Going Greek

Published July 7, 2019

I put off trying Greek yogurt for ages. I imagined it was like cottage cheese, and for me, that’s a big no. There’s been more than one occasion where I’ve bought cottage cheese but couldn’t bring myself to try it. It’s the consistency. I won’t eat rice pudding either—not even the chocolate one.

So, I was pleasantly surprised when a friend told me that I was very, very wrong. That Greek yogurt wasn’t gritty. It’s creamy and rich.

I gave it a shot, and I actually liked it! Okay, maybe not as much as frozen yogurt, but it’s good—and definitely something I always have on hand in the fridge.

In the past, I always bought the containers with fruit.

But with the new WW Freestyle™ Program, I’m trying to make some changes that will give me the most bang for my buck when it comes to my SmartPoints® Budget.

Plain fat-free Greek yogurt has zero Points® value. The kind I tend to buy with the fruit in it has three to four.

So, I adjusted.

I now buy the plain fat-free kind and add my own mix-ins.

Here are a few:

Sugar-free jam—1 Tbsp is only 1 SmartPoints value.

Sugar-free Jell-O mix—0 SmartPoints value.

Truvia—1 packet is 0 SmartPoints value and sweetens up the yogurt!

Fresh fruit—popping in some berries or bananas still keeps it at 0 SmartPoints value.

Blended fruit—I make smoothies all the time with just frozen fruit. I take a little and stir it into the yogurt!

Sugar-free pudding mix—I haven’t tried this one yet, but I’m excited to, since ¼ of the package is 1 SmartPoints value. I’m a huge pudding fan, so I’m hoping it tastes as good as I think it will.

Some other uses for the fat-free Greek yogurt:

Dressings. There are so many to choose from. You can combine your favourite spices, toss in some vinegar, maybe some mustard. The options go on and on.

Mayo substitute. I tried it in deviled eggs! (I’m still playing around to get the perfect ratio of ingredients and may need to add a little mustard, but it’s definitely a nice option.)

Bread. I am seeing this one everywhere. The two-ingredient dough. My brother tried it and made an awesome pizza. The dough just calls for equal parts fat-free Greek yogurt and self-rising flour. I bought the ingredients and plan to report back on my discoveries!