WHIPPED YOGURT AND TANGY BERRY PARFAITS

 

One of the groups that I met regularly in for a bunch of years and stopped with COVID has finally started back up - Mexican Train.  In ways it seems like forever ago that we played together but in other ways like yesterday. 

Before we met once a month on the second Thursday afternoons of the month. No I don't remember that; I had to go back on my calendar on my phone to 2018 to see. That's when I feel like it has been forever ago that we met.

Now we are meeting on the fourth Monday afternoon and for some reason I can't get that imprinted on my brain. I should remember that it meets the day before Blankets of Hope meets for the second time of the month. Now that I have made that relationship, hopefully I will remember this month. 

Well, when we met this past month, I was made aware of it when Friend Janice sent me a text asking me if we were playing the next afternoon. She said she had not gotten any notice for it, but I checked my calendar and ended up sending a message to the hostess Carla that Janice and I would be there.

I'm hosting this month so I had better not forget the date.

I also have to come up with a fabulous dessert to follow up Carla's delightful weight watcher dessert that she served. It was just what the afternoon called for. 

PRINT RECIPE.

WHIPPED YOGURT AND TANGY BERRY PARFAITS

5     strawberries, cut into quarters

1/2  cup blueberries

1/2  cup raspberries

1/2  cup blackberries

2     tablespoons chopped fresh mint

1     tablespoon maple syrup

1     cup fat-free vanilla yogurt

1/2  cup fat-free non-dairy whipped topping

1/4  cup low-fat granola

Mint sprigs

Combine the strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, chopped mint and the maple syrup in a medium bowl.

Combine the yogurt and whipped topping in another bowl. 

Alternately layer the berry mixture with the yogurt mixture, ending with the berries, in four 6 - ounce parfait glasses. 

Sprinkle each with a tablespoon of the granola and garnish with the mint sprigs.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

PUDDING A LA PATRICIA

 Do you ever have one of those days when you just NEED something sweet? I have or should I say I do. Often. But I keep reminding myself that I want to lose a few more pounds.

If you follow My Patchwork Quilt, you know I try, when I can, to reduce the sugar calories in my desserts. Sometimes I can tell because the dessert isn't as sweet! And sometimes I can't tell that I reduced the calories by tasting it! Sweet! 

Pudding is one dessert I can make that is almost always sweet tasting whether I use regular pudding mix or the sugar-free pudding mix. Sunday was one of those days that I decided I had put it off as long as I could. 

It was really tempting to order one of Roxanne's desserts and split it with Wayne after we finished our lunch, but I didn't even mention it to him. You see while I had been sitting there considering my options, I decided it was finally time! Time to get out one of my instant pudding mixes when we got home and mixed it up. All the way home I kept thinking what I could do differently to make it special!

You see this recipe is so easy, I almost hesitated to write it up. But then I thought that is just the recipe I do want to share. Cooking/baking doesn't have to be difficult to deserve making. And another thing you can make it according to what you enjoy and have. I started out with adding the coconut and then the cookies in the bottom and finished with the "topping".

Another neat thing about creating your own individual servings is you can cater each one to the "eater's" desire. I added coconut. If one someone in your family doesn't like coconut, you can add it last. Spoon mixture into individual-size-dish and then add coconut to the rest of the mixture.

Do I need to remind you that you can use any flavor pudding mix also? I didn't think so.

PRINT the recipe.

PUDDING A LA PATRICIA

1     package (either 4 or 6 serving size - sugar-free or regular) instant pudding mix (I used chocolate sugar-free)

Milk required according to package directions (I used 2 cups skim milk with the 4-serving size.)

1/2  cup unsweetened coconut (if desired)

Sugar-free cookies (if desired)

Chopped nuts (if desired)

Mini-chocolate chips (no-sugar-added or regular, if desired)

Empty package of instant pudding mix into a large mixing bowl. I then added 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut.

When I added the milk, I added one cup and mixed it up using a whisk and

then added the second cup of milk. (I sometimes have pudding mixes that turn out lumpy even though I use an electric mixer. I didn't want that to happen this time. That's also why I added the coconut initially.) I whipped the mixture with the whisk until thickened.

In the bottom of each individual dish I placed two sugar-free cookies I had bought.

The larger custard dish held three cookies.

Then using a scooped shaped spoon, I

divided the mixture between the five dishes. 

Then I got creative by sprinkling additional coconut on top of two servings and

chopped up some pecans and sprinkled them on top of the other three.

Into the refrigerator to wait until good and cold. You just don't know how hard that was. I think it was the most difficult step in making this dessert.

But it was all worth it! So rich! So many different textures!😍

Next time I think I'll use...

VANILLA INSTANT PUDDING and PEANUT BUTTER

and  make VANILLA PEANUT BUTTER SWIRL PUDDING...

Mix up instant pudding mix as usual and measure out half of the mixture into another bowl.

Add 1/4 cup (no-sugar-added) peanut butter to one of the bowls and

whisk til smooth.

Spoon out the peanut butter  pudding into 5 - 6 servings.

I did add the sugar-free chocolate cookies in the bottom of the dish first.

Add a scoop of the plain pudding mixture and

then swirl it into the plain pudding.

(You will have some of the plain pudding left over that you can eat plain or add something to it - like coconut.)

Add some more on top...