Cinnamon yoghurt bark with strawberries
Boost your health with these natural yoghurt treats.
Kimberly Parsons shares her yummy treat from her new book, The Yoga Kitchen.
The types of bacteria in our intestines have a profound effect on our health. Good bacteria are anti-inflammatory, whereas bad bacteria secrete highly inflammatory substances into the gut. Along with regularly eating fermented foods, consuming unflavoured, sugar-free, natural yoghurt is an excellent way to increase your healthy bacteria. Flavour the yoghurt in any way you want; I’ve roasted the strawberries, which increases their flavour, while the addition of balsamic vinegar diffuses their sweetness.
Ingredients (Serves 6)
- 500 g (2 ¼ cups) full-fat natural yoghurt
- or Greek yoghurt
- 4 tbsp pure maple syrup
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 200 g (2 1⁄3 cups) fresh blueberries or
- blackberries (if blueberries are unavailable),
- stray stems removed
- 25 g (1⁄6 cup) cacao nibs
- 50 g (1⁄3 cup) raw pistachios, roughly chopped, plus a few extra for scattering over serving plates
- 500 g (3 1⁄3 cups) fresh strawberries, washed and quartered
- 2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp filtered water
Method
Line a 20 x 20cm shallow baking tin with baking paper.
In a medium bowl, stir together the yoghurt, maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla. Gently stir in the blueberries and cacao nibs and mix until everything is combined. Pour the mixture into the tin, spreading it out evenly, making sure the blueberries are evenly distributed. Sprinkle the chopped pistachios over the yoghurt surface.
Cover with cling film and place in the freezer overnight or until required.
On the day of serving (you still need to be working ahead of time as the mixture needs time to cool), preheat the oven to 160°C fan. Place the strawberries in a glass baking dish and spread out in an even layer.
In a small bowl, stir the vanilla, balsamic vinegar and water together. Pour this mixture over the strawberries and place in the oven for 20 minutes or until the strawberries are tender and cooked. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Drain the liquid from the strawberries into a small saucepan. Bring to the boil until reduced to a thickened sauce. Leave to cool.
When ready to serve, spread a little of the strawberry sauce over 6 serving plates and add the roasted strawberries with the yoghurt bark. Scatter a few chopped pistachios over the top and serve immediately.
Words and recipe by Kimberley Parsons.
This is an edited extract from The Yoga Kitchen by Kimberly Parsons, published by Quadrille, RRP $39.99, available in stores nationally. Click here to purchase.
