In late spring and early summer, when strawberries are at their peak, this is my favorite breakfast. It starts with billowy homemade yogurt, a tumble of fresh berries, mint, and nuts all enveloped in a silky vanilla bean syrup.
Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved, then drop in the vanilla bean and turn off the heat.
Allow the syrup to steep until cooled to room temperature, then remove the spent vanilla bean. Scrape it clean with a small butter knife, and transfer any remaining vanilla beans to the syrup.
Pour the cooled syrup into a bottle and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve
Preparing the yogurt bowls
Spoon a cup of yogurt into each of four bowls. Top with strawberries, mint, walnuts, and cacao nibs. Drizzle with reserved vanilla bean syrup, and serve immediately.