Greek Yogurt

In the tradition of Greek blogs this week, let me tell you about greek yogurt.

I’m a HUGE fan of greek yogurt. It has a thick, creamy texture and double the protein of regular yogurt.



I first heard about Greek yogurt from a friend who would eat it every day at lunch time. She said it was like her dessert. What?!? A yogurt you eat for dessert? I had to try it! The first time I tried it, I thought it was a little thick and not as sweet as the yogurt I was used to eating. But, after looking at the nutritional information and how much protein it had compared to the yogurt I was eating, I was hooked! It has a lot more protein in it than regular yogurt. This means you will stay full longer.

Harter House and Harter House World Flavors carries several varieties of Greek Yogurt. Chobani, Fage, Yoplait and Dannon.

Chobani is all-natural, low-sugar, and made with hormone-free milk. It comes in 6 creamy & delicious flavors: plain (low fat and non fat), low fat strawberry, low fat blueberry, low fat peach, low fat honey, and low fat vanilla. 6 oz of fruit flavored Chobani provides a whopping 14 grams of protein (the plain flavor has 18 grams!) – perfect for refueling muscles and keeping your tummy full and happy. One of my favorite ways to enjoy greek yogurt is to mix dried cranberries, dark chocolate chips, and coconut flakes in to the non-fat plain flavor. Delicious and healthy!

By the bottom of the cup, I was feeling full. I don’t know if my grandma had been eating greek yogurt all along, but I have now been convinced that yogurt really can be a filling, tasty snack or meal! But don’t take my word for it…pick up a cup of greek yogurt on your next trip to Harter House and see what you think!

So what’s so great about FAGE Total Greek Yogurt? Lots of things! But what’s most important to me is that the yogurt is 100% natural and tastes amazing! FAGE (pronounced “fah-yeh") is made without any extra ingredients, additives, preservatives, thickeners or stabilizers. Plain yogurt should basically have only two ingredients: milk and live active yogurt cultures. That’s it! And that’s all you’ll get when you eat FAGE Total yogurts.

FAGE has managed to create lowfat and nonfat Greek-syle yogurts that are creamy, delicious and indulgent with tons of protein and little to no fat! I am not a non-fat yogurt girl so my favorite is the FAGE Total 2% yogurt. One cup (8oz) of FAGE Total 2% has only 150 calories, 4.5 grams of fat (3g saturated), and a whopping 20 grams of protein!! And the best part? It is so creamy and delicious, it feels like you are eating something sinful! Seriously, this is the only yogurt I will buy now. FAGE Total 2% has ruined all other yogurts for me!


Greek yogurt is also great to use in place of sour cream or mayonnaise when you want to lighten things up without losing a creamy texture. I use it often in dips and dressings and Greek yogurt is a must if you want to make a great tzatziki. Once you start using it, you’ll find the possibilities are endless!
I use it in Fruit Smoothies, and as Toppings: a healthy sandwich spread, garnish for baked potatoes, nachos, burgers, etc. Dressing or dips. Substitute for buttermilk. Finish soups or sauces as an alternative to cream. Baking: greek yogurt can replace fat in muffins, cakes and breads, just to name a few.

See this article from the New York Times about how we have become accustomed to pudding/candy yogurt. It also includes a wonderful recipe for Braised Lamb Shanks In Yogurt Sauce