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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!
Nice dig at people who like foods you don’t. People who actually eat utter milk (weird). People who alienate visitors to their site (weird) and post pictures of food that looks like someone vomited it into the container (must be that utter milk).
I eat wheatberries for breakfast with honey and milk (like cereal). I cook the whole grain wheat in a small crockpot over-night on low, 2 1/2 parts water to 1 part wheat. I will try your recipe for a healthy snack for my grandchildren. Thanks!
Hope you enjoy it, Cherylann! 🙂
Had this for breakfast this morning! My new favorite breakfast! So easy to make ahead and assemble at work!
Glad to hear that Tammy! 🙂
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!
I know I’m a little late on this post, but does anyone else remember Yoplait’s “Breakfast Yogurt” that they had in the 80’s??? It was yogurt in flavors like apple cinnamon, and it had whole wheat berries in it! It was my FAVORITE thing as a kid, and I was so sad when they discontinued it. I still get cravings for it, so I was SO EXCITED when I saw this recipe! I can’t wait to try it!
P.S. – I just adore your blog, Lindsay! Thanks for all of your (and your hubby’s) hard work ~ you always make me laugh and your recipes are amazing!
I remember Yoplait Breakfast Yogurts and I loved them! I too was sad when they got discontinued – figures!
I ate this for breakfast today- I made it last night with greek yogurt and it held up very well. I was a little unsure of wheat berries + yogurt but wanted something new for breakfast so I gave it a try and glad I did! This was a great change-up and I will make it again.
It was also a VERY big breakfast IMHO. I couldn’t finish the full portion, so the rest will have to be my afternoon snack.
Thanks for the idea.
Hi!! Do you rinse your quinoa before cooking? It takes out the bitter taste.
Love your blog!!! You convinced me to try wheat berries.
Thanks for the tip Kel!
Hey Lindsay,
We’re absolutely drooling over your parfaits. If you’re ever interested in a full fridge of CHO, simply shoot us an email and we’ll hook you up!
Ashley @Chobani
People eat wheat berries?! I had no idea. I only thought that they were for bread baking. Yes, so people would eat the berries in the bread… but, what? People cook them and eat it? Hmm. Weird. Oh, and I hate quinoa.
This looks SO good! Although I’m a bit dubious of the wheat berries… 😉
Looks so good!!!! You cannot make this with quinoa no no you can’t!!!. But quinoa is not that bad really off course I only used it in savoury recipes. I used to eat a lot of wheat berries stupid gluten decided to mess up my digestion so no more 🙁 …still nice to see and read your post, kinda like food-porn hi, hi, hi 🙂
This looks really, really good. Can’t believe I’ve never eaten wheat berries.
I’m with you on the quinoa thing. Wanted to like it because it’s so good for you, but it’s like eating little pieces of wool!
Whole Foods Market Cooking pinned this on Pinterest! It came up in my feed and I recognized it from your blog! 🙂 Whoohoo!
Wee! Thanks Jenna!
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
Wheat berries, great idea. Tasty and healthy, can’t beat that.
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.
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. 🙂
This looks and sounds so good. I can’t wait to try it!
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.
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!
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/
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!