Creamsicle Frozen Yogurt

This recipe is the happiest accident to ever grace my kitchen.

We at the Roady household power through containers of Fage brand nonfat plain greek yogurt like oxygen. We each have a cup a day habit of this stuff, and it's NOT cheap. If you've ever purchased Fage, you know it's like $4.50 for 17 oz. However, it is totally worth it. Greek yogurt is one of the best non-fat, non-meat sources of protein around with 18 grams of protein per 6 oz serving. (For context: eggs have 6 g, 1 oz of cheddar has 8 g, 1/2 c. beans has 7-10 g).  Thus, greek yogurt is basically nutritional gold. 1 cup of this stuff is 3 WWP+. That's a bargain.

However, sometimes Trader Joe's is really crowded and you just want to get your stuff and get out of there and you get tunnel vision and you just start grabbing stuff. And you end up with 2%? How did we end up with two 17 oz. containers of 2%? Ok, it's not the end of the world. A little fat won't kill you. But it's a an additional 2 WW P+ that we just aren't willing to budget around here. Yes, trader joe's does have a fabulous return policy for circumstances such as these, but I also have an ice cream maker that's gathering dust.

If you've never tasted 2% yogurt versus 0% yogurt, the richness factor is astonishing. Fage 2% is so incredibly rich, I knew it would make a KILLER fro yo.

And so, I did. And I didn't even need the ice cream maker!

Extra Rich Creamsicle Frozen Yogurt
1/4 c = 2 WWP+

Ingredients

• 2 17.6 oz. containers 2% greek yogurt. I prefer Fage brand. Don't use regular yogurt for this recipe. Just don't.
• 2/3 c super fine sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• juice and zest of one large orange

Instructions

• First we are going to strain the yogurt even more to concentrate the richness
• Line a fine mesh colander or strainer with a paper towel and set in a larger, deeper bowl so yogurt can drip
• Dump yogurt into paper towel lined strainer
• Put plastic wrap over surface of yogurt and refrigerate overnight
• This should yield nearly one cup of liquid
• Discard liquid

•  In a mixing bowl, combine strained yogurt, sugar, vanilla

• Add in orange zest and juice
• Mix well so that all the sugar dissolves
• Transfer to a freezer friendly container and freeze 3+ hours before serving
• No ice cream maker necessary! (It's too thick anyway!)

This recipe freezes very hard, so if you plan on freezing overnight, let it defrost about 15 minutes before scooping to serve. It is a very rich recipe, so plan for small portions!

The next time I make this I will mold the fro yo into popsicle molds. Which means that I need popsicle molds!

Do you realize all the options in the popsicle mold market right now? This is craziness!!

Tovolo : $11.95

Browne & Co : $8.38

Tovolo: $6.64

Orka: $13.91

Sailboats? Stars? Swirls? Shoot. How will I ever pick...

Nacho Usual Nachos

Mark Bittman is a food writer for NY Times Food & Dining section and cookbook author. I'm a fan.

Especially when he makes greek nachos.

Can't go wrong there.

excuse the crappy droid photo

Don't let the crappy photo discourage you.

Maybe look at Not Without Salt's depiction of Bittman's recipe.

Muccchhhh better.

Here's my lightened up version of Bittman's recipe. He used lamb, full fat yogurt and cheese, and EVOO to thin out the yogurt sauce. I used lean meat, nonfat cheese, and water in the place of oil. All the flavor, none of the fat!

Greek Nachos


Ingredients

• 6 large whole wheat pitas, cut into 1/8's
• Yogurt Sauce
• 1 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt
• 1/2 c. fat free feta crumbles
• 1 tbsp fresh chopped mint
• 1 small cucumber, diced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp really fruity EVOO
• 1/4 c. water
• pinch of sea salt
• Beef
• 1 lb extra lean ground beef
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• Toppings
• 2 roma tomatos, diced
• 1 medium cucumber, diced
• 1/4 c. fresh mint, chopped
• 1/4 c. greek olives, drained, chopped

Instructions

• Arrange pita pieces on a baking sheet
• Place in a 375F oven for 20 minutes, flip pieces, then bake for another 20 minutes or until chip-y
• In a frying pan, brown beef with red onion and seasonings
• In a bowl, combine all yogurt sauce ingredients
• Think of this as your nacho cheese sauce... Aim for that consistency
• You could puree the feta and yogurt first if you want a smooth cheesey sauce, but I like this like tzatziki, so I preferred the chunks
• Don't skip the mint. It MAKES the recipe.
• On a platter or individual plate, arrange pita chips
• Sprinkle over meat
• Drizzle with yogurt sauce
• Top with toppings of your choice
• Never eat nasty yellow cheese nachos again!

Can't wait to have these again! They are also super super lean, so a nearly guilt free meal. 

Not a Burger

This christmas I got a spiral slicer, which I never knew I needed until I made oven fries with it. With the help of my sous chef (mom), we spiraled sliced a ton of regular and sweet potatoes. I like the sweet, she likes the normal boring potato.  Russet potatoes have a higher water content than sweet potatoes, so they spiraled better, but the sweet potatoes still tasted great.

Just spiral em up, toss with EVOO and sea salt, and baked at 400F for as long as it takes to make the potatoes crispy and yummy... like an hour or so.

The best part of the spiral slicer is that you end up with this mushroom looking piece in the end that's like the bonus oven fry.

I have big plans for that spiral slicer on this week's menu.

To go with these oven fries/chips?

Black Bean and Brown Rice Burgers

Makes 12 Patties

2 WW P+ each!!! <----- that's a crazy good deal

Ingredients

• 2 cans black beans, drained
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 tsp each
• cumin
• seasoning mix (I used TJ 21 Seasoning Salute)
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 eggs
• cooking spray

Instructions

• Mash black beans with a potato masher until you have a 50/50 ratio of beans to mush

• Add rice and seasonings and mix well
• This is where you should taste for Salt and Pepper needs
• Add 2 eggs, mix well
• Heat a frying pan over medium high heat
• Use a 1/4 c. scoop to make patties - any bigger and they may break when you flip

•  Cook 2-3 minutes on each side, then flip

•  Have a cocktail for all your hard work

I served my burgers with shredded 75% reduced fat sharp cheddar, avocado and roma tomato.

 Also, I whipped up a light "Secret Sauce". Here's the secret:

• 1/4 c. greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp dill relish
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard
• S & P to taste

Secret's out.

I plated these with bread, but promptly ditched the bread after one bite. These were better eaten open faced with a fork! Why add extra carbs to this carbolicious meal...

Regardless of the carbo-thon, this meal was vegetarian, a great source of fiber, whole grain, and protein from the black beans and cheese! Also, if you opt for sweet potatoes, there is beta-carotene, vitamin c, and all the other goodness that comes from sweet potatoes.

Can we talk about how well cumin compliments sweet potatoes? The cumin in the burgers + the sweet potatoes on the side = so good!  

Also, you could bake these burgers in the oven. Just form patties with the 1/4 c. scoop and bake at 375 for 15 minutes or so. 

Happy Sunday!

PS Thanks for the spiral slicer, Swedes!