Food

Culture Club

Yogurt breaks out of the carton for good! An incredibly versatile and downright delicious substance, yogurt also proves itself a worthy and surprising ingredient in the main course.
62_70 Feature Yogurt SHIP.indd

PROTEIN-RICH AND PACKED with probiotics, yogurt should have a recurring role in your weekly grocery list. It’s also a good source of potassium, calcium, and vitamin D. And it’s great by itself or as a base for healthful add-ins like granola, peanut butter, and fruit. No wonder it continues to grow in popularity. Today’s dairy-aisle shelves are bursting with yogurt options that include Greek to Skyr, whole milk to zero fat. “Eating yogurt is healthy,” says Dr. Tanya Altmann, a pediatrician and best-selling author based in Southern California, noting that the multiple choices are a boon to shoppers. “It comes down to a personal preference,” she says. “I tell my patients to just eat yogurt every day, whatever kind they prefer is fine.”

Just be discerning. A lot of yogurts can have added sugar and calories that derail nutrition goals. “You have to be a label detective these days because labels are so confusing,” says Altmann, an expert on child nutrition and a pediatric adviser for Stonyfield Organic, a yogurt company based in New Hampshire. “Compare a plain version of yogurt to a flavored version to find out how much added sugar there is. If there’s too much added sugar, well, that’s a dessert—not a nutritious meal or snack.”

But keep in mind that many dairy products naturally contain sugar. “Naturally occurring sugar is fine if it’s in yogurt, milk, or fruit,” she says. And for those who’ve shied away from yogurt because of lactose, Altmann says to spoon up: Yogurt with live active cultures or probiotics make it easier to digest because the bacteria feed on the sugars and lactose. For the record, Greek yogurt has less lactose than regular. In these rich recipes, Naturally’s own Olivia Roszkowski expands your horizons by incorporating yogurt in surprising ways, one dollop at a time.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza with Carrot-Top Pesto and Rainbow Carrots

YIELD: 1 MEDIUM PIZZA

For Honey Fennel Roasted Carrots

  • 1 bunch rainbow carrots
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1 tablespoon raw honey
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • Preheat oven to 400° F.
  • Cut carrots in half lengthwise, reserving greens for pesto.
  • Slightly chop fennel seeds.
  • Toss carrots with fennel, honey, oil, and salt and spread onto baking tray.
  • Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or until carrots are golden and softened.

For Carrot-Top Pesto

  • Reserved carrot greens (see recipe above)
  • 1 cup plain Stonyfield Organic Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons miso
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Bring a small pot of water to a boil.
  • Rinse and destem carrot greens and add to boiling water for 10 seconds or until wilted.
  • Drain and cool under cold running water. Squeeze out liquid well and finely chop (yields approximately 1 cup).
  • Add greens, yogurt, miso, garlic, and salt to blender and puree until smooth. Transfer to bowl and stir in olive oil

For Cauliflower Pizza Crust

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, more to grease baking sheet
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 head cauliflower (or 4 cups fresh or frozen cauliflower ‘rice’)
  • 2 fresh oregano sprigs
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
  • 1 organic egg
  • Preheat oven to 400° F.
  • Warm olive oil in a large pan. Dice onion and add to pan along with salt. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until softened.
  • Add cauliflower and cook for 10 minutes or until moisture evaporates, stirring frequently. Destem and chop oregano (2 teaspoons).
  • Add into cauliflower mixture along with chili flakes. Transfer mixture into shallow pan and cool for 15 minutes.
  • Beat egg and fold into cauliflower mixture to form dough (about 2 ½ cups).
  • Line a baking tray with parchment paper and grease with olive oil.
  • Spread dough into a thin 12-inch circle.
  • Bake crust for 30 to 40 minutes until firm and golden. (Note: if crust is not firm enough to handle, reduce heat to 275° F. and bake for another 15 minutes.)
  • Top cauliflower crust with pesto and honey fennel roasted carrots, cut into slices and serve warm.

GOOD TO KNOW:

To prevent a soggy crust, make sure cauliflower mixture is on the drier side.


Cauliflower Yogurt Grits with Balsamic Glazed Root Vegetables

YIELD: SERVES 2 TO 4 (5 CUPS GRITS TOTAL, 2 CUPS ROASTED VEGETABLES)

For Balsamic Glazed Root Vegetables

  • 1 bunch baby turnips
  • 1 bunch carrots
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • Preheat oven to 400° F.
  • Peel and quarter the turnips and carrots lengthwise, reserving one inch of the green tops. Toss with olive oil and salt.
  • Spread on a parchment-lined baking tray and roast vegetables for 20 minutes.
  • Toss vegetables with balsamic vinegar and cook for additional 5 minutes. Destem thyme and use to garnish.

For Cauliflower Yogurt Grits

  • 1 small head cauliflower
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 1 ½ cups plain organic Greek yogurt
  • Trim caulifl ower fl orets off stalk and pulse in a food processor until rice consistency is formed (approximately 3 cups).
  • Peel and chop the onion into a rough small dice (approximately 1 ½ cups).
  • Preheat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat and add chopped onion and salt. Cook onion for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add cauliflower and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Stir in nutritional yeast and can of coconut milk (approximately 2 cups) and bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes or until tender and creamy, stirring every few minutes to prevent mixture from scorching the bottom of the pot. Transfer 2 cups of the caulifl ower mixture into a blender along with yogurt and blend until smooth. Return to pot and rewarm, taking care not to boil. Serve garnished with balsamic glazed root vegetables and thyme.

GOOD TO KNOW:

Instead of carrots and turnips, use whichever seasonal root vegetables you prefer


Quick Charcoal Yogurt Pasta Dough with Herb Pesto

YIELD: SERVES 4 (120 ORECCHIETTE TOTAL, 1 ½ CUPS PESTO)

For Charcoal Pasta Dough

  • 2 cups sprouted wheat flour, more to dust surface
  • 3 tablespoons activated charcoal
  • 1 ¼ cup plain Stonyfi eld Organic Greek yogurt
  • 3 tablespoons sea salt (for cooking water)
  • Place flour and activated charcoal in a food processor and pulse to distribute the charcoal.
  • While the processor is running, add the yogurt by the tablespoon until a dough ball forms.
  • Dust dough with flour, cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 20 minutes.
  • Cut dough into eight sections and dust with flour. Roll each section into a 1-inch wide log. Using a knife, cut into ½-inch pieces. Use your thumb to press an indent into each pasta piece to form orecchiette.
  • Bring a large pot filled halfway with water to a boil. Add the sea salt and pasta and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until slightly aldente and the orecchiette floats to the top. Save pasta water to cook broccoli and herbs for pesto.

For Herb Pesto

  • 1 head broccoli
  • 1 bunch chives, or leftover herbs (approximately 1 cup)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ½ cup grated pecorino, more to garnish
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ⅓ cup olive oil, more for garnish freshly ground pepper, for garnish
  • Cut broccoli into florets. Peel stalk and cut it into rounds.
  • Boil cut broccoli in pasta water for 2 minutes or until vibrant green and tender.
  • Dip chives or any bunch of destemmed leftover herbs into boiling water for 5 seconds. Place under cold running water to cool, squeeze out moisture and chop into small pieces.
  • Add 1 ½ cups of broccoli florets to a food processor along with the chopped blanched herbs, garlic, pecorino, and sea salt. Process until smooth, streaming in the olive oil as the engine is running.
  • Spoon pesto onto each plate and top with broccoli stalks, orecchiette, and broccoli florets. Dollop with additional pesto and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, pecorino, and freshly ground black pepper.

GOOD TO KNOW:

Roll out pasta dough into thin sheets and cut into fettuccine noodles for a different variety.


Pumpkin Rosemary Biscuits

YIELD: 16 BISCUITS

For Biscuits

  • 8 tablespoons salted grass-fed butter
  • 4 sprigs rosemary
  • 2 ½ cups sprouted wheat flour, extra for dusting surface
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ¾ cup pumpkin puree
  • ¾ cup plain organic Greek yogurt
  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Melt butter in a small pan over medium heat and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until brown butter forms.
  • Chill in freezer, reserving 2 tablespoons to brush biscuit tops.
  • Destem rosemary and set aside half for garnish. Mince remaining rosemary (1 tablespoon).
  • In a medium bowl combine minced rosemary, flour, and baking powder.
  • In separate bowl, mix the pumpkin puree and yogurt together.
  • Cut chilled brown butter into flour mixture using a fork until flour is crumbly.
  • Gently fold in the pumpkin yogurt mixture, taking care not to overmix.
  • Dust surface and rolling pin with flour and roll dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Fold dough in half and roll again, repeating process 4 times.
  • Cut biscuits into 3-inch squares. Transfer onto parchment-lined baking tray.
  • Press reserved rosemary onto biscuit tops and brush with reserved butter.
  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and firm to the touch. Serve with rosemary butter.

For Rosemar y Butter

  • 1 stick salted grass-fed butter
  • 2 rosemary sprigs
  • Cut butter into small pieces and place in a small bowl to soften.
  • Destem rosemary sprigs and mince (1 tablespoon). Fold into butter mixture.
  • Place softened rosemary butter mixture onto the center of a sheet of parchment paper and roll to form a log. Chill and cut into rounds.

GOOD TO KNOW:

Use a cookie cutter to create different shapes.


Quinoa Hush Puppies with Smoky Yogurt Aioli

YIELD: 28 2-TABLESPOON PIECES

For Quinoa Hush Puppies

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1 ¾ cup filtered water
  • 1 bunch Swiss chard
  • ⅓ cup capers
  • 1 bunch scallions, extra for garnish
  • 2 organic eggs
  • ⅓ cup sprouted wheat flour
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • Place quinoa in strainer and rinse under cold water.
  • Transfer to medium pot and toast over medium heat for a few minutes.
  • Add water to pot and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat, cover with lid and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, destem chard and chop leaves into bite size pieces (approximately 3 cups).
  • Stir chard leaves into quinoa, cover and cook for additional two to three minutes.
  • In the meantime, lightly chop capers and slice scallions into rounds.
  • Add capers and scallions (approximately 1 cup) into quinoa mixture, reserving a few for garnish, and cool in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
  • Beat eggs and add to cooled quinoa mixture, along with flour.
  • Use tablespoon measures to form 2-tablespoon hush puppies. Roll between hands and flatten into small patties.
  • Preheat oil in a large nonstick pan. Working in batches, pan fry hush puppies for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until golden.
  • Garnish with reserved capers and scallions. Serve warm with smoky yogurt aioli.

For Smoky Yogurt Aioli (1 cup)

  • ⅓ cup cashews
  • ¾ cup plain organic Greek yogurt
  • ⅛ teaspoon liquid smoke
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • Add cashews to medium bowl. Cover with boiling water to submerge the nuts.
  • Allow cashews to soak for 10 minutes to soften. Drain and discard the water.
  • Add soaked cashews, yogurt, liquid smoke, and salt to a blender and process until smooth.
  • Chill in refrigerator to thicken and serve with quinoa hush puppies.

GOOD TO KNOW:

Serve leftovers over a bed of greens and drizzle with yogurt dip for an easy salad.


Green Chickpea Yogurt Hummus

YIELD: 6 SMALL PITAS (1 ½ CUPS HUMMUS)

  • 1 cup cooked green chickpeas
  • 1 cup plain organic whole-milk yogurt
  • ½ cup green Castelvetrano pitted olives (or green olives of choice)
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Add cooked legumes to a blender along with yogurt, green olives, garlic cloves, salt, and olive oil.
  • Process until smooth and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To Serve

  • 6 whole wheat miniature pitas
  • 1 small cucumber
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small bunch watercress
  • 2 teaspoons flaky sea salt
  • Place pitas briefly over an open flame to char lightly.
  • Slice cucumber into thin rounds.
  • Spread a generous layer of green chickpea yogurt onto each pita and top with cucumber slices, olive oil, watercress, and flaky sea salt.

GOOD TO KNOW:

If you aren’t able to find green chickpeas, substitute shelled and cooked edamame or peas.


Savory Yogurt Bowl with Roasted Beets and Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

YIELD: 4 8-OUNCE SERVINGS

For Roasted Beets

  • 3 medium beets
  • 2 cups filtered water
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • Cut beets lengthwise into small wedges and add to a large sauté pan. Reserve smaller beet tops for garnish.
  • Add water, salt, oil and vinegar to the pan and bring to a boil. Cook on high for 10 minutes, or until almost all the liquid has evaporated, skimming off any foam.
  • Turn off flame, cover pan with a lid, and allow beets to steam for 10 minutes.
  • Transfer to a plate and chill in freezer for 5 minutes, or until cold.

For Spiced Maple Pumpkin Seeds

  • 1 cup pumpkin seeds
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper pinch of sea salt
  • Preheat oven to 325°F.
  • Fold together pumpkin seeds, maple syrup, pepper and salt in a small bowl.
  • Line baking tray with parchment paper. Spread seed mixture into a single layer.
  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the moisture of the maple syrup has evaporated, stirring mixture halfway during the cooking process.

For Orange-Scented Yogurt

  • 1 orange
  • 1 quart plain organic whole-milk yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • Zest orange, avoiding the pith (approximately 1 tablespoon), into medium bowl. Juice the same orange (approximately ⅔ cup) into the bowl.
  • Add yogurt, olive oil to orange mixture.
  • Stir to combine, return to container and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • To serve, place yogurt in bowl. Top with beets and spiced maple pumpkin seeds.

GOOD TO KNOW:

Make this dish for a satisfying and not overly sweet breakfast.


Twice Baked Overstuffed Sweet Potato with Jalapeno Yogurt, Avocado, and Cilantro

YIELD: SERVES 4

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

  • 4 medium sweet potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • Preheat oven to 425° F.
  • Tightly wrap each sweet potato in aluminum foil and bake on a baking tray for 45 to 60 minutes, or until tender. Discard foil.
  • Cut each potato in half lengthwise when cool enough to handle.
  • Scoop out majority of flesh into large bowl (approximately 2 cups). Fold in 1 ½ cups of jalapeno yogurt (recipe below), reserving remainder for garnish.
  • Brush sweet potato skins with 1 tablespoon olive oil and return to tray. Overstuff with sweet potato mixture, drizzle with olive oil and bake on top rack for an additional 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden.
  • Make indent in center of each potato, and spoon ¼ cup of relish into each potato. Garnish with a dollop of reserved jalapeno yogurt.

For Jalapeno Yogurt

YIELD: 1 ¾ CUP; 1/4 CUP FOR GARNISH

  • 4 jalapenos
  • 1 ½ cups plain organic Stonyfield Greek yogurt
  • ¾ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Place jalapenos over an open flame and blister for 2 minutes per side.
  • Take off flame and place in a paper bag to steam for 10 minutes.
  • Remove and discard skins and stems (optional: discard seeds for less spice).
  • Cut jalapeno flesh into thin strips and fold into yogurt. Season with salt.
  • Refrigerate until ready to use.

For Avocado Pomegranate Relish

YIELD: 2 CUPS

  • 1 small shallot
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 ripe avocados
  • ½ cup pomegranate seeds
  • 1 small bunch cilantro
  • Peel and chop shallot and place in a medium bowl along with apple cider vinegar and sea salt. Set aside mixture for 10 minutes, to pickle shallots.
  • Dice avocados and fold into shallot mixture along with pomegranate seeds.
  • Destem cilantro and chop leaves (⅓ cup). Fold into avocado pomegranate relish and refrigerate until ready to serve.

GOOD TO KNOW:

Pomegranate seeds make a great addition to relishes because of their color, flavor and crunch.


it’s not allGreek to me

A QUICK PRIMER ON YOGURT TYPES:

ORGANIC

This designation by the USDA requires that the ingredients be 95% or more free of pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), sewage sludge, or irradiation. It also means that animals involved in producing the food were treated according to the organic livestock living condition standards set by the USDA. Cows must also be allowed to graze on pasture at least 120 days a year.

GREEK

The tangy profile of Greek yogurt comes from the straining process, where whey is drained off. This results in a thicker texture, less sugar, lactose, sodium, and carbs— and more protein. This concentrated and tart result also has more probiotics and protein than regular yogurt, too.

GRASS FED

While the USDA dropped this official definition in early 2016, it typically means that milk from grass-fed cows are raised on grass year-round.


Penne with Parsnip Yogurt‘’Alfredo’

YIELD: SERVES 4 (6 CUPS PASTA,24 SQUASH RINGS, 2 CUPS ‘ALFREDO’)

For Acorn Squash Rings

  • 1 acorn squash
  • 1 small bunch sage
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, more for garnish
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper, more for garnish
  • Preheat oven to 400° F.
  • Remove stems and seeds and slice acorn squash into ½-inch slices.
  • Destem sage. Mince sage leaves (approximately 2 tablespoons) and toss with squash rings, salt, and olive oil.
  • Arrange rings in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 15 minutes or until golden and tender.
  • Serve warm with parsnip yogurt ‘Alfredo’ penne.

For Parsnip Yogurt ‘Alfredo’

  • 3 medium parsnips (approximately 1 pound)
  • 1 pound organic penne
  • 1 ½ cup plain Stonyfield Organic whole-milk yogurt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, more for garnish
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 ½ teaspoons sea salt
  • Peel and roughly chop parsnips. Add parsnips to medium pot, fill halfway with water, and bring to a boil. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender.
  • Using a slotted spoon, remove parsnips and place in blender.
  • Use remaining water to cook penne at a rolling boil for 8 to 10 minutes, or as specified on the package, until slightly al dente.
  • Add yogurt, nutmeg, garlic, nutritional yeast, and salt to parsnips in blender. Blend until smooth.
  • Toss hot pasta with ‘Alfredo’ sauce and garnish with acorn squash rings, additional nutmeg, ground pepper, and olive oil.

GOOD TO KNOW:

The addition of nutmeg adds a spicy warmth that brings out the tangy notes of the yogurt.