When Kristina from Stonyfield Farm contacted me about sampling their Greek yogurt, Oikos, I jumped at the chance! I’ve been a long-time Stonyfield Farm fan. I practically lived on yogurt and granola during my sophomore year of college. Last week I was excited to discover that in addition to coupons for free yogurt, Kristina also included a reusable grocery bag, a magnet for my fridge, and literature about the importance of organic farming and food. Did you know that Stonyfield Farm Oikos is the only organic Greek yogurt? Organic dairy products are produced in a sustainable, environmentally friendly way AND they are free of the nasty hormones, pesticides, and toxins that non-organic foods often contain. I consume a lot of dairy (milk in my coffee, cheese on my salads, yogurt for breakfast) so I really value the extra steps that organic farmers are taking to ensure my dairy products are safe for me and the earth. I recently read a NY Times article about the financial difficulties that organic dairy farmers are facing. This article reinforced my belief that quality food products (and earth-friendly farming practices) are worth the extra money. I’m going to try very hard to do my part and only buy organic milk, cheese, and yogurt from now on.
As I said, I love all kinds of yogurt, but the super-creamy consistency and high protein content of greek yogurt makes it my favorite variety. Greek yogurt is strained to remove some of the whey. This process increases protein content, results in a creamier consistency, and produces a product that is very low in lactose. In fact, many people who are lactose-intolerant can consume yogurt/Greek yogurt without tummy troubles!
Now that we’ve established that Oikos Greek yogurt is good for your body and the planet, I bet you’re wondering how it tastes. Well, it’s delicious! Very creamy and not too tart. I used a container of plain Oikos (80 calories, 0 grams fat, 15 grams proten, 20% DV calcium) and mixed it with 2 Tbs PB2, 1/2 cup mixed berries, and 1 cup of Nature’s Path Heritage O’s. This “breakfast sundae” provided a satiating mix of carbs, protein, fiber, and taste. Yum! The yogurt itself had an almost-fluffy consistency. And unlike some varieties of plain yogurt it wasn’t overly tart or bitter. I think I would have enjoyed it even without the berries and cereal!
In addition to eating the yogurt as a snack or meal, Greek yogurt is a great substitute for sour cream. It’s unlikely to curdle at high temperatures, so you could even use it to replace butter/oil when baking. I even read an article in Men’s Health Magazine about using the plain variety as a dip for hot buffalo wings!
Thanks Stonyfield for the opportunity to try Oikos! It’s going to be a staple in my fridge from now on.
