8 Healthy Yogurt Snack Recipes

I LOVE yogurt. I love how versatile it is, I love how creamy and delicious it is--and more than anything I love how good it is for me!

Did you know that even people with lactose intolerance can eat yogurt? It's true! That's because yogurt contains active cultures (probiotics) that can actually help tummy's recover from the very things that lactose upsets. In addition to aiding lactose intolerance, yogurt can also help with diarhea, constipation--and even ease pains brought up from more serious illnesses, like colon cancer.

Since people who cannot usually tolerate milk-products can enjoy yogurt they can reep benefits that they would otherwise miss out on.

Yogurt, as with most dairy products, is a great source of vitamin D and calcium. These combined help strengthen bones, hair, and nails. Having a good amount of vitamin D and calcium can even prevent osteoporosis later in life. Yogurt is also full of potassium, phosphorus, riboflavin, zinc, vitamin B5, and vitamin B12. (Vitamin B12 is particularly important for vegetarians, as it is a very difficult vitamin to obtain from anything other than meat!)

For individuals trying to watch their weight, yogurt is the perfect snack. Not only is it great for you, but it helps you feel full which aids against those pesky snack cravings! Thanks to the protein and carbohydrates found in yogurt, it also makes a great after-workout snack that helps replenish your body. (For extra protein, look towards Greek yogurt which can have up to 4x the amount of protein as traditional yogurt)

These are just a few of the amazing benefits yogurt offers!

Now that you know how GREAT yogurt is, check out these recipes to see how to make yogurt more enjoyable to eat. :)

Let's start with a few recipes you can throw together on a whim, just before running out of the house.

Ingridients

• Yogurt
• Fresh Fruit or berries
• Honey

Directions

Mix fresh fruit with yogurt, add honey for naturally added sweetness. I enjoy strawberries and yogurt and peaches and yogurt the best. Try with plain yogurt and Greek yogurt to see which kind you like best.

Ingridients

• Plain Yogurt
• Granola or Plain Oat Meal (or both)
• Honey
• Raisins or Craisins
• Crushed walnuts or almonds

Directions

Combine ingridients, use as much or as little of each ingridient to your taste.

Goes well with fresh cut fruit and berries.

Ingridients

• Bagel
• Yogurt
• Locks (smoked salmon)

Directions

Spread yogurt on bagel like you would cream cheese or butter. Place locks on top. Enjoy!

Sometimes during both my pregnancies, I just did not have much of an appetite at all. So these smoothies/shakes helped me (and my fetuses haha) get the daily nourishment we needed.

• Yogurt
• Fruit of your choice (I'm a big fan of a peach-banana combo)
• Honey
• Apple or orange juice
• Ice
• Wheat germ (optional)

Blend and enjoy!

Here are a few ways you can bring yogurt to the tables by creating healthier alternatives for other food favorites.

• 1 avocado
• 1 tablespoon plain yogurt
• 1 sprig of cilantro
• 2 small cloves garlic
• 2 pinches of salt
• 1 ½ teaspoon lime juice
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• 1 small diced jalapeño

Mince garlic and mash with avocado and salt. Mix rest of the ingridients and enjoy! Goes wonderfully with tortilla chips or any south-of-the-border themed meals, yumyum. (I've also been known, on occasion, to eat it all by itself >_>)

• 1-cup plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
• 1/2 small onion, chopped finely
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• Pinch of chopped dill

Combine and use as you would regular sour cream! Delicious AND guilt-free.

This is a yummy meal I love when my mom makes when I come to visit. Unfortunately, when I asked her how to make it she couldn't really give me any exact measurements, so I'd say use more of what you like and less of what you don't and make sure you include enough yogurt to coat everything!

• Macaroni pasta
• a can or two of tuna (or canned salmon works well, too)
• sliced cherry tomatoes
• sliced black olives
• plain yogurt
• chopped artichoke hearts
• slice of lemon
• ground pepper

Boil water and cook macaroni, remove and strain once macaroni is al dente. Mix in yogurt, tuna, olives, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts. Squeeze lemon and add ground pepper to taste. Mix well and eat up. I love this meal <3

Try it with other types of olives, diced celery, and for those who like spice--a dash of cayenne pepper.