Strawberry-Chia Yogurt Parfait

Strawberry- chia jam drizzled atop probiotic-rich yogurt makes for a wonderful treat.

Enjoy this treat from Anya at Prepare and Nourish!
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​We live a few miles from one of the most beautiful and refreshing rivers in California. The scenery is gorgeous and I love the evenings when we get to watch the sun set over the horizon. What I don’t love is coming home with the kids nagging me because they are starving and are going to die from hunger in 4 seconds.

Intentionality is the Name of the Game

A mom has to have many tricks up her sleeve in order to keep the house orderly and bellies full. Having premade strawberry chia jam and yogurt on hand for a quick snack is one of mine. This delicious jam can be made days in advance or just before assembling this simple parfait together. It doesn’t require a lot of effort and can also boast a nutritional punch with the added kombucha, although that is entirely optional. I prefer to add a few tablespoons of it since I usually use my unsweetened homemade yogurt. Just don’t get kombucha-happy, or else the chia jam will be a tad on the thin side for this to be considered parfait.

A Healthy Snack

I remember when those little yogurt cups came out that had separate compartments with some variety of fruit jam. My kids went bonkers over those. I went bonkers over those. What an ingenious idea – to bring probiotic-rich yogurt and sweet fruit jam together for a completely different depth of flavor. Too bad those yogurt cups had a ton of nauseating ingredients. Thankfully, we don’t have to succumb to these conveyor-belt creations. We gladly make our own with real, wholesome ingredients that are nourishing to our bodies and the little bodies in our care.

A Simple Snack

This parfait can quickly be made after a day at the river or a strenuous day doing chores or just lounging around in your yoga pants doing everything but yoga. It comes together easily but boasts a galore of flavor and nutrition. The addition of chia seeds some substance while strawberries add that desired sweetness. Of course, the option is yours whether you want to go with vanilla, sweetened yogurt or go hard-core and use plain yogurt. Just be sure to source the highest quality ingredients your budget and resources allow.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 2-4 tablespoons kombucha (to thin out strawberry jam) – learn to make your own 
• 3 cups plain OR vanilla yogurt*

Directions:

Add all strawberries and chia seeds into a small bowl or mason jar (I prefer the latter for ease of blending with immersion blender). Blend both ingredients, add kombucha as needed for a thinner texture. You may also add plain water or coconut water. For all these I use a blender I got from reading sites as Zozanga and others so I can enjoy all these recipes easily.

In a glass, scoop out about 1 1/2 cups of vanilla yogurt, and drizzle or spoon (depending on how thick you desire the jam to be) the strawberry-chia seed mixture on top. Garnish with additional strawberries and enjoy with a spoon!
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Note: Try to source a local-to you farm that produces high quality vanilla flavored yogurt. You can also add vanilla and honey or maple syrup to my Homemade Yogurt.

I hope you are all enjoying your summer. What has been your favorite routine summer activity thus far?