My friend Mehrunissa, author of the beautiful blog come·con·ella, came for a visit last weekend and brought with her, amongst other things, some amazing yoghurt mojo that really opened my eyes to the versatility of this wonderful food. We’ve all heard of yogurt topped with granola or fruit compote, but Mehrunissa opened my eyes to the plethora of other foods – sweet and savoury – that make delicious yogurt toppings.

Highlights from Mehrunissa’s Instagram feed

What was the life changing yogurt topping that started it all? It was none other than my favorite: avocado, drizzled with just a touch of olive oil and a sprinkle of berbere (an Ethiopian chilli and spice blend). We ate it with rosemary farinata, Indian-style with our hands (another lesson from Mehrunissa), and hot tea: the perfect Sunday brunch.

During the lunch we brainstormed other terrific toppings for yogurt. Here’s what we came up with.

1. Marmalade (we spent a large part of the weekend making Seville and quince “Sunshine Marmalade”, so this was naturally at the top of our minds)
2. Avocado, olive oil, and berbere (or zataar, or dukkah, or chipotle, or aleppo…)
3. Avocado, toasted chickpeas and sriracha
4. Avocado, sriracha and chives
5. Blood oranges (or plums or really any fruit) with pistachios, orange blossom water, rose petals, honey
6. Oranges and cinnamon (one of my faves)
7. Granola or muesli (it had to be said)
8. Avocado, blueberries, honey, chopped nuts
9. Roasted vegetables, especially beetroot
10. Roasted strawberries (or any kind of roasted fruit)
11. Tahini, date syrup and toasted sesame seeds
12. Straight up olive oil and chopped herbs
13. Deconstructed tazatzi: diced cucumber, lemon, mint and a bit of salt
14. Mango, avocado, cilantro, lime juice
15. Tomato and basil
16. Harissa
17. Chopped preserved lemon
18. Homemade jam and chopped nuts
19. Figs, honey, pistachio
20. Almond butter, honey, cacao nibs (or spiced pumpkin pecan butter if you’re feeling sassy)
21. Apple butter and toasted nuts (especially pecans)
22. Pears, honey, almonds and salt 
23. Savory granola

This list could probably go on forever with different permutations of various ingredients. What are your favorite toppings for yogurt?

For more inspiration, both yogurty and otherwise, follow Mehrunissa on Instagram and Twitter, and check out her blog, come·con·ella.