Yogurt is a unique food that can be eaten in a number of ways either as a dessert or as an ingredient in many different types recipes. You can find it in most markets, health food and neighborhood grocery stores. Greek Yogurt is an unique variety of yogurt that has it much different texture and taste than traditional yogurt.
Greek Yogurt is sold in a variety flavors including plain and a variety of fruit flavors. The plain flavor is often used in recipes much like sour cream and even mayonnaise. Most often the fruit flavored varieties are served as desserts similar to regular yogurt.
A Little Background Information about Greek Yogurt
Yogurt is made by the fermenting of the lactose (sugar) in milk. The bacteria (a.k.a. Yogurt culture) breaks down sugars in the milk and produces lactic acid which in turn acts on the milk proteins and the resulting substance is what is called yogurt. Depending on the part of the world you are located will more than likely dictate which type of milk that the yogurt is made from; cows, goats, water buffaloes, yaks and ewes.
Greek Yogurt is a variety of yogurt that actually involves putting the yogurt through an additional process of straining it. The straining helps to remove the whey from the yogurt, this will actually completely the change the texture and flavor of the yogurt.
Greek Yogurt Recipes
Yogurt, as well as Greek Yogurt are mostly regarded as snack or dessert type foods. They are usually served in bowls with or without fruit and they come in plain or a variety of flavors. However, more and more people are discovering that plain Greek Yogurt can be used as an ingredient much like sour cream or mayonnaise. The unique texture and slightly tangy taste of plain Greek Yogurt will go with a wide range of foods. I have found a number of different recipes and I decided to include a simple dip recipe in this article.
Caramelized Onion Dip
Necessary Ingredients
- 3 Large, peeled and diced onions
- 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 16 ounce package of silken tofu, drained
- 1 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ½ Cup of Nonfat plain Greek Yogurt
- 1 tbsp onion granules
- 4 tsp soy sauce
- 1 ½ tsp hot sauce
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh chives
Preparation Instructions
Caramelize the onions by first heating up the oil in a saute pan over a medium heat. Stir in the diced onions and cook until they are completely softened. Cover pan, lower the heat and let cook until they turn a deep brown color, usually about 20 to 25 minutes.
After the onions have completely caramelized, add the minced garlic cloves and let cook for another couple of minutes.
Take out your food processor and combine the tofu, yogurt, onion granules, soy sauce, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Use the pulse setting and combine all of the ingredients until smooth. Then add the all of the caramelized onions to the mixture and pulse until it is a fairly smooth consistency. Place mixture into a serving bowl and stir in fresh, chopped chives. Place in the refrigerator for at 30 minutes before serving.
The dip will go perfect with raw vegetables as well as chips.
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