Things to Add to Yogurt

Toppings elevate yogurt from a bland snack to an elegant breakfast or light lunch.

Yogurt is a tangy, protein-packed food, but plain yogurt can be boring and bland. Jazz up your yogurt with toppings and mix-ins to add flavor and crunch, as well as additional nutrients. Think beyond your usual routine and you will discover new ways to enjoy a healthy dairy treat.

Honey and Nuts

Honey and nuts add natural sweetness and crunch to your yogurt without refined sugar.

Honey and nuts are a sweet and salty combination seen in cold breakfast cereal flavors, honey peanut butter and in granola bars. Choose your favorite nuts and lightly toast them for added crunch. Use salted nuts if you like the sweet-salty flavor combination, but opt for no-salt-added nuts if you are watching your sodium intake. Sprinkle the nuts on top of the yogurt and drizzle the entire dish with honey or maple syrup. These sweeteners are natural alternatives to artificially flavored yogurts or those with refined sugar. Add a spoon and enjoy.

Cereal

Muesli and yogurt mixed the night before improve in flavor for breakfast in the morning.

Instead of serving cold breakfast cereal or granola with milk, layer it with yogurt in a parfait glass. This eye-appealing presentation works especially well with granola. The granola in the bottom layers is softened by the yogurt, making the cereal easier to chew. Use muesli between the layers of yogurt and leave overnight. Muesli incorporates uncooked oats, dried fruits and nuts, and is akin to untoasted granola. The moisture in the yogurt seeps into the oats overnight and plumps and softens them for consumption. Even super-sweet kids' cereals with bright colors and marshmallow bits are not as guilt-inducing when eaten with healthy yogurt.

Fruit

Many fruits pair well with the natural tanginess of yogurt.

Most fruits pair well with yogurt. Add dried fruits the night before for the yogurt to soften them. Add other fruits, such as shredded or chopped apples or pears, just before serving. Other fruit options for yogurt include: shredded, toasted coconut; banana slices; cantaloupe chunks; strawberry slices; whole blueberries or raspberries; diced kiwi fruit; and dried, sweetened cranberries. Layer the fruit with the yogurt to make a parfait, top a bowl of fruit with a little yogurt instead of whipped cream or sprinkle a few fruits on top of a bowl of yogurt as you would garnish a scoop of ice cream.

Vegetables

Yogurt can be a savory dip instead of a sweet snack.

Yogurt is more than just a sweet treat. It can be a savory snack, too. Add a packet of ranch or onion dip mix to yogurt instead of sour cream and use it as a vegetable dip. Alternatively, stir in your own chopped vegetables, such as carrots, onions, celery and peppers, or use jarred salsa. Use this as a topping for baked potatoes or fresh salads. Mix chopped, seeded cucumbers, lemon juice and garlic into plain yogurt and you have made your own version of the Greek dip tzatziki.

S'mores Yogurt

Incorporate the flavors of the s'more into your yogurt.

For a purely indulgent treat, transform your yogurt into a treat from childhood: the s'more. S'mores are campfire favorites made by pressing a toasted marshmallow and square of milk chocolate between two graham crackers. To replicate this in your bowl of yogurt, stir in chocolate syrup to taste and sprinkle crushed graham crackers and miniature marshmallows on top.

References

• The Kitchn; Crunchy, Tangy, Sweet: 10 Things to Add to Yogurt; Emma Christensen; 5 May 2010
• Shine; 14 Things to Do With Greek Yogurt; Epicurious.com; 19 August 2009
• University of Nebraska Lancaster County Extension; Beyond Eating Yogurt Straight from the Carton; Alice Henneman