Do you struggle with breakfast? These five-spice granola and pear parfaits will fix that.
I sometimes struggle with breakfast. I’ll eat the same things for months (or years, really) on end without fail until something happens that makes me want to change it up.
Past choices: egg white omelets (all of law school), english muffins with peanut butter (Hurricane Katrina semester), oatmeal with coffee mate (yes- try it- awesome), pumpkin bread, brown bread (all at various points in my Chicago life), granola + rice krispies (currently, post-Chicago life).
Now that we’re really transitioning into fall, I’m starting to play the “what am I going to eat for breakfast?” game in my head. I’m not quite ready for the heft and warmth of a big bowl of oats, but I’m also not ready to give up the granola that’s been sustaining me these summer months. Therefore, a compromise: granola, spiced for the season, but with diced pears that signal the coming of cooler times.
I mentioned a few weeks ago that I’ve discovered a newfound love of Chinese five-spice powder, and I’m using it again here to season my granola in a little something-different way. Oats, pecans, almonds, flax seeds and walnuts are baked with spice, salt, honey and coconut oil until golden brown.
Have you made granola before? It’s easy, you can do it.
(oh dear, ignore my dry hands…and send lotion)
Brown, ripe Bosc pears are diced and tossed with honey and sugar for some fruit and crunch and sweet and pizzaz.
Finally, the two are layered with yogurt. Pick your fave, but I think vanilla or plain Greek is your best bet.
I mean, look at those layers!
Though fall was my pretense, a happy breakfast for all the year ’round.
This post was sponsored by the folks at Bob’s Red Mill, but all ramblings and gibberish are my own. Thanks for supporting those that support THB!’
Five Spice Granola and Pear Parfaits
Sweet, five-spice granola is layered with yogurt and sugared pears for a wonderfully hearty breakfast
Ingredients
- For the granola:
- 4 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Organic Thick Rolled Oats
- 1/2 cup chopped salted pecans
- 1 cup chopped Bob’s Red Mill Walnut Halves
- 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Sliced Almonds
- 1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill Organic Brown Flaxseeds
- 4 tsp, heaping, Chinese five-spice powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- For the pears:
- 4 large Bosc pears, cored and diced
- 2 TB sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- For the rest:
- Yogurt, preferably vanilla or plain Greek
Directions
- Step 1 Make the granola:
- Step 2 Preheat the oven to 325F.
- Step 3 In a large bowl, add the oats, nuts, seeds, and spices. Mix with a wooden spoon until all is combined. In a microwave safe measure, warm the honey and coconut oil until melted and thoroughly combined. Give it a stir.
- Step 4 Pour the honey mixture over the oat mixture and mix until all the oats are coated.
- Step 5 Spread evenly on a parchment-lined, rimmed cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Stir the mixture and rotate the sheet pan. Bake an additional 10 minutes until golden brown. Set aside and let cool.
- Step 6 Make the rest:
- Step 7 While the granola is cooking, toss the pears, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.
- Step 8 Assemble:
- Step 9 Once the granola has cooled completely, in each of four glasses, add 1/4 cup granola, 1/4 cup yogurt and 1/8 of the pears. Repeat twice in each glass to make two layers of each.
- Step 10 Store remaining granola in an airtight container.
I leave big mason jars of homemade granola in my desk at work. Throw some yogurt and fruit into a container on my way out the door, then add the granola when I get in – it’s not as pretty as your parfaits but it saves me from sad soggy granola and being late to the office. 🙂 Looking forward to trying this recipe for my next batch!
I used to do that, but then I’d randomly reach into my jar throughout the day when I was hungry/bored/tired. It was not good in my situation.