It’s autumn. There’s no denying it. The air is cooler, the nights are drawing in, and there are little holes all over our lawn where squirrels have buried the cob nuts from our tree.
And this makes me both happy and sad. I love the summer. Long warm days during which inside and outside blur, evenings spent pottering in the garden, walks on which the dog doesn’t get filthy and summer fruit filled shelves at the market and shops.
However, I also love the autumn. Snuggling up in front of the fire in the evening and going for long walks in the woods; crisp, misty, beautifully atmospheric mornings, and rediscovering all your favourite autumn foods.
So this week I’ve been at a bit of a loss as to what to eat. It’s the weather you see. Although outside it looks autumnal – the light is definitely different and there are hints of colour in the leaves, the grass is damp in the mornings and it has even been foggy a couple of times – the midday sun does not seem to have clocked the change of seasons. I’m still walking the dog in my sun top, it’s too warm to do anything more than potter around if you’re wearing skinny jeans and I cannot yet stop reminding the girls to put their sun cream on.
Now, this is no complaint. Summer was slow to start this year, and this Indian summer feels like a little consolation prize, but it does leave me in a bit of a quandary as to what to cook. My brain is shouting ‘stew apples’ and ‘cook casseroles’ and my body is saying ‘no thanks’.
So this is what I came up with for breakfast today. It’s my stop gap between summer and autumn food. My summer weekend breakfasts were yogurt and summer fruit, the more varieties the better, with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup as the fancy took me, and I’m looking forward to being able to stir heavily spiced, beautifully smooth stewed apple into my morning yogurt in a few weeks, but this Apple Cinnamon Maple Yogurt makes a delicious compromise. The combination of crisp juicy apple, cool spiced yogurt and chewy crunchy topping is delicious.
To be truthful I could gladly eat the topping alone. Toasting the oats adds another level of flavour to them. They are slightly crunchy, slightly chewy and very addictive, and I have always loved toasted nuts; pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, I’m not fussy. When combined with maple syrup they become incredibly moreish.
To be fair this will take longer than pouring some cereal into a bowl and sloshing some milk on it or grabbing a slice of toast, but not that much longer, and it’s much better for you and significantly nicer. Go on, dig in and enjoy.
Apple Cinnamon Maple Yogurt
A great breakfast for those days when it’s no longer summer but not really autumn yet either. This also makes a lovely light dessert.
Ingredients
For the yogurt
- 170 g Greek yogurt
- ½ tablespoon maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon natural vanilla extract
For the oats
- ¼ cup oats
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
For the pecans
- A few pecans
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
You will also need
- 1 apple cut into 1cm dice
Instructions
For the yogurt
- Stir together the yogurt ingredients.
For the oats
- Place the oats in a dry frying pan over a low to medium heat and toast tossing occasionally. After 5 minutes they should smell lovely and, well, toasty. Keeping the pan on the heat, pour over the maple syrup and stir to ensure all the oats are covered. Tip onto a cold plate to cool. Rinse and dry the pan.
For the pecans
- Add the pecans to the pan and heat gently for 1 to 2 minutes tossing frequently and ensuring they don’t catch. Once they smell beautifully nutty pour on the maple syrup, stir round and tip out onto another plate to cool.
To assemble
- Place the diced apple into the bottom of the glass. Spoon over the yogurt and sprinkle on the oats and nuts. Grab a big mug of coffee and your fleece and go and sit in the garden to enjoy.
Recipe Notes
Use your favourite apple and yogurt; I like Braeburn apples and I used Total 0% Fat Greek Yogurt.
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