Greek yogurt pairs well with fresh fruit.
Thick, tart and creamy, Greek yogurt is popping up on supermarket and specialty market shelves in flavors like plain, honey, blueberry and pomegranate. Greek yogurt can be eaten from the carton, unadorned, or added to sweet and savory dishes for a flavor and texture boost. You can make your own Greek-style yogurt by draining plain yogurt in a double layer of cheesecloth set over a bowl for several hours, or until the yogurt is thick.
Yogurt with Fruit and Honey
A simple desert or breakfast can be prepared with Greek yogurt by adding seasonal fruits and honey. Spoon plain, honey or vanilla yogurt into a small serving bowl. Slice strawberries and bananas over the top of the yogurt and add fresh blueberries or raspberries. Drizzle honey over the top. This is a good time to pull out an artisan honey from the farmers' market, as the tartness of the yogurt pairs well with honey's layers of flavor. Sprinkle sliced almonds, chopped pistachios, granola or a few poppy seeds on top. Serve chilled.
Frozen Yogurt Pops
Use your plain Greek yogurt to make frozen treats for the whole family. For berry frozen yogurt pops, combine 1 cup fresh or frozen berries with 1 cup plain yogurt and 3 tbsp. honey in a food processor. Pulse until smooth. You can use a single kind of berry or mixed berries. For mango or banana pops, combine 1 cup fruit with 1 cup yogurt, 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice and 3 to 5 tbsp. honey. Puree and pour into a freezer pop form. Add craft sticks or toothpicks, cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
Tzatziki
Tzatziki is the traditional Greek yogurt and cucumber sauce served with pita bread for dipping or on gyros, falafel and spanakopita. For basic tzatziki, combine one lb. plain Greek yogurt with one seeded, grated and squeezed-dry English cucumber, the juice from one lemon, 1 1/2 tsp. of fresh dill and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle 1 tbsp. of olive oil the top and serve. You can add 1 to 2 tsp. fresh, chopped garlic to the dip, or substitute mint for the dill for a flavor variation. For presentation, scrape the tzatziki into a pretty bowl and top with a few kalamata olives.
Salad Dressing and Spreads
Greek yogurt pairs well with a variety of herbs to create creamy and low-fat dressings, sauces and spreads. Add garlic, chives, parsley, olive oil and salt and pepper for a vibrant dressing to top mixed lettuces, sliced red onion and feta cheese. Pulse 1/2 cup yogurt with three roasted red peppers, 1/2 cup feta cheese, the juice from half a lemon and salt and pepper to make a spread for chicken sandwiches and turkey burgers. Prepare a spicy and tangy horseradish sauce by mixing 2 tsp. grated fresh horseradish, the juice from half a lemon, salt and 1/2 cup plain yogurt. Serve the sauce on steak sandwiches and prime rib.
Tags: Greek yogurt, juice from, pairs well, pairs well with, plain yogurt
