp Hazelnut Agave (or any sweetener would probably work)
4 ice cubes

1. Stir chia seeds into cold milk and allow to thicken for a few minutes.

2. Add cocoa and agave to chia/milk mixture and stir.

3. Place ice cubes in Vitamix and add other ingredients.

4. Process on variable, from 1-10 and a few seconds on high.
I wrote about Chia Seeds back in July and suggested a number of ways of integrating these healthy seeds into your diet. Mr. Lazy Cook gives this one a big thumbs up.

I have used the Vitamix machine daily for over five years and recommend it highly. Lee Ann Savage is my favorite Vitamix Lady. You can find out more about using the machine as well as get a deal on buying one from her website.

Here are links for other blog posts I wrote on Chia seeds:

Read the Chocolate Chia Seed Milk Shake recipe here. Check out Dr. Oz on Chia Seeds here. Here is a Chia seed Super Breakfast. Supermodel Miranda Kerr likes them too.

Chia Fresca – the energy drink.

Interested in other super foods? Check out my posts on Hemp Seeds and Quinoa.

Tony

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June 12, 2011 · 4:00 am

Vita-Mix – How to Make Green Smoothies

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Lea Ann Savage AKA The Vita-Mix Lady

I learned about Green Smoothies from the book, “Green For Life” by Victoria Boutenko. Everyone needs more raw, dark green, leafy vegetables in their diet. Green Smoothies are the easiest and best tasting way to get mega-doses of fresh, dark greens into your body!

Victoria’s Green Smoothies Blog which has a lot of very good information.

Here are some additional links related to Green Smoothies:

Ode to Green Smoothie
A Veggie Adventure

You will get used to the taste of Greens over time. I like to joke with my audience that the Green Smoothie I serve to them is like a “Kindergarten” Green Smoothie and you can work your way up to Graduate Level 🙂 In the beginning, try the milder tasting greens and use a 60% fruit to a 40% greens ratio. Over time you can graduate to the more bitter tasting greens and change your ratio to 50/50 then 60 to 70% greens and 40 to 30% fruits. Or, you can just stick with whatever balance works best for you! I find that the more dark green leafy vegetables I can get into my diet, the less cravings I have for junk food and the more energy I have during the day.

Greens
Here are some Greens I have tried with asterisk by the ones I use the most:

Kale*
Romaine
Baby Spinach*
Collards*
Parsley* (this took some getting used to but now I like it a lot!)
Arugula
Dandelion Greens
Endive
Carrot Tops
Broccoli (strong flavor)
Celery (also a strong flavor)
Cucumber (another strong flavor but good for skin)
Wheat Grass*
Cabbage* (good for preventing colon cancer) and remember, cabbage is one of the magic vegetables.

Fruits
I’ve used about all of them…
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June 11, 2011 · 3:15 am

Vita-Mix – Watermelon Sorbet Recipe

Reader Lea Ann Anderson Savage submitted this very tasty recipe to the blog in a comment on my Drinking a Watermelon item. If you own a Vita-Mix machine check out Lee Ann at her website. She has lots of very helpful info there.

Here is her recipe:

“Hi Tony – I’m a Vita-Mix sales demonstrator and your very inspiring post leads me to want to share my recipe for watermelon “sorbet.” I am basically a very lazy person (hence my love of the Vita-Mix machine) and although I should puree the watermelon first and pour it into ice cube trays, what I end up doing is scooping globs of watermelon and plopping them into the holes of the ice cube trays in arrangements so that none of the “globs” touch another.

“When they are frozen, I place the frozen globs in with unfrozen watermelon (in roughly a 3 cups frozen to one cup unfrozen) ratio and – voila! Awesome Watermelon Sorbet!

Also cantaloupe blended in the Vita-Mix with frozen cantaloupe “globs” can make anything from an ice cream consistency to a milk shake – depending on your ratio of frozen globs to unfrozen cantaloupe. TRULY amazing taste and texture!”

You can read How Healthy is Watermelon and Dr. Oz on Watermelon also in our blog.

Tony

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May 31, 2011 · 2:59 pm

Mr. Lazy Cook Makes a Filling Barley-Spinach Salad

I am a firm believer in eating fresh when possible. In the summer time I do it more because there are more fresh ingredients around.

Today, I happened upon a really nice combination that actually left me feeling pleasantly full, a rare feeling after eating a salad. I mostly feel like salad is a lovely starter, but the real food is the main course. So, today’s lunch salad was a pleasant surprise to me.

Chicago has been having some really cold, for May, weather. We had 30s and 40sF some mornings last week. Because of that I had cooked up some barley and was using it with a soup I made up in my slow cooker. Well, all of a sudden the weather has shot past late May into July and August as we have mid to high 80sF here.

This is what cooked cold barley looks like

The good news is that I had eaten the last of my slow cooker soup on the weekend. The bad news (on first glance) is that I still had a lot of barley left over. What to do with it? mid-summerlike weather is no setting for a hot soup.

So, I tried to concoct a salad appropriate for the weather.

I got some baby spinach from my grocery store. That would be the basis for the salad.

To a couple of handfuls of baby spinach, I added a carrot cut into thin coins, a handful of walnuts cut into small pieces ( I always like to have a protein source in a salad ), a handful of fresh blueberries for a sweet accent, a couple of mushrooms cut up and finally, about 1//2 to 3/4 cup of the cold already-cooked barley from the fridge.

The salad oil I used was Newman’s Light Balsamic Vinegar because I think it has a great ‘spark-up’ taste in a salad.

Mix it all up well and dig in.

My little impromptu salad turned out to be a great success. The barley added enough ‘weight’ to the ingredients to fill me up very well. I definitely did not find myself looking around for something to eat when I finished.

The 2/3 cup of barley yielded 129 calories 0.5 grams fat, no cholesterol, 3.1 mg sodium, 29.6 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber and 2.4 grams of protein. The Balsamic vinegar showed 2 tablespoons as 45 calories, 4.0 grams of fat, no cholesterol, 470 mg of sodium, 2 grams of carbohydrates, no fiber or protein.

This was definitely a low calorie high nutrition meal. As with all salads, the amount of salad oil you use will add to the calorie total, so at least pay attention to how much you use. Each to his own.

As you can see, this simple piece of Lazy Cookery fell together in a matter of minutes. Check it out and always feel free to add or subtract any ingredients that you might like more, or just happen to have in the fridge left over.

You too can be a lazy cook.

Tony

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March 30, 2011 · 4:10 am

Steaming Broccoli in the Pasta Boat – Mr. Lazy Cook

Well, I finally got around to steaming some veggies in the Pasta Boat. When I first bought the Pasta Boat and wrote it up last November I promised to steam some veggies and let you know how it worked.

I am happy to report that the Pasta Boat steams veggies as simply and efficiently as it cooks pasta.

There is a steaming rack included in the Pasta Boat package. You only use it for steaming. It is clearly marked not to be used for pasta.

I got a couple of cups of broccoli, rinsed it off and set them inside the Pasta Boat.

Freshly steamed broccoli inside the Pasta Boat

I had the steaming rack inside along with a cup of water.

Steaming is utter simplicity, right up Mr. Lazy Cook’s alley.

Cover the Pasta Boat.
Put in microwave.
Cook on high for five minutes.
Remove and serve.

Steaming just brings out the freshest color, doesn’t it?

The photos show the rich green of the freshly steamed broccoli.

Broccoli breaks down as follows nutritionally: One serving is a cup.
31 calories, no fat of any kind, no cholesterol, 30 mg of sodium, 6 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein.

Again, I recommend the Pasta Boat. I have made my own pasta in it since the day I bought it.

Tony

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August 23, 2010 · 7:34 am

Vita Mix – Hot Chicken Soup

As they used to say on Monty Python, “And now for something completely different.” Despite the hot spell in Chicago this summer, I decided to use my Vita Mix machine for something completely different from the wonderful cold drinks I have been making – hot soup. One of the amazing benefits of the machine is that it allows you to prepare hot soup right in the container because of its terrific power. A side benefit for me is that it gives me a place to use the left over chicken breast from my Costco rotisserie chicken.

Here is the recipe from the Vita Mix website:
Prep time 4-5 minutes
1 cup (240 ml) low sodium chicken, beef, or vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) skim milk
1/2 small onion, peeled
3 medium potatoes, baked or boiled, with skin (reserve 1 potato)
1/8 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon spinach, cooked or frozen
5 ounces (140 g) chicken breast, skinned and boned, cooked and cut up
Salt to taste

1. Place broth, skim milk, onion, two potatoes, and rosemary into the Vita Mix container and secure lid.
2. Select Variable 1.
3. Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High.
4. Blend for 4-5 minutes or until heavy steam escapes from the vented lid.
5. Reduce speed to Variable 3 and remove the lid plug.
6. Add spinach and reserved potato through the lid plug opening and blend until potato is chopped, about 15 seconds.
7. Drop in chicken and blend for an additional 5 seconds.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 cup (240 ml)

Amount Per Serving
Calories 305
Total Fat 3g
Saturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 34mg
Sodium 105mg
Total Carbohydrate 51g
Dietary Fiber 4g
Protein 19g

This is a very quick fix for a super tasty first course for dinner, high on the priorities for Mr. Lazy Cook.

Tony

Other Vita Mix recipe posts include:
How to Vita Mix a Low Cal Copy of the Jamba Juice Orange Dream Machine,
Vita Mix – Drinking a Watermelon
Vita Mix – Another Green Smoothie
A St. Patrick’s Day Green Smoothie – Vita-Mix
Vita-Mix – Cold Peach Summer Smoothie
Vita-Mix – Cold Green Soup
Vita-Mix – Green Smoothies
Vita-Mix – Watermelon Sorbet Recipe
Vita-Mix – Garden Fresh Cocktail

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August 13, 2010 · 7:10 pm

Vita Mix – Mango Ice Cream

My new Vita Mix machine comes with an introductory DVD that shows a woman making several really attractive-looking items. One is extremely simple – Peach Ice Cream. You combine frozen peaches, skimmed milk, some sugar and a flavoring or two in the Vita Mix for around a minute and, Voila, peach ice cream. At the end of it the woman says, “You can do this with any fresh fruit, just add ice cubes.”

Now, we are going through a tropical heat wave here in Chicago. There were severe heat warnings issued about caring for the very young and the elderly. They made me uncomfortable about my morning bike ride. I did it, but felt uncomfortable about it. Anyway, the thought of making instantaneous (and healthy) ice cream in my new machine was just too much temptation.

I went down to the grocery store in my building and got a fresh mango. I don’t know that I have ever had mango, but this was an experiment. Why not try new ground?

I followed the instructions on the DVD. I put in 1/4 cup of milk, all of the mango that I could get free of the peel. Some sugar (obviously, this has to be ‘to taste’). Two cups of ice cubes later and I was ready to power up.

The Vita Mix blended and pulverized the contents of the container inside of a minute and just like in the DVD I had a lovely frozen treat. I got lucky on the amount of sugar because my mango ice cream was delicious. I ate up what was probably two cups of it and I consumed little more than 100 calories.

Keeping in mind the lessons we learned from the Portion Plate, the two cups of delicious homemade ice cream I consumed would equal around 600 calories of store bought ice cream.
One cup of sliced mango has 107 calories, no fat or cholesterol, 3 mg of sodium, 28 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber and one gram of protein.

An awesome cold treat on the steamy hot Chicago summer days, and it was extraordinarily simple to create.

I recommend it.

Tony

Other Vita Mix recipe posts include:
How to Vita Mix a Low Cal Copy of the Jamba Juice Orange Dream Machine,
Vita Mix – Drinking a Watermelon
Vita Mix – Hot Chicken Soup
Vita Mix – Another Green Smoothie
A St. Patrick’s Day Green Smoothie – Vita-Mix
Vita-Mix – Cold Peach Summer Smoothie
Vita-Mix – Cold Green Soup
Vita-Mix – Green Smoothies
Vita-Mix – Watermelon Sorbet Recipe
Vita-Mix – Garden Fresh Cocktail

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August 12, 2010 · 11:29 am

Vita-Mix – Lemon Ice – Italian Lemonade?

What about Italian lemonade? First, a bit of clarification. In Chicago, we have a high caloric delicacy called Italian Beef. In Chicago, there are Italian beef stands that sell wonderful sandwiches of very thin sliced beef which has been marinating in spicy beef gravy. The gravy is integral to the sandwich. One option when ordering is whether you want the bun ‘dipped’ in the gravy or not. Most folks think it tastes better dipped. It’s just a little sloppier to handle and eat.

Although these are called Italian beef sandwiches they are only sold in Chicago. Perhaps they should be called Chicago Italian beef sandwiches. Or, maybe Chicago beef sandwiches. It just so happens that they are sold at Italian beef stands.

Anyway, oftentimes, very near the Italian beef stands there is an Italian lemonade stand. As a Chicagoan, I am very familiar with them. However, I don’t know if they exist outside Chicago. Italian lemonade is a soft sherbet-like treat that is slightly more firm than slush, far less firm than frozen sherbet or ice cream.

I saw the recipe for lemon ice in the Vita-Mix cookbook for my old Model 5000 machine and tried it. I was very excited to think that I might be able to duplicate the lemonade that I had loved as a child from Italian lemonade stands here.

Here is the recipe from Vita-Mix:
3/4 cup (180 ml) water
1 lemon, peeled, quartered, seeded
1 teaspoon lemon peel
1/4 cup (50 g) sugar or other sweetener, to taste
2 cups (480 ml) ice cubes

1. Place all ingredients into the Vita-Mix container in the order listed and secure lid.
2. Select Variable 1.
3. Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High.
4. Use the tamper to press ingredients into the blades.
5. In about 30-60 seconds, the sound of the motor will change and four mounds should form.
6. Stop machine. Do not over mix or melting will occur. Serve immediately.

Nutrition facts for 1/2 cup serving: 35 calories, No fat or cholesterol. 1 mg sodium, 9 grams of carbohydrate, no fiber or protein.

Bottom line on the taste: Super! Just like the Italian lemonade stands. This is an awesome hot weather low calorie treat. It tastes fantastic right out of the Vita-Mix machine. If you make more than you want to eat you can freeze it to eat later. Is that a Mr. Lazy Cook dream recipe, or what?

In case it isn’t obvious, I am thoroughly enjoying my new Vita-Mix machine.

Tony

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June 13, 2010 · 7:37 am

What is a Good Healthy Cold Treat for Hot Weather?

I love ice cream, but if you have read our any of our portion control items, you know that a single ‘serving’ of ice cream is a mere 66grams, or half the size of a baseball. It just doesn’t last very long. Also, ice cream isn’t really very healthy for you. It is one of those ’empty calorie’ treats nutritionists always rail against.

Small side detail. I have a little dog who is great fun and I take lots of pictures of her. I am a member of a website for photo-minded pet owners. I noticed lots of photos of dogs licking ice cream cones and thought that was a really bad habit to allow a dog to have. On the other hand, the dogs were clearly very happy with their ice cream.

I wondered what I could give my dog that was cold and tasty like ice cream, but good for her. I knew she loved yogurt and also peanut butter. What about combining them? That’s how I, Mr. Lazy Cook, created Yogurt Peanut Butter popsicles.

The recipe is as follows: Take two cups of plain yogurt and two tablespoons of peanut butter blend them together with a couple of teaspoons of honey (to taste), pour into an ice cube tray and freeze.
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April 17, 2010 · 4:00 am

Mr. Lazy Cook’s Black and Tan Rice – Super Side Dish

This is another simple but effective recipe for someone like me who wants to eat good food but doesn’t want to spend a lot of time preparing it, Mr. Lazy Cook. I call it my “black & tan rice.” It is a delicious combination of black beans and brown rice.

Although brown rice takes around 40 minutes to cook, I make up a quantity large enough to last me about a week. That way, after it is made, I simply take it out of the fridge and nuke it. This is a great side dish that supports any protein entree.

To 3-1/2 cups of water, I add two beef boullion cubes. Bring it to a boil and add a cup of well-rinsed brown rice. Once it returns to a boil reduce the heat, cover and let it simmer for 40 minutes stirring occasionally. The wonderful thing about cooking something this long is that it swells up big-time. Take it off the heat and let it stand for five minutes covered to absorb the rest of the water. You now have around two pounds of brown rice that should easily last a week.

Black and Tan Rice in a Corelle bowl.

I buy black beans by the can and mix to taste. For me it comes out to be about 1/3 beans to 2/3 rice. By all means pour the juice from the beans when mixing. I nuke this about a minute and serve it up.

One serving amounts to around a cup of brown rice to 1/2 cup of black beans. This is 270 calories, total fat 1.5 grams, no cholesterol, 430 mg of sodium, 54 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of fiber and 9 grams of protein. This is complete perfect protein with all the essential amino acids. The rice and beans combine to accomplish that. I know this as a former vegetarian.

Tony

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April 14, 2010 · 4:00 am

Is Hummus Good For You?

Everyone is familiar with hummus, right? That pasty substance made from crushed garbanzo beans (chickpeas) and sesame seeds and spices. Years ago you had to go to a Middle Eastern restaurant to get it, but now lots of restaurants serve this as a tasty appetizer with pita bread. You can even pick it up at the supermarket.

I am here to suggest that you take some home. Not from the restaurant. You can find it on many grocer’s shelves. I get the excellent Sabra brand at Costco in 2 lb tubs. Sabra calls this their secret recipe. I don’t know about that, but I do consider it the most delicious hummus I have ever had.

But that is personal. Hummus itself is really good for you no matter the brand.

According to Wikipedia, “Hummus is high in iron and vitamin C, and also has significant amounts of folate and vitamin B6. The chickpeas make it a good source of protein and dietary fiber; the tahini consists mostly of sesame seeds, which are an excellent source of the amino acid methionine, complementing the proteins in the chickpeas. Depending on the recipe, hummus carries varying amounts of monounsaturated fat. Hummus is useful in vegetarian and vegan diets and like other combinations of grains and pulses, when eaten with bread it serves as a complete protein.”
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April 10, 2010 · 4:00 am

Keen on Quinoa (Keen-wa)

Got a pleasant surprise in Costco the other day. Saw a giant display of four pound bags of Quinoa. Normally, quinoa is only sold at health food stores. You don’t find it in regular grocery stores often. Also, it usually sells in single pound boxes. This was the usual great Costco bargain, 4 lbs for $10.00, about half the price you would pay at a health food store.

If you are one of the many who aren’t familiar with this “mother of all grains” according to the Incas, read on. First of all, it isn’t really a grain although it looks like one. It is a small seed. Smaller than rice, about the size of couscous.

Quinoa.net says that quinoa contains more protein than any other grain. An average of 16.2% vs 7.5% for rice, 9.9% for millet and 14% for wheat. Quinoa contains complete protein, all the essential amino acids, unlike corn, wheat and rice which are incomplete proteins.

Wikipedia says that It is also a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. It is gluten-free and easily digestible. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered a possible crop in NASA’s Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration manned space flights.

Dani Spies, culinary nutritionist and fitness trainer who has her own website at danispies.com did an excellent presentation on You Tube.

Continue reading →

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March 24, 2010 · 9:35 am

Super Sandwich – Hot PBJ Sammy on Sprouted Rye

Another of the quick, but (to me) special dishes that Mr. Lazy Cook makes is the Hot Peanut Butter and Jelly (PBJ) sandwich on sprouted rye bread. Although utterly simple to construct, it is melt-in-your-mouth tasty and really nutritious, too.

Hot PBJ, a glass of skimmed milk makes a light meal or tasty snack. Finish with a piece of fresh fruit.

Lightly toast two slices of sprouted rye bread in toaster oven. Remove and cover one with peanut butter and the other with grape jelly. Put back in toaster oven long enough to melt the peanut butter slightly. Remove, put together, cut in half and enjoy with a glass of skimmed milk.

The sandwich contains 300 calories, including 8.8 grams of fat 1.4 grams of saturated fat, no cholesterol, 356 mg of sodium, 42 grams of carbs, 7 grams of fiber and 19 grams of protein.

The 8 ounce glass of skimmed milk contains no fat, 3 grams of cholesterol, 130 mg of sodium, 13 grams of carbs, no fiber and 9 grams of protein.

If you aren’t familiar with the benefits of sprouted grains bread, here are some facts. Flourless bread is made with grains and legumes that are sprouted before grinding into flour. Sprouted grains have increased vitamin and nutrient content because the seed is first sprouted, making it alive and active in its growth process.

Diva Village lists the following as four benefits of sprouted grain breads, High in fiber, low in saturated fat, high in protein, rich in amino acids.

Being a lazy cook doesn’t mean you have to skimp on nutrition.

Tony

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March 19, 2010 · 3:14 pm

Try a High Fiber Parfait – Mr. Lazy Cook

This is one of my favorite dishes of all time and an excellent example from Mr. Lazy Cook. I have one virtually every day of my life. It is an awesome snack after a bike ride or anything that tires me out. There is something about the combination of flavors of the various yogurts and kefir that I just love. This is a dish that I look forward to all morning and then feel disappointed about as soon as I have finished it. It weighs a pound and leaves me feeling wonderfully satisfied after eating. I would rather eat this high fiber parfait than a bowl of ice cream, and I love ice cream.

The yogurt goes on top of this…

I use a medium sized bowl that holds around a quart.

Pour in enough Strawberry Kefir to cover the bowl’s bottom
Add 2 ounces of Kashi’s Go Lean cereal(similar to granola) (2013 change Because Kashi has GMO ingredients, I no longer use it. Granola is fine.)
Add a couple of strawberries cut into small pieces. A few blueberries are always nice, too.
Next, pour in 3/4 cup of Vanilla no fat yogurt.
Finally, pour in 3/4 cup of Plain whole milk yogurt.
Stir well and serve.

Food values include:
478 calories, total fat 9.2 grams, Saturated fat 0.4 grams, cholesterol 27.2 mg, sodium 325 mg, Carbs 77 grams, Fiber 8.4 grams Protein 27.1 grams.

Editor’s Note: I still make this wonderful parfait regularly, BUT I no longer use Kashi’s Go Lean nor any other Kashi product since they employ GMO ingredients. Just substitute a granola of your choice and this recipe stands.

I tweaked this recipe on March 14, 2011 to reduce the yogurt and calories.

I did one final(?) tweak on May 13, 2011.

Tony