Disclosure: Thank you to Dannon Oikos for sponsoring this post. We have been compensated for our time. As always, all opinions are our own and reflective of products and brands we trust.
Summer is out and fall is officially IN. As sad as we are to leave summer behind, the arrival of crispness in the air, fun fall activities, and FALL FOOD has us excited for the new season. To get even more in the fall spirit, we’ve taken one of our favorite refrigerator staples, plain Greek yogurt, and given it 4 fall inspired makeovers for your eating pleasure (and ours too 🙂 )
We love plain Greek nonfat yogurt for its flavor, creamy texture, and versatility, as well as its nutrition benefits. You’ll find us using it like sour cream on savory dishes, adding it to smoothies, using it in baking recipes, and grabbing it for snacks.
Aside from being a delicious blank canvas, we tend to gravitate towards plain Greek yogurt because it’s a really easy way to add calcium and protein. This is especially handy for us at breakfast and snack times, when it can be a little tougher to get a protein boost. Including protein in meals and snacks can help your meal feel more filling since protein is one of the most satiating nutrients. Research has indicated that a higher protein breakfast can leave you feeling more satisfied the rest of the day. One cup of plain Greek yogurt contains 22 grams of protein, which gives you a major protein burst right off the bat.
Another benefit of yogurt is that you get live and active cultures. At this point, you’ve probably not only heard of these but also eaten them before… but, just in case, yogurt cultures are friendly bacteria that help contribute to the balance and diversity of bacteria in your gut, which is associated with better health. These “good bacteria” in yogurt actually help digest some of the lactose, which is why some people who can’t tolerate certain types of dairy can often have yogurt.
So back to this blank canvas. Plain Greek yogurt is just waiting for you to add creative flavors to it and Fall inspires a lot of great flavors! We’ve come up with four combos we think you will love as much as we do. They are easy to make but definitely will sufficiently impress guests at an impromptu fall breakfast or brunch.
Here’s a special COUPON CODE (it expires 12/31/17) to pick up your own Oikos yogurt and start getting creative!
Don’t be a stranger! Let us know if you make any of these recipes, or other creations, and tag us on Instagram @CJNutrition and @Oikos with your purdy photos using hashtags #CJNutrition #BeUnstoppablyYou
These all make one breakfast-sized serving, but feel free to double (or triple) the recipes to serve more people or halve them for a snack-sized portion.
- 1 cup Dannon Oikos plain Greek nonfat yogurt
- 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice adjust depending on taste preference
- 2 whole Medjool dates pitted, soaked in water until soft (10-15 minutes), chopped
- 1 tablespoon milk or unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tablespoon Almond butter
- Pinch Ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon Raisins finely chopped
- Add yogurt, drained dates, and pumpkin pie spice to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed, 1-2 minutes depending on your blender.
- Stir together almond butter and ginger until smooth.
- Pour yogurt mixture into a bowl. Drizzle almond butter over the top and sprinkle with raisins.
jared
October 6, 2017 at 1:22 pm (6 years ago)You always have recipes that are so creative. I can’t wait to try them!
C&J Nutrition
October 6, 2017 at 1:35 pm (6 years ago)Thank you! We love starting with a blank slate and getting creative with flavors. Can’t wait to hear what you think!
Dean Jarosh
October 7, 2017 at 9:59 pm (6 years ago)All four of the recipes using plain yogurt look very good, especially the cinnamon roasted banana. I use plain yogurt on baked sweet potatoes in lieu of butter or sour cream.
C&J Nutrition
October 9, 2017 at 1:00 pm (6 years ago)The roasted banana is one of our favorites because it changes the flavor of the banana to a more caramel-like flavor! We love your idea to use plain yogurt on baked sweet potatoes — that sounds delicious!
Sharon M Bookwalter
November 1, 2017 at 4:21 pm (6 years ago)I want to try to make a creme brulee using yogurt. It looks like plain Greek yogurt might be the place to start. There are all yummy looking, especially the recipe with roasted bananas.
C&J Nutrition
November 16, 2017 at 7:49 pm (6 years ago)That sounds like it would be delicious and tangy! Can’t wait to hear how it goes.