Showing posts with label yogurt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label yogurt. Show all posts

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie Parfait (it's National Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie Day!)

11:32 AM | Labels: , , , , , , ,


 
The weather gets warmer. The sun shines brighter. And I start to think to myself, “It’s almost time for rhubarb.” I start to keep a lookout in the grocery, my eyes sharp with anticipation. I eagerly frequent farmer’s markets. And then one day, sitting in what must surely be a spotlight from heaven, there it is – those long, pink-red stalks. I think I hear a chorus of angels in the background as I select a sampling to bring home with me. I’ve got it! It feels like I’ve won the lottery. Finally, after months and months of rhubarb withdrawal, I have it, in my hands, the possibilities for using it endless.

I honestly don’t even think I love rhubarb. Sure, I like it, but it’s not my favorite. Yet, I can’t help but get giddy when it comes around, simply because it doesn’t happen all the time. As much as I love bananas and apples, they aren’t special. I know people who hoard rhubarb. No one hoards bananas.


I wish more fresh produce were like rhubarb. I wish we could only buy strawberries when they were in season, bright red in the center and juicy instead of stark white and mealy in texture. There are certain things I’m grateful to have – I don’t know what my day would be like without a banana in it, and I love exotic fruits like kiwi and pineapple. We’re very lucky. But I do try to only buy frozen berries unless they’re in season, frozen corn until the husks at the markets are truly at their best. But it’s challenging when we aren’t forced into that sort of seasonal shopping, as we are with rhubarb. It’s a challenge I’d like to take head on in the near future, because I love the exhilaration I get when I spot that first rhubarb stalk of the year. Yes, I said it – exhilaration. If only we could all be so lucky to get so thrilled over our produce bin, right?

This rhubarb spread is a fantastic recipe to make with the rhubarb that’s still peeking out from the corner of the local farmer’s markets. The only thing I changed was to substitute ½ teaspoon vanilla extract for the rosewater, as I didn’t have any and read online that it was an acceptable swap. It’s easy, makes a ton, and is versatile so you don’t have to feel tied down to any one rhubarb dish. Mix it into yogurt – lemon, plain, or strawberry would all be wonderful – spread it on a warm scone or muffin for an afternoon treat, turn it into a milkshake or ice cream sundae.  I stirred it into yogurt (Chocolate Chunk Chobani Champions – say that 3 times fast! – was one of my favorites), spread it on fresh baked challah bread, and dolloped it over a lemon chia pudding. The recipe I have below is for a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Parfait, my personal favorite way that I incorporated the spread. I was sad to see it go yesterday, and think that next year I, too, may need to learn how to properly hoard store rhubarb in my freezer to get even more uses out of it.

 
One Year Ago: Avocado Tea Sandwiches, Lemon Thyme or Chocolate Mocha Slice ‘n Bake Cookies
Two Years Ago: Chocolate Ganache and Raspberry Curd Shortbread Bars

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Parfait
This easy dish blends strawberry yogurt and a fresh rhubarb compote with a quick yet healthy oat streusel. It’s not quite as indulgent as a slab of pie, but once you taste it I don’t think you’ll care.

Yield: 2 servings
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
(printable recipe)

The Ingredients
2 tablespoons egg whites
¼ cup oats
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 packet stevia
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
12 ounces strawberry Chobani yogurt
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons rhubarb spread
2 fresh strawberries, for garnish

The Method
Stir together the egg whites, oats, cinnamon, vanilla, stevia, and almonds in a small bowl. Heat a lightly greased pan over medium to medium-low and add the oat mixture. Pat down and let the one side cook like a streusel-y pancake. After 1-2 minutes, break up the oat mixture and flip to let the other side cook. Be careful not to burn the almonds, as these will cook more quickly then the rest of it.

While the oat mixture is finishing, place 6 ounces of the yogurt in each of two serving dishes. Divide the streusel evenly between the two, reserving a little bit for the garnish. Add 3 tablespoons of the rhubarb spread on top of each dish and garnish with a strawberry and any extra streusel.

  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • RSS
Read User's Comments0
Posted by toni

Pancakes & Product Reviews: Stonyfield Farms Yogurt

2:11 PM | Labels: , , ,

 
Today I have perhaps the last of my product reviews from the goodie box I received from Around the Plate. We were given a coupon for a Stonyfield Farms yogurt, and I have to say, I was a little hesitant to use this one. Stonyfield Farms has developed a bad reputation with me for being excessive in the sugar department. I’m sorry, but 29g is just not ok for first thing in the morning for me – even if each and every one of those grams is organic and devoid of the words “high,” “fructose,” and “corn syrup.” L loves Stonyfield Farms, and I’ll eat it on occasion – usually as more of a dessert than a full on meal. I like the company, but I knew I wasn’t crazy about all of the flavors’ nutritional profiles. Still, I wanted to give the company another try. After all, as I’ve mentioned before, there is a lot to be said for a company who cares about the impact it has on the world around it.


I decided that the best way to approach this review was to find a recipe that called for yogurt, and use the Stonyfield brand. To me, this blog isn’t about food reviews. I’ve certainly done my fair share of them, particularly recently, and plan to do a few more over the next month or so. However, I don’t want them to take away from this blog’s true purpose – sharing food and recipes with you. So, this is a hybrid post: a review of Stonyfield Farms and their yogurt, plus a delicious pancake recipe that calls for yogurt in the ingredients.

But first, let’s talk about this yogurt, because I’m sure I’ve done a great job of drawing you in with my attacks on its sugar content (it’s amazing any company tolerates the reviews I give, right?). I went with the 0% Super Fruits flavor (think Pomegranate, Raspberry, and Acai) – not only was it modest in sugar (22g), but it was a flavor that you don’t see very often. I do have to commend Stonyfield on that. As much as I adore my Chobani and I think they have fantastic flavors, I long for more exotic, creative flavors. Stonyfield has flavors like “Banilla,” which I’ve heard is out of this world, “Chocolate Underground,” which – despite being laden with sugar, and probably understandably so – is definitely something I could enjoy for dessert, and “French Vanilla” which just sounds a little more indulgent and fancier than the typical vanilla.

In terms of Nutrition, it’s a pretty standard yogurt – 120 calories, 130mg sodium, 22g carbohydrates (pretty much exclusively from sugar, which will be partially added and partially naturally derived from lactose), and 6g protein. It delivers 25% of the daily recommendations for Calcium. Because the sugar is a little higher than I’d like to see, I might be inclined to choose the low-fat over fat-free varieties, just to give my body a little bit of a glycemic buffer – but really, 22g isn’t obscene. The other flavors that inch up closer to 30 are more of a concern. It seems that Stonyfield Farms has heard the cries of other sugar police like myself, because they’re in the process of rolling out a new, lower-calorie, lower-sugar line of yogurt (100 calories, 30% less sugar), using Stevia with a touch of cane sugar (read more about the switch here!).

The taste came through as a more or less typical mixed berry yogurt. The raspberries play the starring role, but you do get a hint of the pomegranate and acai in a nice, subtle way that makes it just a little different from the other mixed berry flavors on the market. It’s also not a very thick yogurt – it’s one of the more liquidy ones I’ve seen, especially compared to the thickened greek yogurts that I’m so used to – which could be nice for anyone who is a little turned off by yogurt’s consistency. 

The bottom line: I have to admit, I like the taste of Stonyfield, and I do like what their company does and how it presents itself. I’m definitely interested in the reduced sugar line they’re making now, and will have to update this post if I ever get the opportunity to try it. Until then, I personally will stick to yogurts with lower sugar contents for my day-to-day use, but that’s just a personal preference. I know so many people who can’t get enough of Stonyfield Farm’s products, and I can definitely see why. For anyone who is less concerned with their sugar intake, the nutrition panel was already commendable; now with the introduction of Stevia, that’s even more true; the taste is excellent; and the price is more than reasonable. This is a great option for yogurt, and definitely one of the best non-greek varieties on the market right now.

 
So about these pancakes, since something that Stonyfield Farms encourages is creating healthier food by using yogurt as an ingredient. They’re not nearly as thick and fluffy as I like my pancakes to be, but they do taste good, especially mixed with the extra yogurt and a warm berry sauce as toppings. I did find myself adding flour to the recipe that otherwise just called for oats, because I wound up with a very soupy consistency. The recipe suggested greek yogurt, so I have a feeling the thinness of the batter had a lot to do with the fact that I used Stonyfield. Once I added the whole wheat flour, though, the batter was a really nice thickness and cooked up beautifully, so don’t view that as a deterrent. 


 Tomorrow is National Pancake Day – a perfect excuse to tell you about this yogurt and these pancakes at once - and I have to smile at the fact that it falls on a Tuesday. I’ve mentioned it before, but growing up there was this traditional in my house known as “Pancake Tuesdays.” Not a Tuesday went by that my grandmother and, once she passed on, my mom didn’t crack open that box of Aunt Jemima pancake mix and whip up a batch for my sister and me. It wasn’t until college that the tradition broke, though I have to say that a really good stack of fluffy pancakes can still win me over, even in the worst of moods. They are, for me, the ultimate comfort food.

One Year Ago: Champagne Chocolate Sauce
Past Pancake Recipes: Bread Pudding Pancakes, Buttermilk Pancakes with Fruit & Yogurt Topping, Pumpkin Pancakes, Sour Cream Pancakes


Super Fruit Pancakes, adapted from This Mama Cooks
Yield: 4 servings
(printable recipe)

The Ingredients
1 cup oats
6 egg whites (1 cup + 2 tablespoons)
1 cup (approximately 2, 6-ounce containers) Stonyfield Super Fruits yogurt
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon honey1
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup white whole wheat flour

The Method
Heat a griddle over medium heat. Add all of the ingredients except the flour to a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth and well-mixed. Fold in the flour and, once the pan is hot, ladle the batter onto the pan, using roughly ¼ cup per pancake. Allow to cook until the batter has set and bubbles have appeared all over the tops, then flip and cook an additional 3-4 minutes.

Serve with your favorite toppings!2

Notes:
1I used the blackberry honey crème from Honey Ridge Farms (read my review here), but any liquid sweetener will work.
2I made an easy berry sauce by simmering ¼ cup frozen raspberries and ½ cup frozen strawberries (per serving) until thick, then added the leftover yogurt that I had as a second topping.


The opinions expressed and images shared in this review are entirely my own. Although Stonyfield Farms donated the coupon sent to me via the wonderful people behind the Around the Plate community, no further compensation or incentive was given. I am not affiliated in any way with Stonyfield Farms.





Pin It

 

  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • RSS
Read User's Comments0
Posted by toni

When Life Keeps Me Running, My Strawberry-Mango Power Smoothie Never Fails

8:02 PM | Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Surprise! It looks like I haven't run away from this blog permanently, after all. This summer has really been kicking my butt - it seems like if I'm not packing my bags to go somewhere, I'm either working or playing laundry catch-up. Sometimes, though, I find a spare second to eat - imagine that! - and it's times like these that call for a smoothie like this one. This is a sizeable powerhouse beverage, on the powerhouse beverage scale. There's no whey protein or anything like that, but it does incorporate (undetectable) amounts of Healthy Stuff like spinach and flax seeds.

Occasionally, I worry about some of my nutrient levels, particularly iron ever since I gave up non-grassfed beef and therefore consume less red meat in general. By sneaking trace amounts of non-heme iron (the bountiful but pitifully absorbed kind of iron) into unexpected places and meals, like this breakfast smoothie, I feel a little better nutritionally about my decision to cut back on the sad-but-affordable cows.

I highly recommend trying to start your day off (or end it) with a nice smoothie. By using a base recipe like the one below and getting a little creative, you can create a naturally sweet, nutrient-dense, filling and satisfying meal that is both portable and delicious. It's also a great way to sneak things like spinach and flax seeds into unsuspecting childrens' bellies, or so I hear. The one I made didn't even turn green from The Green Stuff, so you really can trick them if necessary. But really, once they taste it, I don't think you'll have much of a problem getting them to come back for more.

Strawberry-Mango Power Smoothie
Yield: 1 serving
The Ingredients
1 mango, cubed
1/3 C strawberries (an approximation - I used 4), hulled & halved (if small) or quartered (if large) + 1 for garnish
1/4 C spinach, loosely packed
6oz. fat free vanilla greek yogurt
2 tsp. flax seeds
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. dried lemon peel or fresh zest

The Method
1. Layer the strawberries, yogurt, spinach, and mango in a blender. Sprinkle the flax seeds on top.
2. Starting on high and alternating to medium pulses if necessary as it gets more liquidy, blend the ingredients. Pause every so often to scrape down the edges to ensure that all of the components get thoroughly chopped up and mixed together.
3. When everything looks well blended, add the nutmeg and lemon peel/zest, and pulse on low until they are fully incorporated.
4. Pour into a glass and place in the freezer to chill for several minutes. While I waited for this to happen, I cleaned up and prepared my strawberry garnish.
5. For the strawberry garnish, vertically slice the strawberry into thin strips without fully detaching them from the hull. Spread apart with your fingers, and slip the strawberry onto the edge of the glass.

The Verdict? Very filling, very satisfying, and no - you don't taste the spinach or the flax seeds. Using greek yogurt keeps the smoothie thick and creamy, plus it gives you a nice dose of protein. I would have loved to have added maybe half of a frozen banana, to both cool it and add an extra dimension to it. After all, what smoothie doesn't have banana in it? However, ours were beyond ripe several days ago, and I didn't think quickly enough to chop them up and freeze them before they met their trash can fate. I also think a little extra strawberry would have been nice here.


As a whole, this is a fast and satiating recipe that really helps me get through those busy days without feeling weighed down by fast food or starved because all I had time to grab was a bag of grapes or an apple. There's fiber in this, vitamins galore, vegetarian sources of protein, and most importantly, a whole ton of flavor. Check it out sometime. In the meantime, I'll try not to run away so much. I still have a ton of recipes to share!

  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • RSS
Read User's Comments0
Posted by toni

Guilt Free Chicken Salad, Take One

5:22 PM | Labels: , , , , , , , ,


I was never a fan of those mayonnaise-based salads: chicken, potato, macaroni, you name it. I feel like it's this calorie-laden, not very interesting mess of ingredients parading as light and healthy. However, that does not mean that I dislike chicken salads. Au contraire! Here, I present to you one of two salads I made tonight using grilled chicken that the head of the household had grilled early on in the day.

This chicken salad is yogurt-based, adding those super probiotics, vitamins, and minerals without the fat (unless you like whole fat yogurt, that is). It tastes light, which is perfect for days as hot and muggy as it was today, yet it is one of the furthest things from bland I have ever tasted. The sauce actually reminds me a lot of the tzatziki I made a little while back, and as I suspected back then, it does pair excellently with chicken.

I think I've mentioned before how much I enjoy non-dinner meals, because I feel so free to experiment. It doesn't matter if I botch something, because it's just for me. I don't have to worry about feeding anyone else (usually, until L coerces me into making something for with him). This is proof of that, and you could easily do something similar. All I did was take chicken, some vegetables I had on hand, and a sauce full of flavors that sound like they would work together. For the sauces, all you need to do is add ingredients little by little, building on the flavors until you reach the taste you're going for. Trust me, I'm no Top Chef, so anyone can do this - especially with practice.

What's more, aside from cooking the chicken, this recipe goes from zero to in your belly in seconds (okay, minutes) flat, and would take little extra time to double or quadruple to suit your needs. I highly recommend trying it out, or at the very least using it as inspiration for an unconventional, healthier chicken salad of your own.

Tzatziki Chicken Salad
Yield: 1 serving
The Ingredients
1/2 C (approx.) cubed, grilled chicken
1/8 C red bell pepper, chopped
1-2 Tbsp. zucchini, coarsely chopped
1 C (approx.) salad greens (I used a combination of a packaged romaine mix and spinach)
2-3 Tbsp. plain or vanilla fat free yogurt*
1/2 - 1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. dried dill
The Method
1. Combine the first three ingredients in a small or medium bowl.
2. Combine the last three ingredients in a separate, small bowl. Adjust flavorings for taste.
3. Add the sauce to the meat and veggie mixture, and stir up to fully incorporate.
4. Serve over the salad greens, and enjoy!

*Note: I used regular 'ole Dannon vanilla low fat yogurt, but this produced a pretty thin, sweet sauce. Next time, I will definitely try either a vanilla or even plain greek yogurt (fat free) to change the consistency.

After this, I put together a Thai-inspired (in my brain, anyway) peanut chicken salad to bring with me to work tomorrow. I will absolutely post the "recipe" for that, as well, but I didn't take a picture before packaging it up, so I won't make any promises on the beautiful imagery front. In the meantime, give this a shot! Pull out some fridge or pantry items, and see where they take you. The absolute worst that can happen is that you botch a recipe, and know how to change it for the better next time around.

  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • RSS
Read User's Comments0
Posted by toni
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)