Greek yogurt has been greeted with arms wide open into the group of healthy food
alternatives since it broke into grocery stores across North America. People have
pulled the thick and creamy treat in all different flavorful directions, with the most
obvious being the basic yogurt parfait.

No exact ingredients are needed to create a yogurt parfait; instead, the concoction
is left up to the person making it. Pick your favorite Greek yogurt flavor and top
it with fruit, nuts, oats, chocolate, granola, whatever you desire — think of it as a
homemade version of a self-serve frozen yogurt store.

Another way to get your Greek yogurt fix for days when a simple parfait doesn’t
sound appetizing is through different dips and mixes, such as Serious Eats’ spinach
and artichoke dip. This party favorite is typically made up of a wide variety of
unhealthy ingredients, but by switching the heavy ingredients (cream cheese,
sour cream and mayonnaise) with Greek yogurt, you can say goodbye to the extra
calories without sacrificing the flavor.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup of olive oil
10 ounces of spinach, large stems removed
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 6 1/2 ounce jar of marinated artichokes, drained
1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon of lemon juice

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil on the stove at medium/low heat, add spinach and a pinch
of salt, and stir until the spinach wilts. Cook until the leaves are limp and
feathery in texture
2. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, or until the spinach’s raw taste is
gone
3. Add the artichokes and heat them until they are soft
4. Put the mixture into a food processor
5. Add yogurt and lemon juice and pulse until the ingredients are combined
6. Add addition salt and/or lemon juice if needed

If you’re looking for a side dish that uses Greek yogurt in an a-typical way, try
Sprout and Pea’s creamy mashed cauliflower — a smart alternative to mashed
potatoes.

Ingredients:
1 head of cauliflower
6 oz plain Greek yogurt
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves of garlic chopped
½ small shallot chopped
1 chopped scallion for garnish
Salt, pepper and any other seasonings you’d like

Directions:
1. Bright water to boil
2. Add cauliflower and let it cook for about eight minutes or until it’s soft
3. Drain the cauliflower
4. In a food processor, combine the cauliflower, Greek yogurt, butter, garlic and
shallots, and blend until it’s creamy
5. Add salt, pepper and other seasonings and blend again
6. Transfer to a bowl and mix the Parmesan cheese and scallions
7. Enjoy!

So, next time you’re in the grocery store and you spot the various types of Greek
yogurt, choose your favorites and get creative! If the best part about Greek yogurt
isn’t its health benefits, then it’s the fact that you can use it to create a wide variety
of dishes for any meal.