Grape Yogurt

Why don't yogurt manufacturers make grape flavored yogurt?  I have seen almost all other fruit flavored yogurts.  There is lemon and orange and raspberry and blueberry and banana and mango and passion fruit.  There is key lime and apple pie.  There are also quite a few other exotic flavors and combinations like chocolate and red velvet cake and honey.  Why not grape?  I think the Welch's company is missing a marketing opportunity. 

Today, I mixed a heaving tablespoon  of Welch's grape jam into a cup of fat free plain Greek yogurt.  OH MY!  It was luscious.  I remember having grape ice cream and grape pudding at the Welch's Grape Festival years ago.  It's time for GRAPE YOGURT!

(By the way, I haven't seen grapefruit flavored yogurt either.  I haven't tried it yet.  Although, I love grapefruit, I think it might curdle the yogurt.  Or is yogurt already curdled??  I guess I have to try it.)

REALLY FAST PASTA SALAD!

I love a good pasta salad.  I love when the pasta salad is a meal in itself.  Here is one that I love to make all the time and it is so easy and healthy too.

Ingredients:

1 pound whole grain macaroni or rotelli pasta, cooked to al dente and tossed in 3 tablespoons of olive oil.

Mix with the following:

1/2 cup each chopped celery, red and green sweet peppers.
1 jalapeno diced
1 pint cherry/grape tomatoes sliced in half
1 red onion, diced
1 cup corn kernels, fresh from the cob or canned is fine
1 13 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed so the black doesn't discolor the salad
1 1/2  cups frozen small peas
2 cups plain yogurt
1 tablespoon sugar or splenda
1/2 cup white wine vinegar

Persian Food?? What's next for me??

This is on my to try list. I love lamb, and I absolutely love cinnamon in savory dishes. It imparts a warm and comforting feeling on the tongue. And the fragrance when cooking is heavenly.

Adas Polow (Persian ground lamb, lentils and rice)


•1 cup small black lentils, green lentils, or
brown lentils -- I used black
•1 cup basmati rice
•1 lb ground lamb
•butter
•olive oil
•1 onion, chopped into small pieces or thin strips
•zest of 1 lemon
•1 cup dried fruit -- I am going to use dried apricots, they recommend raisins or dates
•cinnamon
•turmeric
•cardamom (ground)
•cumin (ground)
•saffron: 3/4 t dissolved in 1 cup hot water, plus 1 pinch dry
•water
•salt
•pepper
•yogurt (optional)
•flat-leaf parsley (optional)


Serves 4.


1. Soak rice and lentils separately in advance of cooking, preferably overnight. (I NEVER soak rice or lentils)


2. Cook lentils and rice separately until just barely done, about 15-20 minutes. Do not overcook. (I am cooking them together in my rice cooker.)


3. In a heavy-bottomed pot, preferably one that doesn’t stick terribly much, heat butter or oil. Add onion, lemon zest and a pinch of saffron. Cook until onion is clear and a little browned, adding some salt as you stir.


4. Add lamb, salt and pepper, and stir to break up chunks and mix the lamb with the onions well. Add some of the cumin, cardamom, cinnamon and turmeric. Let lamb brown, and then add a cup of water. Let the lamb and water cook together until the water has nearly evaporated. Remove lamb mixture and set aside.


5. Mix about half a cup of the cooked rice with a tablespoon of the saffron water, a tablespoon of olive oil, and 3 tablespoons of yogurt. Spread this mixture on the bottom of the heavy bottomed pot. Add the other ingredients in layers: a layer of lentils, then of dried fruit, then of lamb, and so forth. While adding lentil- and lamb-layers, sprinkle in more salt, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon and cardamom. Your top layer should be rice. When you have reached this layer, pour the remainder of the saffron water over the rice.


6. Cook the contents of this pot together for about 15 minutes. You can avoid stirring and intentionally get a browned layer on the bottom, and try to leave the dish in layers, or you can do what I did: let it cook in layers for a few minutes and then stir it all together. If you stir it together, add in more salt or spices if needed. I also stirred in a few tablespoons of butter and a few spoonfuls of yogurt.


Serve with yogurt and chopped parsley.

***

DIANE’S FILLERUP’S CRANBERRY SALAD

DIANE’S FILLERUP’S CRANBERRY SALAD

1 can of jellied cranberry sauce (I used homemade with Splenda instead of the sugary stuff in the can.)
1 cup yogurt cheese
5 - 6 bananas slices
1 sleeve salted soda crackers, crushed

Arrange above ingredients in layers. This is good!

New Uses for Yogurt - Garlic or Lasun Raita-India

I am always looking for new uses for yogurt. It is so good for you and it is so low in calories and fat compared to many of the things that it replaces.

I tried this today as my "mayo" for tuna fish salad. It was great!

Garlic or Lasun Raita-India

2 cups plain yogurt
5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 to 2 green chillies minced
bunch of cilantro leaves minced
salt to taste
1/2 tsp. mint

Mix all ingredients and transfer to a in a serving bowl.

Yogurt

I have always loved yogurt. Even the plain variety. I started to make my own yogurt about 2 years ago. It is so healthy and you can do so many things with it. I make smoothies for breakfast and use homemade yogurt cheese in place of sour cream and cream cheese. This is my latest experiment. It was very good. I used it as a dip with celery sticks for lunch.

If you are interested in more ideas and recipes for yogurt and yogurt cheese join my Yogurt YAHOO! group.

SPINACH DIP
From NOT JUST CHEESECAKE



1 1/2 cups nonfat yogurt cheese
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 teaspoon seasoned salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed

Drain spinach, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Chop finely. Combine with remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover and chill.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

1/4 cup: Calories 35, Protein 4 gm, Carbohydrates 5 grams, Fat less than 1 gram, Cholesterol 0, Calcium 138 mg, Sodium 51 mg