VeggieTalk

I know, it really seems silly. But we’re in that goofy period when summer fruit is waning, but apples and pears are not quite in season. I was actually after some blueberries; we’ve had a dearth of organic blueberries in the local stores and markets this year. I saw a tiny container of blueberries—4 ounces—for $6.79. That comes out to $27 per pound! I have never heard of anything so insane. So I can hardly be blamed for choosing the strawberries, which looked ripe and healthy, for $3.69 for an entire pound in one container, a relative bargain.

I was looking for a quick dessert to make for friends who were coming over for lunch and a hike this past Labor Day Monday, and had decided on parfaits, which take minutes to make, but seem so very impressive. After lunch, and even after the hike, we were all still too full, so the parfaits were left for breakfast the next morning. These make a terrific breakfast, served with whole grain toast or English muffins. For fall parfaits, you can use thinly sliced apple, pear, or Asian pear with a few thawed frozen organic blueberries (I AM going to get those blueberries, one way or another!); or a combination of banana with another fruit. The recipe is adapted from The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet. If you don’t have fancy parfait glasses like these that I bought at a yard sale a few years ago—very 1950s!—you can use clear glass tumblers.

Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits

4 servings

• Two to three 6- to 8-ounce containers vanilla or lemon soy yogurt
• Two cups fresh fruit (see suggestions, following)
• Toasted sliced almonds and/or granola for topping

Use 4 parfait dishes if you have them; if not, medium-sized glass tumblers will do. For each serving, layer about 1/4 cup each of fruit, then yogurt, in the parfait dish; repeat each layer, then do the same for the other parfaits.

Sprinkle with the topping of choice, and serve.

FRUITS AND COMBINATIONS FOR PARFAITS

For four parfaits, you can generally figure on using 2 cups of fruit. Try the following combinations or come up with your own.

Strawberries: Remove the hulls from 1 pint very sweet, ripe strawberries and slice them.

Strawberries and blueberries: Combine 1 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced, with 1 cup fresh blueberries.

Peaches or nectarines with berries: Combine 1 cup diced ripe peach or nectarine, with 1 cup berries.

Mango and berries: Combine 1 cup diced mango, with 1 cup blueberries, raspberries, or sliced strawberries.

Mango and banana: Combine 1 cup diced mango, with 1 cup thinly sliced banana.

Fresh apricot: Use 2 cups (from about 6 fresh apricots) sliced fresh apricot. Or combine 1 cup sliced fresh apricot with 1 cup small seedless grapes or berries.