Gluten Free Goodness | Chia Berry Breakfast Crisp Recipe

This post is sponsored by Sverve and Walmart and I was provided compensation for my time. However, all opinions and recipes are my own. 

Gluten Free Chia Berry Breakfast Crisp - TheFitFork.comMy recipe for Chia Berry Breakfast Crisp with Stevia-Sweetened Vanilla Greek Yogurt puts the “able” in your morning table – especially if your diet requires you to steer clear of the gluten found in many traditional breakfast foods like bagels, pancakes, cereal and the like.  Even some granolas can be off limits if the oats are not certified organic, but eating Nature’s Path Gluten Free Granola or using it in a recipe will put your mind and body at ease because knowing that all the ingredients are free of gluten.walmart gf natures path berry breakfast crisp

So, you guessed it – I made this healthy fruit breakfast recipe with Nature’s Path Gluten Free Granola for some wholesome crunch with no worries of those little gluten buggars ruining my day. Eating a “crisp” or “crumble” might sound a bit unusual or induldgent for breakfast – but it shouldn’t. Served with a stevia-sweetened vanilla 0% Greek yogurt instead of high-fat and sugar laden ice cream, this morning meal solution also provides a hearty serving of protein for long-lasting energy.   Chia Berry Breakfast Crisp with Stevia-Sweetened Greek Yogurt is so simple to make, let me show you how:

walmart gluten free natures path berry breakfast cobbler mixing berries

Mix together berries, stevia and chia seeds. It’s okay if berries are still frozen.

Top berries with granola. Then mix together yogurt, vanilla and stevia.

Top berries with granola. Then mix together yogurt, vanilla and stevia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chia Berry Breakfast Crisp with Greek Yogurt - TheFitFork.com

Chia Berry Breakfast Crisp with Stevia-Sweetened Greek Yogurt Recipe

  1. Heat oven to 375°F. In an ungreased 1 quart baking dish, mix frozen berries, chia seeds and 1 ½ teaspoons of the stevia together until fruit is coated.
  2. Sprinkle top of fruit with granola and lightly pat down.
  3. Bake approximately 20 minutes or until top light golden brown and fruit bubbling.
  4. Meanwhile, prepare yogurt by stirring together yogurt, vanilla extract and remaining 1 ½ teaspoons of stevia. Store in refrigerator until serving.
  5. Remove crisp from oven and let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm with 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt mixture per serving. Serves 4.Chia Berry Breafast Crisp - Guten Free - TheFitFork.com

There is so much to love about Nature’s Path Organic Summer Berries Granola. First of all, and most importantly for many with gluten and wheat allergies and intoleances, it’s totally gluten-free without scrimping on taste. It’s also certified organic, non-GMO verified and free of synthetic preservatives and additives.  But, another big selling point of Nature’s Path Granola is that it’s easy to find and affordable – I picked up my bags at Walmart.

Nature's Path Gluten Free Granola at WalmartIn fact, Walmart has a surprisingly large selection of Gluten-Free products for less including Udi’s, Glutino, Van’s, Nature’s Path and more! As a frugal mom and healthy food blogger, it’s my job to create and prepare recipes that speak to the dietary needs of those on the other side of the fork and for all budgets. With huge increase in those living a gluten-free lifestyle, I take my responsibility to suggest ingredient swaps,  recommend balanced pre-packaged foods, and offer meal planning ideas, all free of gluten, very seriously.

I’ve found that Walmart has really stepped up to the plate when it comes to addressing the needs of their gluten free customers.  If you don’t see what you need on the shelves, swing by customer service to fill out a product request form. And, if you DO see the gluten-free products that you need, but they are cheaper elsewhere – bring in the other store’s advertisement for Walmart price matching! Later this month, Walmart will be holding a Gluten Free Event at participating locations – check out the event information, find the participating store nearest to you, and discover other useful information for your gluten free journey on the Walmart Gluten Free for Less website.

What are your favorite brands for gluten free living? Let me know in the comments below. Also, please feel free to share your own gluten-free recipes on social media with #gfwalmart – enjoy!

Pear Pressure! Healthy Dessert Recipes for Poached Pears and More!

jennifer fisher austinfit video capture poached pears

Fruit for dessert, when I was a kid I thought this was a fate worse than cleaning my room on a Saturday. Sheez, if I finished my meatloaf and polished off the peas, I deserved a GOOD reward, something sickly sweet like a Hostess cupcake or Bomb Pop. But, alas, my mom, bless her healthy heart, never (okay rarely) bought junk like this.  Instead we had homemade ice pops, frozen bananas and the occasional chocolate chip cookie (whoot)!

1430_2H-two-boxes-of-the-favorite-royal-riviera-pears

But then, one day it happened – I gave into the siren song of a golden foil-wrapped pear. Straight from Harry & David, nestled in in a holiday gift basket.  Although my rational self was saying “no,” just pass on that fruit for dessert and go straight for the chocolate, I couldn’t help greedily peeling off the sparkling paper and digging in — it was divine, it was to die for and I was completely woozy with pear intoxication. Still, to this day, if someone was to send me a basket of golden foil-wrapped pears, I would be beyond thrilled (hint, hint).

poached pears pomegranate

Pears poaching in pomegranate juice.

So, last year for New Year’s Eve, a family friend made poached pears for dessert. I’m not sure exactly what he did to make them so delicious, but they were sublime – easy yet elegant and just the right amount of sweet to top off the celebratory meal without making me feel even more stuffed than I already was. Inspired by these memories of pears past, I created my own recipe for dessert pears – Poached Pears with Pomegranate & Mascarpone Sauce.

If you want the full step-by-step video instructions on how to make this healthy dessert, you got it – I recently made this little poached pear how-to for Austin Fit Magazine online. The recipe is a super star!

blogger pear pictures

 

Fast, Fit and Family-Friendly Recipes with TheFitFork.com – Poached Pears with Pomegranate-Mascarpone Sauce: 

All this talk about pears being so fantastic for dessert (or anytime) and I never mentioned the health benefits. Pears are a great source of fiber and offer important nutrients including vitamin B2, C, E, copper, and potassium. They also contain a significant amount of pectin, a water soluble fiber which is thought to help reduce cholesterol and regulate the body’s use of sugars. Pears are a healthy choice in carbohydrates and provide longer-lasting energy thanks to their low glycemic load — this just means the carbs in pears are slow to convert to sugar before entering the bloodstream.

Poached Pear Bread cooking light

Poached Pear Bread from Cooking Light Magazine

This recipe for Poached Pear Bread from Cooking Light magazine made me do a double take, and probably you as well! Poached pears were placed right into quick-bread batter before being baked up into a rustic yet refined loaf of bread that, when sliced, reveals a mouthwatering cross-section of pear! Yes, please!

Another wonderfully warm, homey dessert featuring pears is my Cranberry-Ginger Pear Crumble – mmm, this is perfect for a cold winter treat! So, what are you waiting for? Grow a “pear” and get healthy — pears are perfect for dessert!

pear crumble recipe thefitfork

 Do you have a favorite way to eat pears? Maybe for dessert or on a salad? Please share in the comments, I am always looking for new pear inspiration!