One of my favourite things to eat at breakfast time is a smoothie or a granola and yoghurt parfait. Okay, so they’re not as quick as grabbing a bowl of cereal or a piece of toast, but it’s so much better for you, and keeps you feeling fuller so much longer than empty carbs! Plus, are you really going to Instagram your Marmite on toast? Well, maybe if you cut it into triangles…
I recently got the chance to try out Lizi’s Granola in high protein and low-sugar varieties, and I am completely hooked! (Seriously, I had to put the bag away during my photoshoot because I kept eating the high protein one…) I put together a couple of recipes for you to show off the benefits of each mix – a protein-packed parfait and a naturally sweet smoothie bowl!
Protein-Packed Parfait with Lizi’s Granola
This parfait is so simple you don’t even need a recipe! All you need is some fruit of your choice, your favourite plain yoghurt (I love Fage!), honey, and Lizi’s High Protein Granola. This is so good for you for breakfast because 50g of Lizi’s High Protein Granola contains 27% of your daily protein needs, so coupled with the naturally protein-packed yoghurt, makes an unbeatable combination. Protein is so important in a balanced diet because not only does it make you feel fuller for longer than fat or carbohydrates, but it also helps you build muscle. This is essential if you’re working out regularly to maintain fitness or lose weight. I’ve been addicted to this parfait for days now – the High-Protein Granola is so crispy and crunchy that it’s the perfect foil against the smooth and creamy yoghurt, and the tart sweetness of the fruit.
My favourite combination is 50g of High Protein Granola combined with three large chopped strawberries, a drizzle of dark Greek honey, and three or four heaped tablespoons of Greek yoghurt. Simple and heavenly! Add in some edible flowers and you’ve got a breakfast that looks as good as it tastes… And, the great part is that the protein in Lizi’s High Protein Granola is vegetable based, which means this is suitable for vegetarians and vegans (simply use a sweetened, non-dairy based yoghurt in your parfait, and ditch the honey to make this completely vegan-friendly).
Naturally Sweet Smoothie Bowl with Lizi’s Low Sugar Granola
If we’re talking eye-catching, though, you can’t get any more Insta-worthy than a smoothie bowl! I love to make mine with a bright green base to let my fruit really pop!
The best part about a smoothie bowl (as with a parfait) is that you can literally add whatever you like or have to hand on the top. I love sliced strawberries, balls of sweet melon, kiwi fruit stars, quartered persimmons, fresh figs, and dragonfruit. But I don’t just like to add fruit to my smoothie bowl, because a bit of texture goes a long way. With all the natural sweetness from the smoothie and fruit toppings, a low-sugar granola like Lizi’s is perfect, because it contains less than 4% sugar. The blend of mixed nuts, oats and seeds sweetened with just a touch of black treacle and fructose makes this a great crunchy addition to the smoothie bowl, and I also love to sprinkle on some chia seeds for an added protein punch. (I also like to add some spoonfuls of this into smoothies too – it contains high levels of beta glucans which helps to maintain your blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.)
- For your smoothie base:
- 1 frozen banana
- 50g spinach (equivalent to a generous handful)
- 150ml almond milk (or coconut milk, dairy milk, etc)
- 2 tbsp Lizi’s Low Sugar Granola
- 1 tsp chia seeds
- Fruit of your choice
- Edible flowers, if desired
Blend your frozen banana and spinach together. (I always have frozen banana in the freezer – just slice into coins and freeze in a single layer in a plastic bag!) Add your almond milk sparingly until the mixture is loose enough to spoon into a bowl – but don’t add too much liquid or your fruit will sink!
Spoon your smoothie mix into a bowl, and sprinkle your granola on one side of the bowl. On the other side, decorate with your fruit, and edible flowers if you like! I love to slice and prepare a few varieties of fruit during the week, keeping them fresh in the fridge under some cling film, and using them up as I fancy. If you’re worried about using everything up, don’t forget you can add them into your smoothie blend as well as a topping. If you prefer a bright pinky purple smoothie base, replace the spinach with a handful of frozen blackberries!
It really does make a big difference to how I feel when I make sure what I eat is good for me, and looks good too. If you don’t like to mess around in the mornings, you can prepare these the night before and just sprinkle your granola on top to keep it fresh. And obviously, you don’t need to eat these at breakfast either – very often I just have these for lunch at my desk… It’s definitely something to look forward to!
Lizi’s Granola Range is available from Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda, Whole Foods, Co-Op, Booths and all good health stores, priced £3.89 (Low Sugar), and £3.99 (High Protein). Visit the website here.
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