Strawberry Parfaits-from The Titanium Chef

I can't seem to get enough strawberries this year.  I love eating them plain and adding them to my yogurt, cereal, salads and even ice cream!  This is a great dessert that will stop that sweet tooth craving but is healthy for you at the same time.  The added bonus you get from adding in the strawberries is they are high in vitamin C which helps you metabolize energizing iron. Give it a try!

Strawberry Parfaits
Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 6

1 tsp ground ginger
1 T ground cinnamon
24 oz low-fat vanilla yogurt
2 baskets (12 oz each) strawberries, hulled and thickly sliced, reserving 6 whole strawberries for garnish

In a large bowl, combine yogurt with ginger and cinnamon.  In parfait cups, layer yogurt mixture with sliced strawberries, garnishing each cup with a whole strawberry.

Per serving: 135 calories, 6g protein, 25g carbohydrates, 3g fiber, 2g fat, 1g saturated fat, 6mg cholesterol, 76 mg sodium.

Mix It Up! 

• Simmer 2 cups thinly sliced rhubarb in 1 cup water with 2 T honey.  Strain, and toss fresh strawberry slices with the cooked rhubarb.  Refrigerate 4 hours and layer with yogurt.
• Toss all the parfait ingredients into a food processor along with a banana and enough low-fat milk to make a smoothie.
• Top pancakes with a dollop of ginger-cinnamon-vanilla yogurt and plenty of sliced strawberries as a healthy alternative to syrup.

Get Fueled!

You can easily build your own all-day-energy meals with these essential ingredients:

1. Whole Grains are carbohydrates, a source of quick energy.
2. Low-fat dairy has protein for slow-burning, long-lasting energy.
3. Vitamin-rich veggies keep your body running at peak capacity.

Choose at least one item from each category and put them together to make a great healthy and energy filled meal.