Before I had my dairy allergy, I used to have one of the single-serve mini key lime pies from Publix every year on my birthday. I was never a huge chocolate fan, so it was a treat I loved way more than cake.
I miss my key lime pie days, but since then I’ve learned a ton about nutrition and sugar and la ti da da and therefore, I decided to make a breakfast version of my favorite dessert that’s a touch on the healthier side.
Unless you consider maple syrup uber healthy, which in that case, you’re my kind of human.
A few of my closest friends (and basically adopted siblings), Jon and Christine and their puppy Maggie, recently moved into a brand new house and planted key lime trees (!!!).
Soon, they had key limes coming out of their kumquats and needed to give away some of the overflowing limes.
Thankfully, I was on that list for some freebies, and got my hands on the key limes. *Party*
I immediately went to work on how to make a twist on the usual key lime treats, and since cashew yogurt is one of my favorite things ever for breakfast, I figured it would be the perfect test subject for a breakfastified key lime pie.
I’ve also been dying to try homemade granola, and I didn’t realize how easy it was to make both. So, lately I’ve made big batches of granola and cashew yogurt on the weekends and then stored them in the fridge which makes for the perfect quick breakfast or snack that lasts all throughout the week.
The key lime flavor in the yogurt is pretty tart on it’s own, but is then balanced out with the granola perfectly to give it just the right amount of sweetness. Also, make sure to keep an eye on the granola towards the 25-30 minute mark, because it’ll quickly go from yummy looking to straight up burnt.
Not gonna lie.
And don’t worry about the granola not being ultra crispy when it first comes out, as it cools it’ll crisp right up.
These little pots are so easy for grabbing and going, and make for a super yummy breakfast on the fly.
And they totally satisfy my sweet tooth for traditional key lime pie, while not giving me the crazy sugar high and major dairy congestion for days after!
Yay for healthy dessert like breakfast that can be easily transported, yay for the key lime gods, and yay for this yumtastic recipe! Say hello to your new favorite food.
- For the granola:
- 2 cups rolled oats
- ½ cup quinoa, uncooked
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- ¼ cup coconut flakes
- 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted
- For the cashew yogurt:
- 2 cups raw cashews
- 1 cup key lime juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup water
- 3 teaspoons maple syrup (or any other liquid sweetener)
- Pinch of salt
- First, soak the cashews in a bowl of water overnight. Or, if you’re in a hurry (like I am 99% of the time), bring a pot of water to a boil and boil the cashews for 10-15 minutes, or until they’re nice and soft. Drain the cashews and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients for the granola, and in a separate small bowl, mix all the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix together thoroughly. Pour the granola mixture over a parchment lined baking sheet and spread it out evenly. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes, or until browned. Set aside to cool.
- While the granola is cooling, place the soaked cashews and lime juice, vanilla, water, maple syrup, and salt into a Vitamix or high-powered blender and blend for one minute, or until smooth and creamy.
- Scoop the granola into a wide-mouthed mason jar (I used 1-pint) and press down on the bottom, add a layer of yogurt, then another granola layer, and continue until both jars are full. Garnish with key lime slices and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
It’s an honor to be in your blog:)
Haha thanks for providing the key limes! 😉