Adding Greek yogurt to your diet is a great way to increase your intake of calcium and protein. Greek yogurt is also full of healthy probiotics or "good bacteria" which are integral for your overall health. When you consider that 70% of our immune system is located in our intestines, it makes eating foods with high levels of probiotics like Greek yogurt, an easy and delicious way to keep ourselves healthy.
Greek yogurt can be substituted for many of the foods you already enjoy. Here are a few examples of ways that you can incorporate Greek yogurt into the foods you love:
1. Use Greek yogurt as the base in your favorite creamy salad dressing recipe. This will reduce the fat but bump up the protein quotient. Especially if your salad is meat-free.
2. A healthier chocolate frosting can be made by mixing 1 1/2 cups of room temperature plain Greek yogurt with the same amount of melted semi-sweet chocolate chips.
3. For an easy side dish, Greek yogurt can be added to mashed cauliflower along with whatever seasonings you prefer. The result is a creamy, healthy side dish that will keep you from missing the mashed potatoes.
4. Forget the mayonnaise and add an equal amount of Greek yogurt to your potato salad next time to increase the health factor in an otherwise not so healthy picnic staple.
5. Greek yogurt makes a great marinade for meats.
6. Top your french toast with Greek yogurt instead of butter.
7. Greek yogurt can be substituted for most of the cream in a panna cotta recipe. Replace 2/3 the amount of cream called for in your favorite recipe with Greek yogurt then follow the recipe as usual.
8. Frozen fruit pops can be made easily with Greek yogurt. Just blend some Greek yogurt with your choice of fruit and a little sugar, then pour into molds, add popsicle sticks or toothpicks, and freeze.
9. Make a healthier version of gelato in your ice cream maker by combining Greek yogurt with your favorite mix-ins.
10. Top your baked potato with Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
