Yogurt and Crunchies

Granddaughter Emma came met us for a vacation in Montana, bringing her loving parents Gina and Laszlo in tow.

We enjoyed lots of fun activities, from hiking to Ousel Falls and the Blue Moon Bakery to watching Team Umizoomi, from flying a kite to playing Dominoes, from chasing a Pomeranian she affectionately called Little Teddy to making homemade noodles, dancing on stage or bouncing on a giant frog at the park.  From swimming at the Yellowstone Club to playing croquet out back.

One of my favorite moments was when she asked me to play the guitar so she could dance, but insisting she and her mom first needed to put on a dancing dresses.  Once they were dolled up for a nice meal out (hot dogs at the Bunker), I played Fish and a Whistle on my guitar, and they danced beautifully.  Afterwards, Emma repeated a phrase she said the first time she danced as I played it earlier in the trip: "That's a nice song!"

So much fun had we that I just realized you must be starving, if you've been waiting for a new quick-clean cuisine recipe.

Easy solution?  How about one of Emma's favorite dishes: Yogurt and Crunchies.  For New Yorker Emma, that means scoop some plain, nonfat Greek Yogurt into a bowl and stir in Grape Nuts, because she doesn't like anything too sweet. My son Jay on the other coast in Los Angeles loves Greek yogurt with granola stirred in. Even McDonald's gets into the act with its Fruit and Yogurt Parfait, which is surprisingly tasty, cheap and delicious on the go.

Some might call it ridiculous to have a Q-CC version of this ubiquitous treat, but here is my twist on it.

First, I like low carb foods whenever possible, and I'm very cheap, so I usually get Kroger Carbmaster, which is high in protein and low in carbs without losing flavor. I especially like the Black Forest Cake flavor, but there are all the usual great fruit flavors, too, at a price of around 50 cents each. Then again, you can substitute whichever yogurt you like.

Here's the Quick-Clean tip.  Peel off the foil top and toss it out, then just add some of your favorite crunchies to the small space at the top.  I usually have bran flakes in the house, and they work, but of course Grape Nuts or granola both add a lot more crunch.

After you eat a few spoonfuls, add some more crunchies.  When the little yogurt tub is empty, you can just throw the container away and have only a spoon to wash.

Who says you don't have time for a nutritious breakfast?