Greek Yogurt

[LilRedCorvette]

...is awesome! Lots you can do with it...

For those who are lactose intolerant, there is very little lactose in it, so it's a good source of calcium if you have trouble with other dairy products. It's also high in protein. :seasix:

Use it in place of sour cream when cooking...great in mashed potatoes, a thickener for sauces (like beef stroganoff), dips, etc...

Some baked goods (cheesecake, coffee cakes) do well with Greek yogurt in them as well...


Concerned about the sugar content in the flavored yogurts at the grocery stores? Make your own using less sweetener! Start with plain fat-free and add...

-[Pumpkin Pie flavor] Canned pumpkin, big dash of ground cinnamon, small dashes each of ground cloves and ginger, drizzle of raw honey (or agave, etc...your choice)

-[Key Lime Pie flavor] Key lime juice and drizzle of raw honey, or a little bit of lime curd...or lemon curd for lemon pie...

-[Banana Cream Pie flavor] Sliced bananas (sprinkled with lemon juice to impede browning), drizzle of raw honey

You can add crushed graham crackers or Nilla wafers to any of the 'pie-like' flavors if you want 'crust'. A small amount of any canned pie filling (cherry/raspberry/blueberry/apple/etc) will work in a pinch, but I wouldn't add the honey or sweetener if going with that option, as it's already been sweetened.

-Fresh blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and/or sliced strawberries, drizzle of raw honey...if you have any low fat granola, toss it in if you want some crunch

-Crushed or chopped pineapple, drizzle of raw honey. Add coconut for a Pina Colada-like flavor...

-Sliced or chopped peaches (lemon juice to impede browning), pinch of brown sugar or raw sugar, or drizzle of raw honey

-Sliced or chopped apples, big dash of cinnamon, drizzle of raw honey

Will update with other flavors/ideas later on...but the possibilities are pretty much limitless...

[LilRedCorvette]

I eat this almost daily...

1/2 qt Plain fat free Greek yogurt
1 Cucumber (skin and seeds removed, wrapped in paper towels to remove excess juice)
Lemon juice OR lemon extract OR lemon oil
Garlic powder to taste
Garlic salt to taste (less of this)

Grate the cucumber, mix into the yogurt, along with the garlic and lemon. For best results, let sit overnight in the fridge. I prefer mine to be heavy on the cucumber, then lemon, then garlic being the undertone. You have to taste it and adjust it to your own liking.

I can't do fresh garlic, or a lot of it, but again use whatever form you want. I also prefer lemon oil as it's stronger, so I can use less of it...I find that fresh lemon juice waters it down too much for my liking.

Serve with pita of your choice (I like the whole wheat pita but YMMV) that has been warmed in the microwave or toaster oven, or if you have the time, grilled. Cut into quarters.

[Sea Six]

I eat this almost daily...

1/2 qt Plain fat free Greek yogurt
1 Cucumber (skin and seeds removed, wrapped in paper towels to remove excess juice)
Lemon juice OR lemon extract OR lemon oil
Garlic powder to taste
Garlic salt to taste (less of this)

Grate the cucumber, mix into the yogurt, along with the garlic and lemon. For best results, let sit overnight in the fridge. I prefer mine to be heavy on the cucumber, then lemon, then garlic being the undertone. You have to taste it and adjust it to your own liking.

I can't do fresh garlic, or a lot of it, but again use whatever form you want. I also prefer lemon oil as it's stronger, so I can use less of it...I find that fresh lemon juice waters it down too much for my liking.

Serve with pita of your choice (I like the whole wheat pita but YMMV) that has been warmed in the microwave or toaster oven, or if you have the time, grilled. Cut into quarters.

That's a lot of sauce! How long does it last in the fridge?

[LilRedCorvette]

That's a lot of sauce! How long does it last in the fridge?

It sounds a lot bigger than it is. A batch of it fits into a container the size of a standard sized Cool Whip tub. I make it once a week and safely lasts at least that long. :seasix:

[Sea Six]

Yummy! I'm going to try this. There aren't any good Greek/Mediterranean restaurants around here.

Got any good recipes for hummus?

[LilRedCorvette]

Yummy! I'm going to try this. There aren't any good Greek/Mediterranean restaurants around here.

:seasix: :cert:

Got any good recipes for hummus?

Unfortunately not because there's LOTS of garlic in it and I can't really eat that without getting very sick. :(

Hummus is basically chick peas that have been mashed or pureed, and olive oil, salt, lemon juice, garlic and tahini added to it. Tahini is a paste made with sesame seeds and is the key ingredient in an authentic hummus. :yesnod: You can find it in most grocery stores...

It would prob take 10 min or less to whip up in a food processor...and you can adjust the ingredient proportions to your taste. You can prob find a few recipes online to start with, and then make it your own. :seasix:

[vetter]

thanks for the tips guys! i must try it! :)

[Kerrmudgeon]

I love the greek stuff and used to eat it daily...BUT....it spiked my potassium levels to the dangerous level in my blood. Doc said to cool it with yogurt and other potassium rich foods like bananas. Bad for your heart I'm told. Levels back to normal now. I still eat greek as a treat though, just not everyday. :cheers:.

[69camfrk]

I prefer the Cretan Tzatziki which has olive oil in it, and is fairly heavy on the garlic depending on where you get it on the island. If anyone is interested I'll post up that particular recepie. I learned from the Greeks how to make it, so I know it's right.:seasix: