Maple Poached Figs and Granola Parfait

Apologies I haven’t posted in a while. It’s been a tough past few weeks. I am taking a blogging break the next two weeks to study for my US medical licensing exam.

Longtime blog readers will know that B and I have been long distance for >5 years now. This past year B had applied to transfer his residency to Yale (even redoing his intern year). After his application, we had been eagerly waiting for results, eager to finally live together. We had gotten great feedback from the program’s residents and were very hopeful he would be accepted.

Unfortunately, it didn’t work out.

Maple Poached Figs and Granola Parfait | Obsessive Cooking Disorder

We had a new apartment and a puppy lined up – those, along with our dreams of finally living married life together – vanished instantly.

And while life goes on, and not much would differ from the status quo (life was the same as the day before the news – us living in separate states), it hard hard to contain my disappointment.

Maple Poached Figs and Granola Parfait | Obsessive Cooking Disorder

Additionally, I had lost my apartment lease since I had to wait til Match to know whether to renew my current studio. Despite me having 3 months left my lease, and imploring the management to wait just 2 weeks for the Match results to see if I needed to stay, they rented my apartment out the very next day. Suddenly homeless for the next year, I had to scramble for housing.

Without B and I living together next year, I couldn’t care for a dog, let alone a puppy on my own. Sadly, I had to tell the breeder that given the circumstances, we were no longer able to get a dog anymore. Giving up getting a dog was the most painful part, but a single second year resident schedule with frequent 28 hour calls is not conducive for a happy dog.

Finally, I’m culminating these lovely few weeks with taking Part 3 of my United States Medical Licensing Examination – two 8 hour tests. Studying has been difficult, needless to say.

Maple Poached Figs and Granola Parfait | Obsessive Cooking Disorder

B accepted everything well,  but I did not because, as he pointed out, I was not used to having things not go as planned. It was true. I had been so ready to live together. I went through the stages of grief in perfect order – denial, anger, bargaining, depression.

I still wait impatiently for the last stage – acceptance.

Maple Poached Figs and Granola Parfait | Obsessive Cooking Disorder
I’m not a fan of the Match system because it give no control to doctors (who of course are the most type A planners ever). Given our schedules, B and I will continue to finish our residencies apart.
After two weeks, I finally found new housing, have accepted not having a dog/moving to a new apartment/continuing long distance with B, and I’m not longer doing 14 hr overnight shifts in the cardiac ICU, so life is slightly better. My fellow Yale residents / mentors and B have been wonderfully supportive and all around awesome. 
This detour in our plans was a bitter pill to swallow, but it made for a big paradigm shift – rethinking how the role of family/personal life would fit in the future with the role of doctor. For now, our residencies determine our lives, but I look forward to the day where B and I have more control of life’s decisions, and one day can live together.

Maple Poached Figs and Granola Parfait recipe by me.

Maple Poached Figs and Granola Parfait


Ingredients
6-8 fresh figs, sliced
4 Tbs cup honey
4 Tbs pure maple syrup
Greek yogurt
granola
1-2 figs, quartered to garnish

Instructions
Heat honey and maple syrup in a small saute pan over medium heat for about 1 min. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add sliced figs; cover, and simmer until figs are just tender, (depending on your fig size and amount). Gently transfer figs to a plate with a slotted spoon.

In a parfait glass alternate yogurt with poached figs and granola. Drizzle maple syrup on top. Granish with a quarter of fresh fig. Enjoy!

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50 Comments

  1. I'm so sorry that things didn't work out for you. I know it's awful, but I immediately visualized a blog from you sometime in the not too distant future when the dog, the kids, and the husband are driving you crazy. Hang in there! ;}

  2. Sorry that things didn't go as planned for you and your hubby! Long distance is the worst! On the bright side, these parfaits look amazing – i just recently was introduced to fresh figs, and I love them!

  3. i LOVE a yogurt parfait, and this one sounds particularly flavorful! great recipe.
    also, hang in there! 8-hour tests and long distance love are for the birds. 🙂

  4. So sorry things didn't work out. I would never be able to do what you guys are doing, so good for you for being strong enough to stick it out! This recipe looks delicious by the way.

  5. Sorry the things didn't work out… keep it up!! One day things will surely be as you want them to be! Just a bit more of patience! Otherwise, the recipe looks super yummy, I love figs!

  6. Oh man! I am so sorry to hear the struggle you have been through! Bless you both with grace and I really hope something works out in your favor soon so you can be together!

    Also thank you for the parfait recipe! It looks amazing!

  7. So sorry that the plan did not work out! I'm such a type-A planner and can't imagine that kind of uncertainty… everything will come together eventually though 🙂 And in the meantime…there are fresh figs lol

  8. Sorry you're going through such a rough spot. Hope things start looking up soon!

    Figs and honey always make a good comfort food. Never better timing. 🙂

  9. The recipe sounds delicious, but I'm sorry things didn't work out! It's hard sometimes to work out how to combine both school and "normal life", but I'm sure down the line you'll be living together AND with a puppy!

  10. Sorry to hear you've had a rough time lately. I'm sure everything will unfold magically when you're least expecting it 🙂 Hope you have a lovely spring! (Like these parfaits, just delightful)

  11. I've always thought I don't like figs because I've never been a fan of fig products, but these look a lot like guavas and I LOVE guavas. May have to try some figs out.

  12. My dear I am so sorry to hear this! On the bright side, they say distance makes the heart grow fonder! It will be exciting evertime you see B. And soon there is fellowship match, for another chance. How long is B's residency? I really hope you two can line up again soon!

    sorry to hear about the puppy 🙁 that is heart breaking. Maybe a cat will be good in the meantime? Also your apartment sounds like they are being a poo. 🙁 I hope you find somewhere 100000x nicer that appreciates you 100000x more. *humph* (toward your apartment) Sorry it took me so long to see this post, just moved to my new apartment recently so have been living in boxes unpacking the last few weeks.

  13. Thanks for your support Sarah!! His residency is also 3 years, like mine but we'll probably stagger fellowship training so we don't have to deal with us risking matching to separate cities again. Congrats on your recent match and the move – super excited for you 😀