Bulgur Banana Parfait

Why reserve your dessert cups for just dessert? I decided I wanted to eat breakfast in style, so I did. This parfait has layers of bulgar--which is like cracked wheat. It also has cinnamon, greek yogurt, walnuts, and bananas.

This new recipe is sweet with no added sugar--though the banana and vanilla greek yogurt have plenty of sweet to go around.

I bought bulgur for one recipe, so I've been trying to find other ways to use it. If I'm going to buy something new, I try to find lots of ways to utilize it. It saves money to use what you have rather than to always just buy new. 

What is bulgur?

Bulgur is cracked wheat that has been partially cooked--so it's another way to eat wheat in whole grain form. How Stuff Works has a nice long article on it, here.

You cook it just about the same way you do rice--I put 1/2 cup bulgur and 1 cup water in a pot, boil it, turn it off or to low and then check it in 20 minutes. It should be tender, also like cooked rice.

Cooked Bulgur Wheat

Don't have bulgur?

For today's recipe, substitute rice.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup cooked bulgur wheat (I make some up the day before, then microwave it the morning of)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 a banana, sliced

1/4 cup shelled walnuts

1/2 cup vanilla Greek nonfat yogurt

1. Warm the bulgur, then stir in the cinnamon.

I have also tried this with cold bulgur, but I found I didn't like it nearly as much. Maybe I'll change my mind when California summer hits. I thought the biggest problem with that the heat brings out the cinnamon flavor. But you may try  it cold if that suits your fancy.

2. Layer the bulgur, bananas, walnuts, and vanilla Greek yogurt in a dessert dish. Make your layers as thick or thin as you please. Top with bananas. Eat immediately.

I used Dannon Light and Fit nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt.
No, they don't pay me. I did buy it on sale and with a coupon.
Thank goodness.
I may also make this with regular yogurt because Greek is expensive.