Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Healthy Snack Wednesdays: Endless Possibilities with Greek Yogurt

First, congratulations to the winners of last week’s Healthy Snack Giveaway! They are:

Case of pretzel crisps:  Jacki, one of the participants in the weight loss challenge
Tribe Hummus vouchers: Kathy of @KathyCanCook, and two new readers Kristy and Jeannine

                              

Please email your name and mailing address to lara [at] goodcookdoris [dot] com and I’ll make sure your prize gets out to you! Now on to this week’s healthy snacking.

If you’ve been grocery shopping lately, you’ve seen the explosion of choices in the yogurt section. There is regular, low fat, fat free, fruit-on-the bottom, lactose free, rice yogurt, coconut milk yogurt, probiotic, organic, Greek, and the list goes on.  Everyone has their favorite, but lately I’ve been sticking with Greek yogurt.

Greek yogurt is thick, creamy, a little tangy, and full of nutrition. For this week’s healthy recipes I used Chobani low-fat plain yogurt.  I won a case of Chobani in an online giveaway (hosted by Chobani) and decided to put it to use for Healthy Snack Wednesday.  Here’s the rundown on one 6-ounce container of the plain yogurt:  130 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, and 17 grams of protein. That is some nutritional power! I checked Chobani’s website for a few other nutritional details. The plain low-fat yogurt is gluten-free, vegetarian (gelatin-free), and kosher certified. Pretty powerful for a small container! You could also choose non-fat if you would like to reduce your fat intake. See the end of the post for how you can win some Chobani for yourself!

This week I have a variety of recipes to share. Some are snacks, some are meals, but all of them are easy and full of flavor. I’ll include all of the recipes at the end.  For even more ideas, visit Renee's blog at Eat.Live.Blog.

First up a colorful and healthy soup. I had leftover carrots, parsnips, and white beans in the refrigerator along with my yogurt.  Homemade soups are not as difficult as you might think. With about a half an hour and either an immersion blender or blender you can make a healthy homemade soup.  You control the ingredients and most importantly the flavor and saltiness. Swap in plain Greek yogurt instead of blending in heavy cream, milk, or sour cream and you boost the nutritional power of your soup.  You can use this basic recipe and swap in different vegetables, herbs, and spices to put together your own soup creation.




Greek yogurt also makes a great base for dips and spreads. You can take any recipe that calls for sour cream or mayonnaise and swap in an equal amount of yogurt. It’s thick consistency and tangy flavor stands up to bold flavors like spicy hot sauce, refreshingly cool cucumber, or even sweet cinnamon and pumpkin.  Inspired by a tweet I saw from L’Espalier about a spicy cocktail tasting (one w/ sriracha & lime) I mixed up yogurt, sriracha sauce, lime juice and salt.  The dip would be great as a vegetable or chip dip, but I used it to top off a big bowl of quinoa and vegetables.





Greek yogurt can be as a base for a variety of mix-ins.  Stock a few containers of yogurt in your refrigerator at work and you’ll always have the beginning of a healthy snack.  You can start with plain yogurt, but my favorite flavors are honey and pineapple.  Just measure the proper serving size for the mix-ins to manage the fat and calories.  Some fun & healthy mix-ins:

-Fresh or dried fruit
-Granola or cereal like Kashi Go Lean Crunch
-Grapenuts (great way to drown out a noisy office!)
-Chocolate chips
-Fruit preserves
-Canned pumpkin (a great dip!)
-Cinnamon
-Honey

Sunshine Soup ( you need a catchy name for a healthy recipe, right?)
Serves 4-6

4 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/8 inch coins
4-6 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/8 inch coins
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Kosher salt to taste (a pinch to start)
1-2 teaspoons olive oil
4 cups soaked white beans or 3-4 cans of white beans, drained (navy or cannellini beans)
4 cups stock (could be chicken, turkey, vegetable)
1 6-ounce cup of Chobani Plain low-fat Greek Yogurt
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil in a medium soup pan over medium heat
Add carrot and parsnip coins and toss to coat
Cook for 10-15 minutes until softened, but not mushy
Add minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn garlic
Add beans to pot and mix with vegetables
Add stock and stir to mix
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low
Cook for 10-15 minutes
Remove from heat
If you have an immersion blender: Blend carefully in pot
Blender: Transfer soup to blender and blend carefully. You may need to blend in batches
Once soup is blended to desired consistency, add yogurt and stir until smooth
Garnish with fresh herbs, salt, and pepper
Drizzle a little olive oil on top and serve

Summary:
Prep Time: 10 minutes chopping and assembling
Cook Time: 30-40 minutes
Cutting board, knife, soup pot, measuring cups and spoons, immersion blender/blender, spoon, ladle, serving dishes



Sriracha Lime Dip
Recipe for 1 container of yogurt
Add more hot sauce depending on your heat tolerance.  The amount below would be considered mild.

1 6-ounce container of plain Greek Yogurt
1 tablespoon of Sriracha hot pepper sauce (or  your favorite hot sauce)
Juice from half of a lime
Pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients well
Serve with vegetables, chips, or pretzel crisps
Or top vegetable stir-fry, rice, quinoa, or even grilled tofu or chicken




Summary:
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 0 minutes
Mixing bowl, measuring spoon, serving dish and spoon

Win a case of Chobani yogurt (12 6-oz containers) in your choice of flavor! You can enter up to three times. You can include all entries in one comment, just be sure to mention them all.  Entries due by midnight on Tuesday, January 25 and the winner will be chosen with Random.org and announced on Wednesday, January 25.

This contest is now closed. Thank you for stopping by to enter!

Full Disclosure: I won a case of Chobani yogurt through a Twitter giveaway. I was not asked to review or blog about the products. I did not receive any compensation for my post or recipe. I just love to create fun new dishes!  Chobani generously offered to provide a giveaway on the blog. Prize fulfillment is the responsibility of Chobani.

72 comments:

  1. That quinoa veggie plate looks absolutely delightful

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  2. I am in total agreement that Greek yogurt is my favorite type of yogurt. I love using it for dips as a replacement for sour cream, such as onion dip or a Sriracha dip that is similar to yours!

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  3. I eat chobani every day and I love making ranch dressing with it, so easy and so much healthier! I need to try your lime dip, sounds delish!

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  4. I <3 greek yogurt!! I typically just add toppings like fruit or granola to mine, but I'd love to experiment more with recipes. I have seen some fun pancake recipes using greek yogurt instead of eggs or buttermilk that I'd love to try!

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  5. I am also a fan of Chobani both on Facebook and Twitter

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  6. 1) I love your ideas. I would like to try that Sriracha Lime Dip for sure!
    2) Following them on Twitter.
    3) And, Re-tweeted!

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  7. I want to try the yogurt in my baked potato soup instead of adding half and half - it sounds like it would make it taste really great! (and remove some of the calories :] )

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  8. I love Chobani and would like to use it in baking to make things a bit healthier - there a recipe on their website for Blueberry-Lemon loaf which looks awesome!

    And I follow @Chobani on twitter, too :)

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  9. I love your idea of adding spice to it! I would mix it with Frank's Red Hot - my favorite hot sauce! And I'd probably add garlic too, because I love garlic.

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  10. Thanks for such a great giveaway! I would love to start experimenting with Chobani in baking and make that great-looking Cho-Nana Bread recipe on their website!

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  11. I am all over that Sriracha lime dip! I would have never thought to use yogurt for it!

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  12. I love Choboni! I "liked" it on FB and I plan on using it in some recipes from a new all vegetarian cookbook that arrived in the mail yesterday from an amazing friend!!

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  13. I love your pictures! I use Chobani all the time to sub for sour cream and it is AMAZING when you coat chicken in it and then stick it under the broiler for a bit!

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  14. I would use it as a replacement for sour cream in all my recipes that call for them.. I would also use it in my brownies that I am making tonight...
    cher_theblondeprincess@hotmail.com.

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  15. Fan of Chobani on twitter
    cher_theblondeprincess@hotmail.com

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  16. tweeted
    cher_theblondeprincess@hotmail.com

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  17. i am strongly considering replacing sour cream in my recipes with chobani, especially in ranch dip, which i can't get enough of.

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  18. i tweeted the giveaway!

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  19. i also like chobani on facebook!

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  20. and i follow chobani on twitter!

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  21. We use greek yogurt all the time in place of things like sour cream or mayonnaise. It's great on top of nachos, and in soups. I've made a wonderful spicy green tomato soup that needed a little cooling down so I mixed up some chopped cilantro and plain chobani and drizzled it over the soup. Fantastic!

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  22. Oh and I already follow them on Twitter.

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  23. I tend to use a lot of sour cream so I would swap that out and use plain Chobani on things like baked potatoes.

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  24. I already follow Cho on twitter.

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  25. I use greek yogurt in a lot of different ways. I use it as a swap for sour cream, and I use it mixed with herbs as a swap for mayo on sandwiches too.

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  26. I like throwing a little greek yogurt on top of tacos instead of sour cream. Mm!

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  27. Shared w/Facebook and Twitter friends. Now following, too. Love mixing Greek yogurt and jam together...favorite snack and quick breakfast.

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  28. I use it as sour cream! (the plain kind!)

    --Meagan

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  29. I follow Chobani on twitter! @vivalameaganx3

    --Meagan

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  30. I loved Chobani's recipe for guacamole and would make that a staple in my fridge!

    I follow Chobani on both Facebook and Twitter.

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  31. I love using Chobani plain to top a bowl of Chili.
    Crystal

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  32. I'm a CHO follower on facebook.
    Crystal

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  33. I'm already a follower on FB and twitter!

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  34. I really want to make a butternut squash soup with some plain Greek yogurt for extra creaminess!

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  35. Fell in Love Chobani the first time I tried it. I use the plain in pretty much any recipe that uses sour cream. My whole family loves the fruity flavors! I have peach in my lunchbox today :)

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  36. Awesome! I would change up my brownie recipes with chobani! I already love chobani as a yummy snack but adding it into baked goods would be a great way to enhance the flavor & nutritional value to some otherwise indulgent items =D

    I already am a fan on Facebook & follow Chobani on twitter - that is how I found out about this giveaway, actually! =D

    Also, I tweeted to make it full circle! (@krissymmurphy)

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  37. I LOVE greek yogurt and Chobani is my go-to brand. I just recently tried it in my corn pudding recipe instead of sour cream and it was fantastic!

    I am a fan of Chobani on Facebook and I follow them on Twitter.

    I also tweeted about the giveaway (@jrporter)

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  38. I already like cho on facebook. I subistute plain cho for mashed potatos instead of butter and on baked. It's great in a whole wheat pumpkin bread with cranberries

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  39. I already like chobani on facebook. It makes a great aoli dip and a great subitute for sourcream, it's simply the ygurt out there.

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  40. Love to use greek yogurt as a substitute for sour cream in cooking and baking. works great!

    @minidiscoball on twitter

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  41. I would use greek yogurt more in desserts like brownies & quick breads!

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  42. I am also a fan of Chobani on facebook AND twitter!

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  43. I'd use it in my tomato soup instead of sour cream.

    boswife @ gmail. com

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  44. I follow chobani on facebook and twitter as @lolamichele and michele wall malone.

    boswife @ gmail . com

    also tweeted:
    http://twitter.com/#!/lolamichele/status/29943328694865920

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  45. I would love to use greek yogurt for a homemade yogurt/cucumber sauce for fish

    mwright85 (at) gmail (dot) com

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  46. I follow Chobani via Twitter

    mwright85 (at) gmail (dot) com

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  47. I'm going to try Greek yogurt instead of mayo in the next batch of egg salad I make.

    emilynwins[at]gmail dotcom

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  48. tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/prizepuzzle/status/29962437784506368

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  49. I already follow Chobani on Twitter, I tweeted your Giveaway Tweet, and I would probably start substituting Plain Chobani in place of sour cream in my recipes to lower the fat content.

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  50. 1) I love Chobani and use it as a substitute for sour cream. I plan on using it on a mexican pizza I am making this week.

    2) I'm already a fan on facebook.

    3) I don't have a twitter account because I am old and boring.

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  51. I would love to use Chobani in place of cream when making a Thai Curry! I did it once before and it turned out fabulous and much healthier. :)

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  52. I love making a dip out of peanut butter and greek yogurt for apple slices or stirred into oatmeal. Mmm.

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  53. I also follow Choabni on twitter and fb!

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  54. Greek yogurt in Bongo Bongo Dip for the Superbowl

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  55. I Love to use it in recipes instead of sour cream, or to make salad dressings :) And love it on oatmeal!

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  56. I would use it to make low fat desserts, brownies, cookies, cakes! YUM!!!

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  57. I am a follower of Chobani on Facebook

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  58. I'd like to try using Greek Yogurt in place of milk when making macaroni and cheese. I think the Greek yogurt would make the dish extra creamy. Also, I could reduce the amount of cheese used since the yogurt would impart extra flavor to the sauce.

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  59. I love to use greek yogurt in muffins. It makes them light and fluffy and cuts the fat!

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  60. I follow Chobani on Twitter. My Twitter handle is @purplelarkspur

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  61. I am following Chobani on Twitter, adn I am a facebook fan.

    I tweeted about the giveaway!

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  62. I tweeted the giveaway! http://twitter.com/#!/PurpleLarkspur/status/30100160323260416

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  63. I am a follower of Chobani on Facebook

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  64. Love to use greek yogurt as a substitute for sour cream in cooking and baking. works great!

    @minidiscoball on twitter

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  65. 1) I love Chobani and use it as a substitute for sour cream. I plan on using it on a mexican pizza I am making this week.

    2) I'm already a fan on facebook.

    3) I don't have a twitter account because I am old and boring.

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  66. Fell in Love Chobani the first time I tried it. I use the plain in pretty much any recipe that uses sour cream. My whole family loves the fruity flavors! I have peach in my lunchbox today :)

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  67. I love Chobani and would like to use it in baking to make things a bit healthier - there a recipe on their website for Blueberry-Lemon loaf which looks awesome!

    And I follow @Chobani on twitter, too :)

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