Yogurt 101: A Comprehensive Guide to Yogurt (+ recipes!)

Being a first generation American, I grew up in the South, but my Middle Eastern roots have been a strong influence in my life – from my style to food choices. Yogurt is a huge staple in Middle Eastern cuisine, and thus, in my diet. Labneh, a strained yogurt spread, is normally eaten daily in many parts of the Middle East (grab the simple recipe here).

Greek yogurt wasn’t really a thing when I was growing up in South Carolina – yeesh that makes me feel old – and only within the last few years have I been learning about all of the other varieties of strained yogurts, including the Greek and Icelandic versions (skyr). Believe it or not, I mainly ate yogurt in a savory context growing up, so flavored yogurt has never really been my preference. However, as the years have gone on, I’ve grown to love yogurt in both sweet and savory contexts. My favorite type of yogurt is strained, whole or 2%, and plain so I can customize it how I like.

From L to R: Skyr, Plain, Greek, and Labneh

Needless to say, I was thrilled when I was invited to an event with siggi’s in Boston, where we cooked and feasted on dishes featuring their Icelandic strained yogurt. I learned so many ways to use yogurt – as a topping on salmon, in place of cream cheese and sour cream, and on root veggies – and met some fellow local foodies as a result, including Dana from Eats 2 Know. Dana is a nutritionist and spin instructor in the Central Massachusetts/Greater Boston area. I love yogurt and public health/nutrition stuff, so I asked Dana to share a little more on yogurt’s nutritional benefits and her favorite type of yogurt and finally we’ll share a couple ways we enjoy eating yogurt and a recipe we both loved from the siggi’s event.

Keep scrolling down for ideas on how to use yogurt (other than just for breakfast!) and the best salmon recipe featuring a yogurt sauce from siggi’s. 

Dana

Nutritional benefits: I love incorporating yogurt into various dishes because it can be a nutrition powerhouse. Not only is yogurt a great source of probiotics, or microorganisms (live and active cultures) that help keep a healthy gut, but it also packs a calcium, vitamin D, and protein punch! There are also different fat contents on yogurt, ranging from fat free to full fat options. Higher to full-fat yogurt is not only creamier than non-fat versions, but may improve satiety, or feeling full. Choosing a Greek or Icelandic yogurt will have more protein and a better protein to carbohydrate ratio compared to conventional yogurt, due to the straining process. The result is a yogurt with a higher protein concentration.

The drawback with some yogurts is their added sugar content (not to be confused with lactose, a naturally occurring sugar found in yogurt), with some having up to 5 teaspoons of added sugar per serving! For this reason, a healthier option is to choose plain yogurt and add sugar in the form of fruit toppings or even honey, as you can control how much added sugar is on your yogurt. If choosing a flavored yogurt, aiming for one with minimal added sugar that lacks preservatives, colors, etc. For flavored yogurts, I’m a big fan of siggi’s yogurts, because of their lower sugar content in addition its other nutritional benefits. Plus, they’ve got some great flavors! siggi’s also brought Christine and I together, so there’s that too!

Favorite Type: My favorite type of yogurt is a plain thicker yogurt, such as Greek or Icelandic. Not only do these yogurts tend to pack more protein, which increases satiety, but they also serve as a blank canvas that can be flavored to my liking; whether it be with other spices, blended into a smoothie, or topped with the goods–picture a yogurt bowl filled with fruit or sweet potato, granola, maybe some nut butter!

How I like to eat it: This yogurt post had me analyzing how much yogurt is present in my diet, which I found to be daily. My top three ways to eat yogurt are 1) in a smoothie; 2) inside a loaded sweet potato; 3) on top of toast (highly recommend if you haven’t tried this, it’s a game changer); and 4) in a dip (ex: sweet with nut butter and cinnamon; savory with cucumber, dill, garlic, and lemon juice).

5.0 from 1 reviews

Pan-Seared Salmon with Lemon and Chive Infused Yogurt & Fresh Berries

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

This salmon recipe was one of our favorites from the Siggi's event!

Author: siggi's

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Lemon and Chive Yogurt Sauce
• ½ cup siggi's 4% whole milk plain yogurt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• zest of half a lemon
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup chopped chives
• salt and pepper, to taste
• Fresh Berries
• 1 cup fresh berries (raspberries, blueberries, and/or blackberries)
• 1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar
• 2 tablespoons avocado or rapeseed oil
• 4 teaspoons grainy mustard
• Salmon
• 1½ pounds salmon filet, cut into 4-6 ounce portions
• 1 tablespoon avocado, canola, or sunflower oil
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients for the yogurt sauce and set aside until ready to serve.
2. For the berries, mix the vinegar, oil, and mustard in a small bowl and toss with berries right before serving.
3. Dry the fish fillets with paper towels until all moisture is absorbed. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the bone side of the fish.
4. Heat a medium/large pan over medium-high heat for about 3-5 minutes.
5. Place the dried side of the fish in the pan and add all the fillets. Put some pressure on each to ensure the fish is lying flat and cook for 2-3 minutes without moving. Flip each fillet over and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or more for a heartier fish. (The fish is done when a skewer or toothpick is inserted into the thickest part and comes out easily)
6. Put a dollop of the yogurt sauce and berries on each piece of salmon upon serving.

3.5.3208

Spinach Strawberry Salad with Sweet and Tangy Yogurt Dressing | The DiehaRD Foodie

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4-ingredient Creamy Lemon Popsicles | Sally’s Baking Addiction

Spinach and Caramelized Onion Dip | The Almond Eater

Lentils Folded into Yogurt, Spinach, and Basil | 101 Cookbooks

Healthier Blueberry Muffins | Gimme Some Oven

Yogurt Marinated Grilled Chicken Skewers | What’s Gaby Cooking

And finally, a couple ways Dana and I love eating yogurt:

What’s your favorite way to eat yogurt?