Masonable Mondays #6 - Savory Yogurt and Granola

Welcome to Masonable Mondays #6! Have you seen all the savory yogurts with crunchy toppings out there lately? I liked the idea so I tried Chobani's Pineapple one and loved it. I liked it enough to try to re-create it. So for today's 
#MasonableMondays I am sharing my version of Pineapple Yogurt with Savory Granola. There is really no recipe here except for the granola. If you have access to savory granola options you will not have to cook a single thing. It is as simple as layering crushed pineapple, yogurt and granola in a jar. For my #Masonable I decided to make my own granola. The Chobani flip had a spicy savory granola with almonds and pepitas. The spicy element was chipotle. So I tried to replicate that flavor in my granola. The Domestic Geek came to the rescue. She had a savory granola that featured almonds and a little chipotle powder. So I adapted her recipe and added pepitas. It turned out so good. It is so good with the pineapple flavor. Truth be known, I almost ate it all by the handful before I could fill my mason jars and fruit cups. It is that good! It is great on salads as a crunchy topping too. I think this is another great way to eat oatmeal.  I see lots of savory granola and yogurt in my future. I hope you will give it a try too.

Pineapple Yogurt with Savory Granola
Serves 1

Supplies

1 wide mouth pint Mason jar
1 empty fruit cup

Ingredients

1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
5 to 6 oz. plain non-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup Savory Granola with Almonds and Pepitas (recipe below)

Directions

Place pineapple in a pint size wide mouth mason jar. Top with yogurt. Place granola in re-cycled fruit cup. Place cup in the top of mason jar. Secure with mason jar lid and ring.

Note: If you like a little sweetness, you can add a drizzle of honey or agave. Or substitute vanilla or pineapple flavored Greek yourt.

Savory Granola with Almonds and Pepitas
Adapted from the Domestic Geek
Makes 4 cups

Ingredients

2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 tsp. chipotle powder
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg white
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/2 cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
3/4 cup Blue Diamond Jalapeno Smokehouse Almonds

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl combine oats, chipotle powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder and salt. Stir well. In a small bowl whisk egg white, olive oil and maple syrup. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until they are well coated. Spread mixture in a single layer onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Stirring every 10 minutes. Add pepitas and cook 10 more minutes, stirring every five minutes. Once the granola has cooled, mix in almonds. Store in an airtight container.

Peachy Crisp Yogurt Jar

Here is another meal prep idea for those fruit cups and wide mouth mason jars. I made yogurt with a "peachy" crisp topping. I bought a quart of vanilla Greek yogurt and made 5 jars. The yogurt went into the bottom of the jars. Then I used a mix of dried apricot pieces, vanilla almond granola and cinnamon in the fruit cup for the topping. The cinnamon and crunchy oats in the granola is what gives these yogurt jars that crisp or cobbler topping. Such an easy and delicious breakfast to go! I made one with dried berry fruit blend too, also very tasty. I hope you find this meal prep idea helpful next week.

Peachy Crisp Yogurt Jar

Serves 1

6 to 8 oz. vanilla non-fat Greek yogurt

3 Tbsp. vanilla almond granola (I used Bear Naked Brand)

3 dried apricots, chopped

3 shakes of cinnamon

Place yogurt in a pint size wide mouth mason jar. 

Place granola, dried fruit and cinnamon in re-cycled fruit cup. 

Place cup in the top of mason jar. Secure with mason jar lid and ring.

Looking for more meal prep ideas? 

Try these other ideas using mason jars and that little fruit cup here.

Linking to:

Tornadough Alli: Throwback Thursday Link Party

Chunky Monkey Yogurt Pie

#MadeWithChobani

the Official Yogurt of College Football

When I heard Chobani was looking for bloggers who would be interested in featuring their products in one of their posts I was thrilled. After all I already buy and use Chobani. I thought of all the many uses I have for their yogurt. I use it as a replacement for sour cream and as a topping. I use it in dips and dressings. I eat it for breakfast and as a sweet treat in the evenings. Then finally I use it to make all kinds of Yogurt Pies. My family has been making yogurt pie for years. It is often dessert at celebration dinners, get-togethers and holidays. So it just seemed natural that I would create a new one for Chobani's campaign.

Go check out their website for even more recipes using Chobani.

So let me tell you a bit about Chobani's ad campaign. With football season upon us, Chobani has been named the Official Yogurt of College Football! They want to remind us not to drop the ball when it comes to staying healthy at the tailgate. So they are asking bloggers, well everyone to share healthy recipes for tailgating with the #MadeWithChobani.

Most of my tailgating is done at home these days; getting together with family and friends to watch and cheer on our favorite teams. So I decided to use Chobani Flip Nutty for 'Nana Greek Yogurt to create a new Yogurt Pie. Nutty for 'Nana is a delicious Banana Low-Fat Yogurt with Honey Roasted Salted Almonds and Dark Chocolate on the side. You can flip the specially design cup to add the crunchy toppings to the creamy yogurt. Trust me it makes a delicious healthy dessert all by it's self. But I thought I would make it into a dessert for a group of college football fans. As a Louisiana Tech Alumni this house cheers for the Bulldogs. So this frozen treat will be decked out in red and blue. GO DAWGS! Now back to the pie... 

You can make all kinds of Yogurt Pies using #Chobani. Fresh fruit flavors or decadent ice cream flavors. With Chobani Flips you get the yogurt and a mix-in or garnish in one. Nutty for 'Nana is the perfect base for re-creating the ice flavor Chunky Monkey. You get the banana yogurt, nuts and chocolate in one carton. It made a delicious low-fat frozen dessert with all the flavor of a decadent ice cream. I decided to use the topping as a mix it; after all that is what makes the ice cream so good, all the chunky treats. I also decided to leave some of the bananas in slices too. This pie really lives up to the title of chunky.

For the garnish I had to go with something with team spirit. A bag of almond M & Ms re-enforces the almond and chocolate flavors and makes it so easy to decorate this pie for your favorite team. Beside that, the brown almond M & Ms look a lot like little footballs. So print out your team pennant or mascot and garnish this Chunky Monkey Yogurt Pie for your favorite team.

Chunky Monkey Yogurt Pie
Serves 6

Ingredients

2 cartons of Chobani Flip Nutty for 'Nana Greek Yogurt

1 cup sliced banana, divided

12 oz. light whipped topping, thawed

1 prepared Oreo pie crust

Hot fudge topping

Almond M & Ms, chopped and whole for garnish

Directions

Select your team colors (I used red and blue) from the bag of M & Ms. Roughly chop and set aside. Also set aside 7 brown M & Ms for garnish.

Place 1/2 cup banana slices in a mixing bowl, mash with the tines of a fork. Add remaining banana slices and yogurt; fold together. Fill yogurt portion of cups with whipped topping (about 1-1/2 cups or half of the carton) gently fold whipped topping into yogurt and fruit mixture. Sprinkle in the nut and chocolate topping and gently fold together. Pour into pie crust and spread evenly. Place pie in the freezer and freeze solid. When frozen, spread the top with a thin layer of hot fudge, the remaining whipped topping, chopped M & Ms in team colors and whole brown M & Ms for garnish.

Note: Remove the pie from the freezer and decorate 20  to 30 minutes before you are ready to serve. That way it is thawed just a bit when it is time to serve dessert. If you forget no worries serve with forks instead of spoons.

Disclaimer: I did not receive any monetary or product compensation for this post. I purchased the products myself and all opinions are my own.

Linking to:
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday

Peanut Butter Brownie Yogurt Pie

This is so funny but the inspiration for this Yogurt Pie came from a girls trip to a burger restaurant. Mom, dear sister and I went to Twisted Root for burgers. The burgers were good, the toppings amazing, but the most memorable thing was the dessert we tried to share. We ordered one piece of Peanut Butter Brownie Pie. It came to the table frozen solid. All we had was plastic utensils to try to eat this thing. We struggled, bending most of the utensils just to saw and chip at the delicious peanut butter ice cream and brownie filling. Then there was the crust, it was a really thick homemade Oreo crust and it was rock hard. I was laughing as I watch my Mom and sister saw and stab at it trying to get a bite. Then it happened! One of them who will remain nameless to protect their reputation, picked it up with their hands and gnawed on it just to get a bite. I really started laughing then. Eventually after lots of laughing, no manners, sawing, bent plastic tools, the pie was gone. It was so good! The pie was really rich and decadent. I bet thawed a little bit, it would have been much easier to eat. 

On the way out of the restaurant Mom and I discussed how to recreate this pie at home. I was sure it would be pretty easy; peanut butter ice cream, oreo pie crust, brownies, I mean that sounds simple enough. Then I had the idea to try to make it a yogurt pie. I don't think we would save any calories, but maybe a little fat? It would definitely be packed with protein from the Greek yogurt and peanut butter. Well this weekend we gave it a try. It was really easy, more assemble than cooking. It was also just as decadent. The only trick is to mix the peanut butter with one carton of yogurt at a time. You want it to be thoroughly combined and a little fluffy before you fold in the whipped topping. We used store bought brownies cut into bite size pieces and folded them in as well. We were both pleased with the results. I will definitely make it again next time I have a peanut butter and chocolate craving.

P.S. My apologizes for the photography. 

I was at Mom and Dad's and did not have my camera with me.

Peanut Butter Brownie Yogurt Pie
Serves 6

Ingredients

2 cartons of light vanilla Greek yogurt
1 cup smooth peanut butter
12 oz. carton of light whipped topping (Cool Whip)
4 store bought brownies, cut into pieces
1 prepared Oreo cookie crust

Directions

Place one carton yogurt in a mixing bowl. Fill carton with peanut butter and add to bowl, combine yogurt and peanut butter really well. Add second carton of yogurt mixing well. Add an equal amount of whipped topping (about 1-1/2 cups or half of the carton) gently fold whipped topping into yogurt. Cut 3 brownies into 9 squares each, fold into yogurt mixture. Pour into pie crust and spread evenly. Place pie in the freezer and freeze solid. When frozen, spread the top with the remaining whipped topping, and garnish with additional brownie pieces.

Note: Remove the pie from the freezer when you sit down to dinner. That way it is thawed just a bit and you will not bend any utensils or lose your manners when it is time to serve dessert. LOL!

No plastic utensils were harmed in eating this pie.

Linking to:

Love Bakes Good Cakes: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends

Cherry Garcia Yogurt Pie

This year in a quest to make Easter dinner a little healthier we opted for a Yogurt Pie for dessert instead of the Coconut Baba I made last year. I still wanted to do something special or different. But I could not get the families' cherry version of the pie out of my head. Of course cherries are not in season, so I could not find them in the produce department. It was Mom that suggested using frozen cherries. Then it occurred to me, what about adding chocolate to the cherry yogurt pie? Do you like Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia Frozen Yogurt? I DO! So I went to search the baking and candy aisles for chocolate covered cherries to add to the mix. I found a bag made by Dove. It turned out really good! Everyone enjoyed it. Dear sister liked it a lot but suggested we try using one cherry and one vanilla yogurt next time. Then she recanted saying she did not want to lose any of the cherry flavor. I think I might add a little pure vanilla next time just to see if it adds anything. I am on the fence about whether or not to chop up the chocolate covered cherries next time. They freeze a little on the hard side, so if you encounter one when you are cutting the pie it is difficult to get through. I think with a few tweaks this pie might just keep me out of the ice cream case in the future.

Cherry Garcia Yogurt Pie
Serves 6

Ingredients

2 cartons of light cherry Greek yogurt
1 cup frozen cherries, thawed
6 oz. bag chocolate covered cherries
8 oz. light whipped topping, thawed
1 prepared Oreo cookie pie crust

Directions

Place yogurt in a mixing bowl, fold cherries and chocolate covered cherries (reserve 7 for garnish) into yogurt. Add an equal amount of whipped topping (about 1-1/2 cups or half of the carton) gently fold whipped topping into yogurt and fruit mixture. Pour into pie crust and spread evenly. Place pie in the freezer and freeze solid. When frozen, spread the top with the remaining whipped topping, and garnish with reserved chocolate covered cherries.

Note: I usually remove the pie from the freezer when we sit down to dinner. That way it is thawed just a bit when it is time to serve dessert.

Want more ice cream inspired treats?

Check out this Banana Split Yogurt Pie

Linking to:

Yesterfood: Treasure Box Tuesday

Kneaded Creations: Tuesdays With a Twist
Dizzy Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday
Love Bake Good Cakes: The Ultimate List of Ice Cream, Frozen Yogurt and Milkshakes

Yogurt Pie

Recently I made a Banana Split Yogurt Pie for Mother's Day. It was an embellishment of a family recipe we have been making for years. I don't know where the recipe came from, but I do know we made it a lot. It was another recipe I remember making to help Mom out. I asked dear sister which flavors she remembered making most often. We both agreed orange, cherry and peach seemed to be most popular. Today Mom makes lemon frequently and sometimes lime. She uses a jar of lemon curd instead of the fruit. It is so creamy very similar to a lemon ice box pie. The possible combinations are endless. Especially with all the yogurt flavors out there. So I wrote the recipe pretty generic and have included some possible combinations.

Growing up we used full fat yogurt and whipped topping. Today I use light ingredients. The only difference I have noticed it that is freezes a little harder. So take it out of the freezer a little ahead of serving. If you forget, no worries serve it with a fork rather than a spoon it helps cut through the frozen pie. In my experience Greek yogurt works too. So go nuts! Be sure to come back and share your flavor creations.

Tried and True Flavor Combinations

Black Cherry Yogurt + Fresh Bing Cherries

Peach Yogurt + can or fresh Peaches

Lemon Chiffon Yogurt + Lemon Curd

Key Lime Pie Yogurt + Lime Curd

Blueberry Yogurt + Fresh Blueberries

Vanilla Yogurt + Bananas, Strawberries, Pineapple and Hot Fudge

Below are photos I took of Orange Creme Yogurt + Mandarin Oranges.
It is light, cool and creamy. A delicious dessert for summer.

Yogurt Pie
Serves 6

Ingredients

2 cartons of yogurt

1 cup fresh or can fruit

8 oz. light whipped topping, thawed

1 prepared graham cracker pie crust

Directions

Place yogurt in a mixing bowl, fold fruit into yogurt. Add an equal amount of whipped topping (about 1-1/2 cups or half of the carton) gently fold whipped topping into yogurt and fruit mixture. Pour into pie crust and spread evenly. Place pie in the freezer and freeze solid. When frozen, spread the top with the remaining whipped topping, and garnish with additional fruit.

Linking to:
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
Stone Cottage Adventures: Tuesdays with a Twist
Anyonita Nibbles: Tasty Tuesdays
My Pinterventures: Tasty Tuesdays
Far From Normal: Wake Up Wednesday
Buns In My Oven: What's Cookin' Wednesday
Carole's Chatter: Food on Friday: Oranges, Mandarins & Grapefruit

Love Bake Good Cakes: The Ultimate List of Ice Cream, Frozen Yogurt and Milkshakes