Breakfast

raspberry-rhubarb yogurt bowls

raspberry-rhubarb granola bowls | the vanilla bean blog

I spent this past weekend in a lovely stupor: spring arrived! finally! I was barefoot in the backyard, spending every waking moment basking in the warm sun. There were sassy coffee drinks to sip with good friends, dinner dates and long walks, spring cleaning and windows wide open all through the night. I even got to spend some time with Mr. Hemingway on our front porch; his well-known words lived out among us: we ate well and cheaply and drank well and cheaply and slept well and warm together and loved each other. He left me with a notebook scrawled with quotes and too many unfinished thoughts.

But, they will just have to wait, for there is lettuce to plant and bikes to ride and ice cream stops to make and hands to hold on a perfect spring day.
raspberry-rhubarb yogurt bowls | the vanilla bean blog
raspberry-rhubarb yogurt bowls | the vanilla bean blog

You expected to be sad in the fall. Part of you died each year when the leaves fell from the trees and their branches were bare against the wind and the cold, wintry light. But you knew there would always be the spring, as you knew the river would flow again after it was frozen. When the cold rains kept on and killed the spring, it was though a young person had died for no reason. In those days, though, the spring always came finally; but it was frightening that it had nearly failed. -Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast

Raspberry-Rhubarb Yogurt Bowls

This has been my breakfast of choice for the last week: it’s so easy and delicious. It’s perfect for spring! I was highly inspired by Ms. Heidi’s pomegranate bowls, and by all the gorgeous yogurt parfait pictures I’ve been seeing on Pinterest.

The raspberry-rhubarb juice will make much more than needed, but it stores well in the fridge, and you can use it for a week or so. (You can also double it and make this tasty drink.) It is very tart, so you will want a good drizzle of honey if you prefer things a bit sweeter. I use honey-flavored yogurt, and find it the perfect balance of tart-sweet.

6 ounces rhubarb, chopped into 1 inch pieces
2 ounces raspberries
1 vanilla bean pod, seeds scraped (optional)
1 cup water
yogurt
granola (I like this homemade version, and this store bought brand)
honey for drizzling
anything else you’d like to add: nuts, fruit, white chocolate chips, cacao nibs, etc

For the Rhubarb-Raspberry Juice
Place the rhubarb, raspberries, vanilla bean seeds and pod, and water in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, and then let simmer for 30 minutes until rhubarb is tender. Place the mixture in a strainer over a large bowl and press on the rhubarb and raspberries until all the juice is released (you should have about a cup). Discard the pulp and let the juice cool before using.

In jars, glasses, bowls, or whatever container you would like to use, layer your ingredients. I start with yogurt at the bottom, then a splash of juice, some raspberries, nuts, and granola, and then repeat the order until the jar is full.
raspberry-rhubarb yogurt bowls | the vanilla bean blog

  • Reply
    Sally
    Wednesday, April 22, 2015 at 4:25 pm

    I really want to try this next time I have weekend guests. It looks so lovely presented in the jars. I’m going to keep an eye out for the perfect jar. Any suggestions of shops in the UK?

  • Reply
    Sereena
    Sunday, September 29, 2013 at 2:16 am

    This looked so delicious that I made some tonight. Can’t wait to try it in the morning for my breakkie! 🙂
    A quick question though – is the 1 cup of water the correct amount? I notice you have “1 cups”. After boiling the fruit/water etc I didn’t even end up with half a cup of juices, whereas you say we should have about one cup.
    Thanks for sharing – your photos make it look so inviting!

    • Reply
      Sarah
      Monday, October 7, 2013 at 1:55 pm

      Hi Sereena – Sorry for the late reply; for some reason I haven’t been getting comments in my inbox, and didn’t think I had any waiting for me! It should be 1 cup. I found I have to press the heck out of the rhubarb, but end up getting tons of juice when I do. If it’s still a problem, you could add a bit more water next time – it shouldn’t hurt anything (maybe a 1/2 cup?) I hope you liked it!

  • Reply
    Natasha
    Thursday, May 2, 2013 at 10:50 pm

    Oh wow, this does sound like the perfect breakfast. I usually have cold oats with yogurt and berries, but I love the idea of granola and nuts and rhubarb, which is just a lovely thing in itself. This will be a delicious change to my normal breakfast!

  • Reply
    Ashley
    Thursday, May 2, 2013 at 4:57 pm

    Hemingway on the porch with this lovely bowl in hand sounds as close to perfection as I can muster. Beautiful.

  • Reply
    Eva | Adventures in Cooking
    Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 8:17 pm

    Rhubarb finally appeared at our grocery store last week, and we just purchased a juicer last month. For some crazy reason, it never occurred to me to make juice with them. I like that your juice is simmered a bit though, it probably helps keep the zinginess of the rhubarb in check. And your photographs are just beautiful. So happy to have found your blog!

  • Reply
    Sacha
    Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 8:05 pm

    Oh, my. You’ve already found rhubarb? That bright breakfast treat–in color and taste–would wake me up in the best of ways. It would be an equally good dessert to end a spring meal!

  • Reply
    la domestique
    Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 8:39 am

    Beautiful post! I’ve been trying to decide what to make first with rhubarb, maybe this is it! Looks like a lovely breakfast.

  • Reply
    Kathryn
    Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 8:03 am

    I’m another one who tends to breakfast on yogurt and granola; the idea of the raspberry and rhubarb juice really elevates it into something special.

  • Reply
    Beth | {local milk}
    Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 12:31 am

    For a cook I have the most boring, repetitious breakfast in the world. For almost a year now, whenever I’m home and things are normal, I have the exact same breakfast every single morning. A yogurt parfait. I don’t know why but it’s just my perfect breakfast. I’ve been meaning to start making my own yogurt & granola consistently in order to evolve… and this permutation of the yogurt parfait seems like a glorious evolution! Now if only I could find some dadgum rhubarb…

  • Reply
    Sarah Crowder
    Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 9:27 pm

    Raspberries sound like a better match for rhubarb to me than strawberries. Looks delicious!

  • Reply
    Renee
    Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 5:26 pm

    Sarah, I love every single post you write. Today is no exception. Hemingway. Yogurt. These photographs. Happy spring!

  • Reply
    Kankana
    Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 4:41 pm

    YAY! Finally spring and ice cream and clear blue sky 🙂 Now I want it to stay for ever if possible. But then I know somedays when it shoots to ninety, which might just happen this friday, I would start wishing for some rain and autumn to drop by even if for a day 😀
    Yogurt with fruits, that’s my fav breakfast and snack!

  • Reply
    Helene @ French Foodie Baby
    Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 2:20 pm

    So happy spring has reached you finally! Happy enjoying… 🙂 These yogurts parfaits look incredible, will be making them soon!

  • Reply
    Ashlae
    Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 2:12 pm

    Yes to Hemingway and yes to raspberry-rhubarb yogurt bowls. And these photos? Stunning.

  • Reply
    steph@stephsbitebybite
    Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 11:49 am

    I’m a sucker for anything with yogurt! These look incredible

  • Reply
    Sue/the view from great island
    Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 11:24 am

    The photos alone have inspired me to make this, love the colors, love the little jar!

  • Reply
    carey
    Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 10:24 am

    Hurray for spring! It’s funny how quickly it seems to appear. A couple weeks ago we were getting random flurries and sleet (which was nothing compared to the snow you had!). This week, daffodils are out and trees are in bloom, and I can actually go outside without a coat. And we finally have rhubarb and ramps — best!!

    I always wind up putting rhubarb into sweets or drinks that fall into the more indulgent category. The idea of using it in a delicious and healthy dish that I can enjoy every day as a breakfast/snack is excellent. (:

  • Reply
    Kasey
    Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 10:23 am

    I love that Hemingway quote, Sarah. What a gorgeous way to start the day! You just made my morning with your words and photos.

  • Reply
    Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough
    Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 7:30 am

    Mmmm, this looks just lovely. Like a lovely bowl of springtime. 🙂

  • Reply
    thelittleloaf
    Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 1:47 am

    I love that you used that beautiful juice in a breakfast too, just gorgeous. Spring seems finally to have sprung in the UK too, hurrah!

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