Apple Harvest Yogurt Parfaits with Maple-Nut Clusters

Ingredients

For the Apple Cider Syrup
4 cups fresh apple cider
For the Maple-Nut Clusters
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 tsp. salt (use less if starting with salted nuts)
3 tablespoons maple syrup
For the Sautéed Apples
2 apples, cored and roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh apple cider
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/8 tsp. salt
For the Parfaits
6 cups Greek yogurt
1/4 cup dates, pitted and chopped

Instructions

Make the apple cider syrup. Simmer the apple cider in a medium saucepan for approximately 1 hour, or until the cider is reduced to about 1 cup, stirring occasional. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Once cooled, the apple cider syrup can be stored in an airtight container (like a mason jar) in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks.
Make the maple-nut clusters. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds, pecans and sunflower seeds until they become fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Watch them closely and stir frequently so they don’t burn. Add the salt and the maple syrup, stirring until everything is well coated. Remove from the heat and spread the nuts out onto a parchment-paper lined baking sheet. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, the nuts can be broken down into clusters and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.
Sauté the apples. Combine the chopped apples, cider and spices in the same skillet you used to cook the nut clusters. Simmer over medium heat, about 5 minutes, until the apples are slightly softened (you want them to still have a little bite to them). Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Once cooled, the sautéed apples can be stored in a airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Assemble the parfaits in this order: Greek yogurt, sautéed apples, nut clusters, apple cider syrup. Repeat this layering one more time, finishing with a sprinkle of chopped dates on top. For a single parfait, I typically use about 1 1/2 cups of Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup of sautéed apples, 1/3 cup nut clusters and 2 tablespoons of apple cider syrup. But do what tastes right to you! This recipe yields enough to make approximately 4 parfaits.