Name: Savory Mediterranean Yogurt Parfait
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 2 cups cooked quinoa; 1 cup cucumber (finely diced); ½ cup loosely packed sun dried tomatoes (chopped); 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar; 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (minced); 1 pinch salt; 3 cups plain low fat Greek yogurt; 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1 cup California Black Ripe Olives (sliced); ¼ cup walnuts (chopped)

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Savory Mediterranean Yogurt Parfait is a unique twist on a yogurt parfait, perfect for an easy lunch. Olives, cucumber, parsley, sun dried tomatoes and garlic bring together the flavors of the Mediterranean in this healthy and delicious dish.

Savory Mediterranean Yogurt Parfait - A unique twist on a yogurt parfait, perfect for an easy lunch. Olives, cucumber, parsley, sun dried tomatoes and garlic bring together the flavors of the Mediterranean in this healthy and delicious dish. #MakeHealthyEasy via @JBraddockRD http://JennaBraddock.com

I received free samples of California Ripe Olives mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by California Ripe Olives and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

I love yogurt. In fact, all of Team Braddock loves and eats yogurt, almost daily. It's filling, protein rich, got the whole probiotic thing happening, and it's super tasty.

But some days, I don't really want sweet yogurt. In fact, I often like having Greek yogurt with my lunch and prefer a more savory version when I do. But let's be honest, plain Greek yogurt is just a little too lip-puckering sour sometimes. I need something else going on in there to make it more enjoyable. Anybody with me?

Today I've got a great savory yogurt parfait recipe that will knock your socks off.

It brings together many wonderful flavors of the Mediterranean like olives, parsley, sun dried tomatoes, and garlic for an all in one meal that is satisfying, full of deliciousness and nourishing.

The magic ingredient in this parfait, I think, are the California ripe olives. I L-O-V-E black olives as do my boys. {Unfortunately Coach is just not there with us, but I hope and pray one day he will.} I think some of my earliest food memories actually involve olives, and maybe bologna, but we won't talk about that part.

Why do I love olives so much? Well, I love how they taste. I love their texture. And I love that you can do this with them:

Although now I can only fit them on my pinky finger. Bummer.

Seriously though, olives are super good for you. They are an essential ingredient in the Mediterranean diet, a way of eating than has proven health benefits. They are also loaded with nutrition like heart healthy monounsaturated fat, vitamin E (0.25 mg), iron (0.49 mg), vitamin A (60 IU), and fiber (0.5 g). They are also pretty low in calories. You can enjoy 4 olives for only 25 calories!

I love eating them as a snack. I pack them for my kids' lunches too. {See my Healthy School Lunch Ideas} But this parfait idea just takes them to a whole new place! Mixed with all these great flavors and textures, you get a really unique dish.

I had this for lunch one day this week and it was truly fun to eat. Both my boys tried it too and surprisingly liked it. I think it was the olives that sold 'em!

This is actually a pretty easy lunch to make up. Cook up quinoa on the weekend as well as dice up your cucumber. Then you can literally throw this together in about 5 minutes. Make as many layers of you like of the quinoa, yogurt and olives. While I only picture one quinoa layer here, when I make them again, I will do 2 layers of each with plenty of olives in between each layer.

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