Chocolate Banana Parfaits

May's Recipe Redux Theme is all about May's Showers. Not the rain kind, but the wedding and baby kind. I (Britney) recently threw a baby shower for a friend and we had all sorts of sweet goodies for people to eat, and a couple of healthy ones too. Sometimes I'm nervous about giving all my healthy goodies to my friends, you know? What if they think that you need sugary cookies/cake/candy buffets to make a party a party? I must admit that I sometimes worry about what they would think. But there really are plenty of delicious, healthy options out there.

Today's treat is definitely a treat, but it is a healthy treat. (I promise!) Chocolate doesn't have to be high in fat. The chocolate granola helps you eat some whole grains, the chocolate yogurt is flavored with cocoa and honey and has the tangy taste of wholesome yogurt, and then you add bananas. And aren't chocolate and bananas just made for each other?

All of your friends should love this treat.

As usual, check out some of the other delicious shower foods shared by our other Recipe Redux partners. They always come up with some great ideas!

Ingredients

Granola

1 C unsweetened flaked coconut

3 C old-fashioned oats

4 T cocoa

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 C honey

1/2 C coconut oil

2 tsp vanilla

* Optional you could add 1 T. peanut butter for a chocolate peanut butter variation.The granola would be great to eat alone too. :)

Yogurt

2 C plain yogurt or greek (you could also use vanilla and leave out honey and vanilla extract)

2 T honey

1 T cocoa

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

and sliced bananas (fresh berries would be a delicious substitution!)

*You could garnish with chopped almonds, whipping cream, and or chocolate chips

 
Directions

1. Start with the granola. Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix together coconut and oats in a bowl.

2. Add cocoa, salt, honey, coconut oil, and vanilla to a sauce pan. Heat, stirring, until just combined. Take off heat and pour over oat mixture. Stir until all combined.

3. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Pour over granola in a thin layer. Bake for 30 minutes. You could stir once during the baking.

4. Mix together yogurt ingredients.

5. Layer the ingredients in a glass just before serving.