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Had this for breakfast three days in a row. Wow! What a wonderful recipe, easy too. The only thing I added was chia seeds. Yumm-o!
Lisa
Normal people have hobbies like biking and scrapbooking and knitting. I have a hobby called loving pasta and dessert. And to offset that, I am developing a hobby called trying to eat healthy sometimes and eating new ancient grains like in these yogurt parfaits. Totally normal.
And I give you now – wheat berries!
Aren’t they cutest little grains you’ve ever seen?
There’s a health foods store here in Cebu that has more Bob’s Red Mill products than I’ve ever seen in any one place, at one time, anywhere, ever, and so I’m making my way through the grains one bag at a time.
Side note – I feel compelled to let you know ahead of time that I take issue with just one teensy little grain. Quinoa. And now all you quinoa lovers are crying and throwing your big bowls of quinoa at the computer screen because you obviously eat quinoa while you read blogs. Obviously. I’m sorry, guys, I just never really jumped on that train. Quinoa doesn’t taste very good to me – something about the texture, maybe? or it’s likely that I just don’t know how to make it correctly? – and therefore it won’t be a part of my ancient grains sampling tour. End disclaimer.
But wheat berries.
The texture is kind of chewy, kind of ricey almost, in a more dense way, and a little nutty – and just like quinoa for people who actually like quinoa (weird), wheat berries are extremely versatile. Meaning fewer trips to the grocery store. Meaning less sweat on my face. Meaning a more happy me.
So I had some leftover cooked wheat berries in the fridge and I made breakfast with ’em.
And really, yummmeeeee.
A little sweet, a little crunchy, a little chewy, and a little nutty. Get the brown sugar and cinnamon going on up in there and this is like fall in a bowl for people who live in hot climates and never want to turn on an oven again. Or for people who need fast and easy breakfasts because they have chronic lateness. Or for people who like to feel like they’re eating dessert all the time. And yes I do fit into all three of those categories.
I should also mention here that I did not soak my wheat berries overnight. Partly because I’m lazy and partly because Kath told me I didn’t need to, and I like Kath so I didn’t soak them. It worked just fine.
Let’s recap. This is extremely easy. This is super healthy. This is totally delicious. I think this is about to become my new go-to.
Thank you wheat berries.
Brown Sugar Apple, Wheat Berry, & Yogurt Parfaits
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
Description
These delicious yogurt parfaits are loaded with great flavors like brown sugar, apples, wheat berries, flax, and walnuts. So healthy and so good!
Ingredients
- ½ cup cooked wheat berries
- 1 small apple, diced
- 2 tablespoons walnuts
- ¾ cup lowfat plain yogurt or Greek yogurt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 tablespoon flax seeds (optional)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together and serve immediately.
- Is that all? Yes. Hello, easy and fast.
Notes
To cook the dry wheat berries, I just covered them with water in a large pot and cooked them over medium high heat, uncovered, for about 45 minutes. I added water every so often because the wheat berries soaked it up like crazy. You can cook it longer for a softer texture and shorter for a more crunchy texture. All the water should be gone when they’re all done cooking.
If you want to make this ahead of time, add a tiny bit of lemon juice or salt water to the apples to keep them from browning. Also, to avoid watery-ness after sitting in the fridge, use a thicker yogurt like Greek yogurt.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: brown sugar parfait, parfait recipe, wheat berry parfait
Did we really need a full recipe for that? Sometimes I’m a little slow on these realizations.
Happy healthy wheat berrying, friends!
I’m another one who isn’t really on board with quinoa. I think it’s because I once tried to make it into cookies and they tasted like garbage (properly like garbage) and it’s scarred me for life. Wheat berries on the other hand, I can deal with & I’m a big fan of your balanced approach to eating.
Oh my goodness, I would be scarred for life after quinoa cookies! You’re so adventurous!
Hey Lindsay,
This looks delicious!! I never knew you coul eat whole wheat berries before! I always thought that you could only make flour with them. Oh and I love apples and cinnamon together it reminds me so much of fall. The pictures look AWESOME as always. 🙂 Love your blog!
– Will (aka Junior High Foodie)
That looks really good. I have been slow to develop a really good breakfast variety. I am not creative enough to think of recipes like this…I will have to bookmark it a try it out!
I love the texture of wheat berries as a replacement for al dente pasta cravings. This looks like such a filling breakfast!
Ooh, great idea.
Looks delish. And now I’m on a personal mission to get a Pinch-approved quinoa dish…
HA! I thought of you guys as I wrote that. Don’t be mad at me… 🙂
Holy moly this looks awesome! Although it is making me very hungry while staring at my computer screen at work… : )
If you ever feel brave enough to try quinoa again, try cooking it in cherry juice (or cherry juice you’ve made by soaking/blending dried cherries in water). Mix it with apples, dried cherries, almonds. Delicious breakfast/dessert. Also, oddly delicious over a bed of spinach… just sayin!
Thanks Kelly! I am inspired!!
Wheat berries totally trump quinoa! I love that you used them in a sweet rather than savory application, because hello, sweets rock 🙂 This looks awesome!
I’m glad you agree! 🙂 Sometimes I feel like the world is obsessed with quinoa.
No judgment on the quinoa avoidance – it’s actually quite refreshing than the overwhelming amount of I <3 QUINOA posts. And now I've learned about a new grain, so thank you!
This looks so comforting, agh I could have it for breakfast or dinner or just all the time.
Once I figured out how to pronounce quinoa, I was on board! I probably eat it about 4-8 times a month… so that would be approximately 4-8 times a month you would gag if you lived at my house. 😉
Yum! I haven’t tried wheat berries yet but this looks so good. I do love me some quinoa but it’s actually a seed so you’re off the hook if you’re working your way through the ancient grains. I can’t wait to see what you do with some freekeh!
Girl. You’re so smart.
I’m with you, girl. I have tried, but I can not love quinoa.
How would you recommend making this Gluten Free? Gluten Free oats, perhaps? I was hoping for something different. I’m getting a little tired of oatmeal… 😛
Also, I have an incredible quinoa flake brownie recipe that you could try. Stumbled on it by accident quite a while ago, so I don’t remember where I found it. Fortunately, I printed it off, so I still have the recipe.
Finally! Someone besides me who doesn’t get the whole quinoa thing. Yuck! Bland, dry, tasteless. But whoa, you did get my attention with this little gem of a recipe! The pictures are stunning, makes me want to make it now except I don’t have the wheat berries. Going to whole foods tomorrow to pick some up and make this little bowl of deliciousness. 🙂 Thanks and I love your blog. 🙂
I am smiling really hugely right now. QUINOA HATERS UNITE! No, just kidding. But seriously.
Amazing! I wish I could have this for breakfast every single morning!
This looks like an amazingly delicious dessert…no ancient grains included. I totally want to serve this up to my husband. Amazing!
I’ve never even heard of wheat berries but I just might have to try them because I fall into all three categories as well PLUS I don’t get quinoa either. I’ve given it a really good go but we just haven’t become friends.
Glad to know I’m not alone!
Yep, that does look pretty yummy – and I envy you for being able to eat it. I’m also sorry you won’t be trying to do something creative with quinoa since I need to eat gluten-free due to allergies. Are you SURE there isn’t something you can do to quinoa to make it more appealing? I’m not a huge fan of it, either; but if it means I can eat it as an alternative to something else, it’d sure be great to have another idea how to use it.
Darn! Have you seen Jessica’s blog? She has some pretty yummy looking quinoa recipes! https://www.howsweeteats.com/2012/08/quinoa-breakfast-skillet/
Wheat berries are one of my favs. We have a local grower in our area that sells them and I love to add them to stews as a sub for barley, or with other dishes as a sub for rice. I cant wait to try wheat berries on the sweeter side with this recipe!
Don’t worry, Lindsay… Eat all the wheat berries you want. I’ll eat steaming bowls of pecan-flax-melted butter-cinnamon-craisin-maple oatmeal for both of us. I got your back.
This looks and sounds so good. I can’t wait to try it!
I fully admit to having chronic lateness so thanks for a delicious new breakfast to devour while driving. This one could get messy though I’ve nailed down cereal so it should work.
Ps. Toss a little quinoa with arugula, cherry tomatoes, corn, a little EVOO and lemon juice and you’ll totally forget they’re I’m your salad 🙂
Oops that was supposed to say “in your salad.” Thanks auto correct.
You could be in my salad, too. 🙂
Hey Lindsay!
Just found your blog and am SO PUMPED! I heart crazy grains too (and have a similar penchant to turn just about every meal into dessert, lol). Have you hopped on the millet train yet? Try throwing a 1/4 c. into your next batch of quick bread. Hello snap, crackle, crunch.
This looks like cinnamon apple goodness. Thanks for the idea and promoting wheat berries. I heart those little guys.
Wheat berries, great idea. Tasty and healthy, can’t beat that.
Can wheat berries be made in a rice cooker? I may give it a whirl. I do really enjoy quinoa, but I am a little weird and tend to like most all grains. I’ve seen the wheat berries in the store and have never given them a try, but with your beautiful pictures how could I not, right?
Yes, but you have to kind of babysit them (or so I’ve read) because they soak up the liquid so fast that you don’t want them just sitting in there dried out for several hours. If you are at home and could check/add some water every now and then, I think it would be fine.
Try cooking the wheat berry in a slow cooker