dimanche 8 décembre 2013

Making Homemade Vanilla-Flavored Greek Yogurt

Because Greek yogurt is generally such a good treat for the health-conscious consumer, I advocate incorporating it into your diet if only sparingly. It helps if you can learn how to make your own, so as to avoid the sometimes excessive cost of yogurts like Fage and Chobani on supermarket shelves - when they aren't on sale, that is. Many people refuse to pay more than a dollar for yogurt (understandably), which makes my mother's homemade vanilla Greek yogurt recipe such a timely treasure to share.

It takes a full liter of milk (I use a cup of Présidente's skimmed milk), a generic or popular brand of plain yogurt (I use the brand Carrefour, which is 0% and natural, unsweetened), and added 3 cups skimmed milk powder, 3 cups of a brand of vanilla extract, and only 1 cup of liquid sweetener.

I then heated the milk in the microwave for one minute only (while in fact in my yogurt maker instructions it indicates that you do not need to heat or boil the milk if you're using a brick) and added the remaining ingredients. Well I removed everything I could but there still remained some yogurt whey. This will solve the problem for you the next time: use a larger container and a wire mixer (this time I was craving the live rush and I had no patience to do otherwise).

I poured in the glass jars, covered it with the straining lid and plugged in the clear plastic whisk, and gave the little button a surreptitious push. My boy, who is an avid eater of Greek yogurt, told me he would take some with him fishing and feed the trout. And why have you not covered the boats? Can you not see them rushing out the water? But alas, that is not the point and he can do as he pleases - I think it is a great waste to feed trout Fage Greek yogurt - even if it does happen to be homemade; but, back to the preparation instructions.

Well, having been in the fridge all night, this morning the choppy yogurt did not look so weird on the outside... I liked it! The texture had changed for the better, and was creamier and smoother. It closely resembles those bought in Andorra, but these actually different - richer and fuller. It's not as "stiff" as the those variants, but is still very good. I will use the blender and see if that improves the final look even more next time. One thing is certain, and that is the Greek yogurt with a dab of vanilla didn't last a full day in my household, as my trout-feeding son and the rest of the 
children helped themselves to the entire batch.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8097477

Why Greek Yogurt Benefits Us In Cooking

I find that Greek yogurt is one of those foods that is vastly under rated, or under used in cooking. However, I think that once you have discovered the creamy, thick texture of it, and the many ways it can compliment your cooking, you will want to create more and more fabulous dishes using it.

You can buy Greek yogurt from most supermarkets, and it is very reasonably priced, but if like me you want to cook from scratch, then it is quite simple to produce your own. Simply purchase a plain, unflavoured yogurt, then strain it through a muslin cloth to remove the excess liquid. This will produce a richer, creamier consistency equivalent to that of the supermarket brands.

Now lets see how Greek yogurt benefits us in our cooking, as an example I have included a simple dip recipe for you to try.

Curry and mint dip- A very easy dish to prepare which can be made with regular yogurt, however the benefit of Greek yogurt is it will give it that extra creamy thickness and quality. There is no cooking required with this dip, simply add about 2 cups of yogurt with several teaspoons of curry powder. Then chuck in some freshly chopped mint to taste. Great with meats, vegetables or seafood.

Some of the benefits of using Greek yogurt-

When used in baking it really gives a glorious shine to your pastries and doughs.

You can use it in salads and other vegetarian dishes to really compliment the flavours. It particularly tastes exceptional with root vegetables such as baby beetroot.

As ingredients go for use with meats and poultry, Greek yogurt benefits the consistency of sauces for use with any of these. Try combining it with garlic for that extra zing.

Of course, where would we be without a delicious dessert. Try it with unlimited variations such as fresh fruit, jams and nuts, or just drizzle it in local honey....simply beautiful!
There are some fantastic ways to use Greek yogurt in your cooking to really add quality and texture to it. The great thing is that Greek yogurt benefits your digestive system too. This is due to the active cultures added during processing, and as it has about 50% more of these than regular yogurt, surely it is a no brainer. Switch to Greek today and see the benefits for yourself. Once you have tried it I promise you will not go back.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6924254

Tzatziki Recipe With Greek Yogurt

If there is one thing that goes hand in hand with Greek cuisine and culture, it's Tzatziki. While many other surrounding nations have a similar take on yogurt sauce, it's this one that seems to hold up to everyone's standards.

What is so appealing is the cool thick texture it brings to dishes. From chicken to pita bread, it is a very versatile dip.

Making Tzatziki is an organic process. Below are the base ingredients, you can add more or less to fit your process. Once you know what goes in it, it's easy to experiment and find your desired taste.

A note to mentioned: Authentic Tzatziki is always served chilled and thick!

Ingredients

.5 of English cucumber, ends and skin removed.

2 cups of Greek yogurt (whichever is your favorite)

2 cloves of garlic, minced (to preference)

1 handful of dill, minced

3tbs Greek olive oil

1tbs red wine vinegar

1 pinch of sea salt

Juice of one lemon

Steps:

1. Grate cucumber

2. Squeeze grated cucumber to remove all liquid

3. add to yogurt

4. add all other ingredients to yogurt

5. Mix well

6. let sit for at least 4hrs for all flavors to come together

7. Serve!

Here are a few variations to the recipe above that you may wish to try. All are same steps to make as first (give or take ingredients):

.5 of English cucumber, ends and skin removed.

2 cups of Greek yogurt (whichever is your favorite)

2 cloves of garlic, minced (to preference)

1 handful of dill, minced

or

1 regular cucumber, ends and skin removed.

2 cups of Greek yogurt (whichever is your favorite)

2 cloves of garlic, minced (to preference)

1 handful of dill, minced

3tbs Greek olive oil

1 pinch of sea salt

Juice of one lemon

or

.5 of English cucumber, ends and skin removed.

2 cups of Greek yogurt (whichever is your favorite)

1 handful of dill, minced

3tbs Greek olive oil

1 pinch of sea salt

Juice of one lemon

or

.5 of English cucumber, ends and skin removed.

2 cups of Greek yogurt (whichever is your favorite)

2 cloves of garlic, minced (to preference)

1 handful of dill, minced

3tbs Greek olive oil

Juice of one lemon

Lastly, here are some ways this can be served:

1. With bread, it makes for a nice dipping sauce.

2. On top of meats (think Gyro)

3. With sliced meats, like salami

4. With chips

5. With fruit

Remember, it's part of the fun to experiment and learn a new way or a way you like to make this wonderful sauce!

Enjoy!



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7538344

Greek Yogurt - Learn the Simple Steps You Need to Become Healthy With Greek Yogurt Brands!

Greek Yogurt is popular beverage in America and is highly bought due to its healthiness. The reason why the said yogurt is being loved by Americans, it's because it can fight some of the disease such as diabetes and some allergies that can occur in your body. Diabetic people are highly advised to take the said yogurt.

Taking yogurt in the morning after your breakfast is highly recommended this is because metabolism works faster in the morning than in the evening. From my own experience, it's better to have the said yogurt thrice per day, this is because you will be increasing your energy level to an optimum level.

Before you decide to buy Greek yogurt, there some factors that you should at and these consideration are the ones that will help you decide whether to buy it or not.

Below are some of the reasons that you should consider:

1. Benefits of the said yogurt

2. Which brand to buy

3. Calories that are found within it

4. The sugar level of the yogurt

The above are some tips that you should highly consider when buying your yogurt or any other brand. If you don't enough money buy the said beverage you can make it at home. In fact making homemade Greek yogurt is a perfect way to go this is because you will be preparing a non-free sugar beverage that is healthy to your family and yourself. In order to make a homemade yogurt, you need the following tools:

a. Greek Yogurt recipes

b. Yogurt Make Machine

c. Salad Dressing

d. Electricity

The above are just some important tools or materials that you should have when making a yogurt. Below are some of the best yogurt brands that you should buy:

1. Oikos Yogurt

2. Brown Cow Yogurt

3. Fage Yogurt

The above are some of the best brands that you should check when shopping around the beverages.

Let's look some of the health benefits of the Greek Yogurt:

a. You will have a positive health

b. You will lose weight if you take it on a constant basis

c. It will fight off diseases within your body

d. It helps you in keeping your body fit

As you can see, the yogurt can really have a major positive income towards your body. There are a lot of things you can do with the said Yogurt and one of the things is that you can use to cook with it. If you want to have a healthy body and enjoyable life, I would encourage that you buy Greek yogurt.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6531418