It’s all Greek to me!

Two people who I sympathize with dearly are my best friend and sister. One is allergic to nuts and the other is lactose-intolerant. Where food is concerned, those are both nightmare situations for me. More than being deprived of peanut butter, I can’t imagine not snacking on ~~chocolate~~ bars which contain nuts or sprinkling a handful over my breakfast.

Dairy, again, is another staple in my diet. I drink soy milk so that’s covered but a life without cheese, chocolate, ice cream and most importantly YOGURT 😯 ? Gahhh food would become so boring!

Fortunately neither is an issue for me so I can continue munching on almonds and eating yogurt…and its European counterpart Greek Yogurt! Greek yogurt, my friends, is the jam. Obviously it varies with brand but generally, here are some great stats about Greek yogurt:

Incredibly rich & creamy texture (including the 0% fat varieties)
Contains about twice the protein of regular yogurt and fewer carbs
More suitable for those lactose intolerant because it is stripped of whey, which contains lactose
Rich in probiotics
Naturally gluten-free (i.e. contains no wheat,rye,barlet, or other gluten-containing thickeners, gelatin, gum blends or stabilisers)
Rich in calcium, potassium & phosphorus

Greek yogurt is not available in Mumbai which kinda sucks. Fortunately, it’s easy to make at home if you have plain yogurt on hand . I frequently use Greek yogurt as a sandwich spread or an alternative to sour cream. My current favorite way to enjoy Greek yogurt is as a ‘cheesecake dip’. Despite containing a fraction of the calories of regular cheesecake, it most definitely satisfies the craving. That being said, I’m not so sure whether we can still call it a cheesecake if it contains no cheese ;)??

Cheesecake Dip

Ingredients