How in the world is it already FEBRUARY?! I don’t know about you, but I blinked and January was gone. So, I’ve decided to welcome February with open arms and a full glass of homemade Nutella berry parfait!
At the beginning of the year, I wrote down all of my wants, wishes, and goals for the year. It’s a pretty substantial amount of “this must happen,” and “I have to do this, this, and this,” to feel like I’m winning in this life. So in order to make these goals seem achievable, I’m giving myself some grace to try and accomplish a few each month.
All of this to say, one of my “goals” for the year is to keep our grocery bill within reason. And by reason I mean an amount that keeps the vein in my husband’s forehead from bulging out! We spend a lot of money on groceries, but with that said, we don’t eat or order out very often. Something that I’ve been trying to do recently is learn how to make foods at home that I would normally buy at the grocery store. Whether it be salad dressings, marinades, or sauces, I’ve learned it’s so easy to make your own!
For example, every time I go to Costco I walk every single aisle – just because it’s my happy place. And every single time I walk past that great big jar of NUTELLA. Y’all, it literally screams my name.
WHITNEYYYYYYYY!!! BUY MEEEEEEE!!!!
I pick up the jar and look at the cost, then read over the ingredients list and I firmly scream back, “NO! I will not buy you!!!” Gaby looks at me like I’m crazy and we continue on with our shopping.
I came home this week from my bi-weekly Costco trip and decided I’m going to make Nutella at home. I’m against preservatives, artificial colorings and flavors, GMOs, and whatever else they put in that jar that looks so good. I can make my own and know exactly what’s in it! Right?! Yes!!!
After a 52 Google searches, I finally came up with the most perfect recipe. The sky is the limit on all the things you can do with homemade Nutella, but I decided to make berry parfaits with it. You know, give it a little Valentine’s Day twist! Because in all honesty, what is better than berries and chocolate?! Nothing! Not one thing. Well, maybe wine. Yes! Wine, berries, and homemade Nutella for an absolutely perfect dessert for you and your sweetheart!
Now, there are two things I love most about this recipe: it’s completely gluten-free and it can be made vegan for all of my dairy-free friends out there. YAY! Little things like this give me great excitement.
Homemade Nutella Berry Parfaits Recipe:
4 Servings – takes a good 30-40 minutes to make.
Ingredients for the homemade Nutella:
- 1 cup hazelnut meal (This is what I used. Find it on Amazon or in the baking aisle the grocery store.)
- 6 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 4 tbsp cacao powder (cocoa powder will work, too)
- 2/3 cup Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of kosher salt
Ingredients for the Parfait:
- 1 cup diced strawberries
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt or Almond Milk Greek Yogurt
Directions:
- Start with the Nutella. Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler (or microwave if that’s your thing). Allow the melted chocolate to cool for about 10 minutes. Once cooled, add all of the “Nutella” ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, add the strawberries and maple syrup. Cook on medium-high heat until the berries are soft. Let the berries cool for a few minutes. Add the softened berries to a blender and blend until smooth. Make sure your berry mixture is cool before adding it to the yogurt. Stir until combined and your yogurt turns a pretty pink color!
- Build your parfaits however you want! I added nutella on the bottom and added strawberries to the sides of the glasses (see photo), then layered with the yogurt, a little more nutella, and a dollup of dairy-free whipped cream. Garnish with fresh mint and more berries if desired.
Notes: You can make these in advance, but you’ll need to keep them refrigerated. 30 minutes before you’re ready to serve, pull them out of the fridge so they’ll be room temp. EAT and ENJOY!!!
Happy Valentine’s Day!!!
Cheers to a beautiful February filled with homemade Nutella berry parfaits!
-Whitney
