Use Greek Yogurt

Do you ever get tired of the same old, same old? I definitely was in an eating rut. I pretty much consumed the same foods over and over, day after day.

And, then I saw something I had not seen at the store before. It was called "Greek Yogurt". I thought yogurt was yogurt, no matter where it was made. But I took a chance of trying something new (to me). Now, I think I am addicted!

Although it said on the container that there was no fat in it, it did not taste non fat. Yeah! I mixed it with some berries (blackberries, blueberries and raspberries) and added a sleeve of sweetener. My first bite, I seriously thought I had died and gone straight to heaven. I was hooked, and still am. I have found many other ways to eat it, and the best thing about it is that I am not gaining weight.

You see, I have a long history with regular yogurt. When we lived in a third world country, I would go out to the street when the milk cart came by. I had to take my own container to catch the warm fresh milk. It was not pasteurized or processed in any way - straight from the cow to me. I would put the milk in a large pan on the stove and bring it up to the proper temperature (145 degrees F) where it had to remain for 30 minutes. After that I would pour half into glass bottles and put them in the refrigerator. The remaining half, I would mix with a yogurt starter and place the pan on top of the hot water heater. When I came home after work, I had some delicious yogurt. I would mix in pineapple and sugar or other yummy fruit and the kids would really eat it all up.

So what is the difference between regular yogurt and Greek yogurt?

I have learned that Greek yogurt has been strained to remove the whey. It is allowed to sit in muslin or cheesecloth. This removes some of the moisture, the sugar and carbohydrate and leave more protein. This type of yogurt has been used in Greece for years as a base for dips and also as a dessert, mixed with fruits, honey or syrup. In Greece, yogurt is mostly made out of sheep's milk.

Lately Greek yogurt has become very popular because of its proposed health benefits:

• Twice the protein of regular yogurt
• Lower in sugar
• Lower in carbohydrates
• Lower in sodium
• Contains live probiotics
• Keeps your mouth fresh and clean
• Helps digestion
• Helps boost your immune system

I personally like it because it is rich and creamy and tastes like an elegant dessert when mixed with fruit. My friend says he adds cinnamon, vanilla and honey and claims it is divine.

Substitutes

Greek yogurt can be used as a substitute in many other foods:

• Sour cream - like on baked potatoes
• Mayonnaise
• As an ingredient in Hollandaise sauce
• Buttermilk
• Use on grilled salmon
• In dips (like ranch dip)
• Cream cheese

Sprinkle on a few chopped walnuts or hazelnuts and drizzle with honey.

There are different brands of Greek yogurt. I love Fage but will have to try all the different brands to see which one I like best.