I’ve got a sponsor to Britmums! How amazing is that?? And guess who it is? That’s right the incredibly scrummy Total Greek Yoghurt. Have you tried their products? They are (and yes I do admit I could be a bit bias here but I can assure you I’m not!) they are AMAZING! Even my grandma agrees with me about this and she’s a tough cookie to satisfy. Their yoghurt is thick and creamy and just disappears in your mouth. Their gorgeous range is from full fat to low fat to fat free without compromising on the taste which I think is quite difficult these days especially in this field. They also produce for us their split pots which are perfect for breakfast on the run, snacks or just when you want a treat and feeling down. Any how I thought well you know the standard things you can do with Greek yoghurt – chuck some fruits puree on and voila but how about all the other things you can do with this amazing product? Check out my top ten below!
1) Beauty Products – Relax with a split pot in the bath and chuck some on your face and hair as well!
Face mask
Yogurt and Honey Mask
This yogurt and honey mask will leave your skin soft and moisturized.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp honey
1 cup plain yogurt
Directions
Mix honey and yogurt.
Apply mixture to face.
Leave on for 10 minutes.
Rinse and pat dry.
Hair mask
For dry, frizzed out hair, this recipe will bring back the moisture, leaving your hair silky and manageable.
Ingredients:
1 egg white
1/4 cup plain organic yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Directions:
Beat egg white until frothy.
Mix with yogurt and mayonnaise.
Massage into wet hair.
Cover with plastic shower cap or plastic wrap.
Leave in for 30 minutes, then wash out with a mild shampoo.
Rinse with very cold water.
Use monthly to moisturize hair.
2) Cure for Baldness/dandruff – I know right? Well I have been assured both these works! (I’m not going bald yet so haven’t personally tried this!)
15 mins in a thick paste helps kill off the bacteria that can cause baldness. Of course if its genetics I’m not too sure how much help this will be other than leaving you wonderfully moisturised! With dandruff and itchy scalps again leave on for 15mins but also add a bit of lemon juice in and this helps remove the dandruff to. Plus leaving you with amazing shine.
3) Sauces – Of course the post popular is
Cucumber Yogurt Sauce (Tsatziki or Raita)
1 cup of plain, whole milk Yogurt
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded, and thinly sliced.
1 teaspoon of salt
To de-seed the cucumber, cut the peeled cucumber in half, take a spoon and gently scrape the seeds out. After thinly cutting it, put in a sieve over a bowl and sprinkle the salt over it. The salt will pull the water out of the cucumber and you will start to see the water pool in the bowl. Leave for one hour. You can gently squeeze the cucumber slices to release more water as well at the end of the hour.
Mix the cucumbers, garlic, and yogurt in a bowl. Taste and add salt, if needed.
But why not try this as well
Yoghurt and Honey sauce – great with fish!
For sauce
1 cup low-fat Greek yoghurt
2 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsps water
1 tsp finely grated fresh lime zest
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp finely grated fresh orange zest
1 tsp fresh orange juice
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp mild honey (to taste)
Whisk together and serve!
4) Cooking! As you’ve seen from previous recipes you can use greek yoghurt in muffins, cakes, bread well anything really as replacement for milk or cream and it gives baking a like and fluffy (and lower fat!) taste. You can also use it to cool down a hot curry but why try it in this?
Roasted butternut squash soup with Greek yoghurt
Ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash
2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup low-fat Greek yoghurt
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
1/4 tsp of hot chilli powder
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 inch fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 tsp sea salt
A few leaves of fresh herbs, sage or rosemary
A few toasted pumpkin or squash seeds for garnish
2 tsps extra virgin olive oil
Instructions:
For squash
Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Lightly brush with cooking oil and place on a baking sheet with the cut side down. Bake at 190C for 45 minutes or until softened.
For soup
Heat the oil in a medium pan. Sauté the onions for one minute then add the garlic and spices (chili powder, ginger and garlic). Sauté another minute. Blend this onion mixture with two cups of roasted butternut squash, salt and fresh herbs while adding two cups of stock until smooth. Return the mixture back to the pan or pot and bring to a slow boil. Reduce the heat and stir in the yoghurt. Simmer on low heat for two minutes. Serve warm with some toasted pumpkin or squash seeds and some more Greek yoghurt on top.
5) Ages tiles and bricks – This comes from my parents who have told me this since before I can remember( I did google it too and it does look like it works)
How To
Had an extension or tiles fallen off the roof? Apply a thin layer of yoghurt on and it speeds up the “aging” effect and lichen growth that you have on much older tiles.
6) Replacement for mayo - A fat free and I have to say tastier alternative to mayonnaise.
Method
Use in potato salad, tuna mayonnaise sandwich. Anything really for a tastier creamier taste!
7) Fat free ice cream - Lighter than ice cream and if you use Total Greek fat free its fat free to!!
Fruit Frozen Yoghurt
Ingredients
1 ½ cups Total Greek 0% yogurt
2 cups frozen strawberries or 2 cups blueberries or 2 cups fruit, pieces of your choice
½ lemons, juice of
3 tablespoons strawberry jam or 3 tablespoons blueberry jam or 3 tablespoons other complementary jam
1 -4 tablespoon sugar
Directions
Freeze the yogurt, and the fruit, if you are starting with fresh.
It is best to put the yogurt into an ice-cube tray.
Puree the frozen yogurt and fruit in a food processor with the remaining ingredients, except the sugar.
They should be thoroughly blended.
Taste, and process in as much sugar as seems good to you.
Spoon into serving dishes and return to the freezer until dessert time.
If you wish to keep the yogurt in the freezer for up to a week, you may do so, in a covered container.
It will need to sit out at cool room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour before serving, or it will be too hard.
8) Classic Greek breakfast – I couldn’t not include this. It is divine!
Method
Pop fresh and creamy yoghurt drizzled with lashings of golden honey and sprinklings of nuts. Sounds pretty fabulous to me!
9) Deodorant. Presumably this is like the method behind the baldness in that when you sweat it’s the bacteria in your skin which makes you smell. So:
Method
Place a thick amount under arms for 15 mins and wash off.
10) Treat! – I adore peanut butter late at night. It helps you sleep better too apparently so if you’re an insomniac give this a go.
Method
Mix equal parts non-fat Greek yogurt with peanut butter - tastes great with apples and has less fat than just plain peanut butter
Like it? Check out their latest advert to at the bottom of my page or follow them on Facebook or Twitter! They are lovely chatty folk and have even more amazing recipes over on their page.
