I’m definitely guilty of romanticizing Summer from time to time. In my mind, I picture a warm summer day…with a breeze…I imagine being outside all day long…lougning, reading, feeling the warm sun on my skin. Maybe going for a hike or swimming too.

After that, I imagine I’d come inside in the late afternoon, warm and pleasantly tired from a day long, lazy day in the sun…and after a refreshing shower, I’d put something comfy – soft and baggy – and make my way into the kitchen where I’d reach into the fridge to find these Summer Berry Parfaits ready and waiting for me.

I imagine taking it outside to the porch (which I don’t actually have yet, but dream with me here people 🙃) and I’d sit out on the porch and enjoy this cold and refreshing parfait, bursting with the summery flavors of fresh berries, citrus, and mint.

I’d eat slowly and enjoy the sunset and think about how amazing it is that a relativity simple dessert can taste like all the things I love about summer all rolled into one: fresh, natural, uncomplicated, and bright.

All that to say, these Summer Berry Parfaits taste like summer in a bowl, and they’re the perfect treat to enjoy right now, while we still have serveral warm months of summer days ahead.

Our days may not all be as relaxing and simple as the one I imagined above, but a few things, like the simple sweetness of summer berries and cozy, homemade desserts, remind us that no matter what, there’s something good in every day ☀️

I hope you enjoy!

MIXED BERRY FRUIT SALAD

• 1 cup fresh strawberries
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 2 cups frozen mixed berries
• 1 orange, zested
• 1 lemon, zest
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2-3 mint leaves

FOR THE PARFAIT

• 1 portion of Mixed Berry Fruit Salad (above)
• Vanilla Coconut yogurt
• maple syrup (optional)

See Notes below for optional add ins and swaps 👩🏻‍🍳

1. Wash the fresh berries and pat dry. Then remove the stem from the strawberries and slice. The slice the mint leaves and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, add the sliced strawberries, blueberries, and frozen berries to a bowl along with 1 tbsp of orange zest, 1 tbsp of lemon zest, and the juice of half of an orange.
3. Sprinkle with sugar toss to combine.
4. Allow this mixture to rest at room temperature for at least an hour (to allow the berries to thaw and to allow the sugar and citrus juices to mingle with the berries and create a flavorful sauce) You can also pop this in the fridge and let it hang out for a few hours.
5. To assemble, simply add a few spoonfuls of vanilla coconut yogurt to a short glass, then spoon some of the Mixed Berry Fruit Salad on top, then add another layer of vanilla yogurt, and finish with a final layer of berries.
6. I like to garnish this with a little more lemon zest, a pretty sprig of mint, and sometimes, a drizzle of maple syrup 🌱

1. If you don’t have (or like) vanilla coconut yogurt, you can use vegan whipped cream or softened vegan ice cream instead. Here’s my recipe for vegan whipped cream: Vegan Whipped Cream.
2. I typically use unsweetened vanilla yogurt instead of sweetened since the berries are sweet and I like the sweet/tart contrast.
3. For added texture, a few crumbled Biscoff cookies or sliced almonds sprinkled on top is a nice touch! Tip: leave out the mint if you’re using the cookies.
4. You can make the Mixed Berry Fruit Salad ahead of time, but don’t assemble until ready to serve.