Chunky Monkey Greek Yogurt Parfaits

This post was created in partnership with Stonyfield and prAna. As always, all opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep me creative in my tiny kitchen!

Chunks of premium dark chocolate, banana chips, toasted walnuts + a drizzle of honey bring these dessert-inspired breakfast parfaits to the next level!

Life has been hectic lately. Between work, family, personal obligations, and seasonal allergies (gahhhh I love living in New York but it has been absolutely insane this spring) I have been feeling overwhelmed and just plain spent these past few weeks.

There has just been so much going on that I’ve been having to make a point of keeping things simple when I can and remembering to spend a little time taking care of me, not just everyone else.

So I’ve been trying to embrace simplicity and live in the moment, even when that moment is pure chaos (like the giant tantrum-fest my 5-year-old threw for a good chunk of the day yesterday).

So even though yesterday was completely draining, I managed to make a delicious snack while wearing the comfiest yoga pants ever.

Seriously, the Juniper Pant from prAna is ridiculously flattering. The bell bottom design is right up my alley, and I loved the Cargo Green on Point pattern. I’m fairly tall, so I don’t wear a lot of patterned pants, but these were really fun without being loud.

They also come in a solid coal color that I may just need to scoop up as well. And they were plenty long enough, which can sometimes be tricky. #tallgirlproblems

Love comfortable, sustainable clothing? Big Flavors readers get 15% off at prAna.com through the end of May 2017 by using discount code WHOLES17BFT during checkout.

Comfiness level maxed out, I moved on to making a fun after school treat to enjoy with my kiddo.

You know I love yogurt, and I’m always looking for ways to incorporate it into new dishes. I have a parfait of some sort for breakfast almost every morning. My favorite combo usually involves berries, granola, chia/flax seeds, and a drizzle of honey.

I wanted to do something a little more special for this one, so I looked to the first flavor of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream I ever tried for inspiration – Chunky Monkey.

I always have a quart of plain Stonyfield Whole Milk Greek Yogurt in my fridge, but vanilla would work beautifully here as well. Or you could stir a little vanilla bean paste into the plain yogurt to jazz it up a bit.

I took a few minutes earlier in the day to toast the walnuts for these parfaits. It brings out the nutty flavor, but feel free to skip this step if you’re short on time or just don’t want to bother.

This is a judgement free zone.

Since I used plain yogurt here, I went with a little drizzle of honey for sweetness.

This parfait is a great way to satisfy your chocolate cravings without eating a ton of chocolate, too. This time around I used a 72% cacao dark chocolate bar, which is rich and delicious, but use your favorite here.

There are lots of studies on the health benefits of dark chocolate, but I’m not claiming this is health food. It’s definitely a healthier option, and certainly something that you can indulge in a little more often with less guilt.

And the same goes for whole milk greek yogurt! There’s a lot of information about the benefits of whole vs. reduced fat or fat-free options. My family has switched over to full fat dairy, and we’ve been loving it.

It tastes luxurious and is more filling than the lighter options.

I loved the assortment of toppings on these parfaits. The crunchy banana chips and walnuts added great texture. If you want to pack this to go, I’d recommend putting the banana, nuts, and chocolate in a separate container to prevent them from getting soggy while you wait to dig in.

This was a great afternoon snack, but it would be perfect for breakfast or dessert as well. Really, any time of day is a good time to enjoy yogurt!

Looking for more ways to use yogurt? Check out some of our favorite recipes:

• 5-Ingredient Samoa Cereal Bowls
• Banana Split Granola Kabobs
• Buffalo Chickpea Dip
• Chicken Quesadillas with Chipotle Ranch Dip
• No Mayo Deviled Eggs
• Rich Cocoa Brownie Bites
• Caramelized Banana Breakfast Porridge
• Antipasto Pasta Salad
• French-Inspired Egg Salad Sandwiches

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