What’s So Great About This Greek Yogurt Anyway?
My first exposure to eating Greek yogurt for breakfast came from my friend and coworker who swears by the stuff. As a person with a laundry list of gastrointestinal issues I’m no stranger to yogurt due to the probiotic content. I’ve used plain fat-free yogurt in sauces for some time, but I’ve never really learned to love the taste of yogurt. Yogurt became just one of those healthy foods that I knew I had to eat from time to time like celery or seitan. I mean, it’s ok, but I wasn’t going to my list of favorite foods or anyting. So finally, I started poking around and asked, “So what’s so great about this Greek yogurt anyway”? Is it made from goats? Does it taste different? What’s going on here? Rebecca answered that it was higher in protein. Now my interest was really piqued and I began to do a little online research. She was absolutely right, it is higher in protein. According to Healthy Cooking, Greek yogurt is made by straining out the whey (liquid) which makes a thicker, creamier yogurt. Even more fantastic is that unlike regular yogurt, you can actually cook with it and it won’t curdle or separate. This means that you can make healthier, lower-fat versions of some of your favorite creamy dishes!
“Plain yogurt can also easily be substituted for buttermilk or cream when stirring the wet-dry ingredients together, giving the recipe the needed tartness that buttermilk brings and richness that whole cream brings.Plain yogurt can also easily be substituted for buttermilk or cream when stirring the wet-dry ingredients together, giving the recipe the needed tartness that buttermilk brings and richness that whole cream brings.” Read more at Suite101: The Differences Between Regular and Greek Yogurt: How to Best Use Both in Recipes and as Ingredient Substitutions http://healthycooking.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_differences_between_regular_and_greek_yogurt#ixzz0lepaIBMn
I decided to pick some up on a recent trip to Safeway and I purchased the fat-free, peach flavored version made by Chobani. Where has this yogurt been all of my life? This yogurt was so creamy and sweet and wonderful that it tasted like dessert, yet it had no fat and few calories (140), but lots of protein (14 grams). This is an excellent distribution of protein to carbs 41% to 59%; Amazing! All of that protein means that you feel full longer and it is an excellent recovery breakfast on strength training days. So, Thanks Rebecca! As for the rest of you, check it out. It tastes good and it’s good for you, and that really is a rare treat.
Fish Tacos: Made with Love
Ah summer, it’s grillin’ time! One of my very favorite summer dishes (and a hit among friends and family as well) are grilled fish tacos. They are super easy and inexpensive to make; one of the best week night dishes you can whip up in a pinch. Jamie and I used to go to the World of Drum and Bass at the Winter Music Conference in beautiful South Beach Miami, FL every March. After a big night of dancing into the wee hours to the world’s best dj’s we’d sleep it off and then park ourselves on the beach. The first thing that we would look for was a little cart parked in the sand that read “Fish Tacos” and “Made with Love!”. The lady served up the fresh catch of the day grilled and placed on a soft taco shell with a delicious sauce and you truly could taste the love in every bite. While we don’t migrate south every March now we do still crave the flavor and I’ll share with you my adaptation of this tasty recipe. I know that you West Coasters prefer yours fried and believe me I’ve tried nearly every fish taco joint on the Pacific Coast Highway, but I still prefer them grilled, just like the lady made them in South Beach.
*Note: this recipe is open to many interpretations and subsitutions, go with what you’ve got fresh and tasty. I always include shrimp, salmon, and a white fish, but mix it up with whatever looks good to you.
Elizabeth’s Fish Tacos
1 lb. uncooked shrimp
1 salmon fillet
1 white fish fillet (tilapia, catfish nuggets, grouper cheecks, whatever)
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1/4 Cup olive oil
1 clove of garlic
3 Tbsp lime juice (lemon or orange work well too, but lime is the best)
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 shot of tequila or pinch of kosher salt
1 package of soft taco shells
Elizabeth’s Secret Fish Taco Sauce Recipe
1 cup of fat free sour cream
2 Tbsp mayo
1 tsp lime juice
a dash of cayenne, ancho, and chipotle chili pepper powders (add a little at a time to taste)
Cook and Assemble:
Peel the shrimp and place in a large bowl with the fish fillets. Don’t worry about cutting up the fillets or removing the skin if you have some on your fillet, the fish will flake into smaller pieces and the skin will peel off and you can remove it when you are done. Next, chop or mash a few handfuls of cilantro to release the oils and add to a small bowl. Next, press one clove of garlic into the mixture and add the pepper, salt (or tequila), and lime juice. Mix and pour over the fish and toss. Allow the mixture to marinate for about 30 minutes (but no longer than an hour because the citrus juice breaks down the fish, and mushy fish isn’t tasty). Make the sauce by combining all ingredients well and toss the fish into a grill basket and onto the fire. Stir often to ensure that it all gets cooked through evenly. The mixture will be done when the fish is flaky and the shrimp are pink. Brush the taco shells with a little olive oil and toast on the grill until they brown lightly and begin to puff up. Toss the fish on a taco, drizzle with sauce and pretend you are on South Beach and enjoy!
