Ever feel like your favorite meal is losing its appeal? Maybe some of your best recipes are tasty but seriously lacking nutritional value. Whatever the case may be, there are ways to elevate your top dishes while also making them healthier, like incorporating some never before thought of ingredients, like yogurt. That’s right: A recipe with yogurt can pack both a flavorful and nourishing punch.
In addition to being pretty tasty, yogurt is loaded with nutritional benefits. From promoting heart health to encouraging weight management, this creamy treat is said to contain a little of every nutrient your body needs, including calcium, zinc, phosphorus, vitamins A and B5, potassium, and magnesium. High in protein, too, yogurt benefits both your digestive tract and immune system. With so many pros, it’s certainly hard to find any cons when incorporating this ingredient into your daily meal prep.
Table of Contents
Summer Splash Chicken Salad
If you are finding yourself constantly busy, this recipe is surely for you. Easily prepared, this light and healthy fare is ideal when the weather is scorching hot outside. Multi purposeful as well, this can be eaten as lunch, dinner, or even a snack.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 C Plain yogurt
- 4-1/2 Tsp. Brown sugar
- 1 TBSP. Lime juice
- 1/2 Tsp. Lime zest
- 1/4 Tsp. Salt
- 2 C Cubed, Cooked chicken breast (Rotisserie chicken is great for this)!
- 1 C Chopped, peeled mango
- 1 C green grapes, halved
- 1 C Seedless watermelon, chopped
- 4 C Boston or Bibb lettuce, torn
- 1/4 C Chopped pistachios, toasted
Begin by combining the first five ingredients. Next, add the fruit and chicken until everything is well blended. Complete by topping a bed of lettuce with the mixture and sprinkling the toasted pistachios on top. See the completed masterpiece here.
Mac and Cheese
There is no doubt that most people have a favorite macaroni and cheese recipe. If so, simply add 3/4 of a cup of plain yogurt to your classic recipe for a creamy spin. If you are looking to try something new entirely, this dish by Tori Avey is guaranteed to please.
Lemon Pound Cake
Steering clear of that rich chocolate cake–though difficult– is normally made easier when you can substitute it with something just as tasty, like a lemon pound cake. While savory recipes are improved with yogurt, baked goods tend to benefit the most from the addition.
Aside from making a cake moister, the acidity of yogurt helps activate baking soda, which makes the dessert fluffier and lighter. Additionally, its zestfulness gives desserts an old-fashioned, crave-worthy flavor. Is your mouth watering yet? If so, get baking with this excellent recipe for this tangy lemon pound cake.
Conclusively, yogurt is a superfood that has proven time and again that it is not just a breakfast staple. If you’re feeling like it’s time to ditch your standard parfait and start whipping up something different, you’re ready to reap the tasty benefits of cooking with yogurt.
