Creamy and Sweet: Siggi's Icelandic Style Skyr

While wandering the aisles of Whole Foods, looking for a new food to inspire my taste buds, I stumbled upon Siggi's Icelandic Style Skyr. It was in a light container with a removable sleeve so that it coule be recycled. The flavor dancing in front of my was Pomegranate & Passion Fruit ("what yummy sounding combination" I thought). Oh, and it was on sale. So I had to buy it!

Upon my return home, I had to figure out what the skyr was. I figured out it was yogurt from the label... but I had never heard of Icelandic yogurt. The following is taken directly from the Siggi's Web site:

"Skyr is the traditional yogurt of Iceland. It is made by incubating skim milk with live active cultures. The whey, the water naturally found in milk, is then strained away to make for a much thicker, creamier, concentrated yogurt. So to make just one cup of skyr, with all that water going out, you need 3 - 4 times the amount of milk required to make a regular cup of yogurt. As a result of this process skyr comes out with 2-3 times the protein count of standard yogurt.

According to the Sagas, the original stories of the Norse Vikings, Icelanders have made skyr since settlers from Norway first arrived on the island in the 9th century. The word skyr is probably derived from the Icelandic word skera, which means to cut or slice–– a reference to the ideal thickness perhaps? The modern word for regular yogurt, jógúrt, didn’t exist in Icelandic until the 20th Century. Before then, regular yogurt was sometimes referred to as Búlgarst skyr, or ‘Bulgarian skyr,’ because of its popularity in Bulgaria.

Skyr was always, and is still, made from skim milk after the cream had been floated off to make butter. The skim was incubated with cultures and the resulting yogurt strained to take out the whey. Traditionally, the whey that subsequently came off the skyr was then used to pickle various foods in the summer to help last out Iceland’s long, arduous winters. Thus, skyr was part of a process that historically was centered on maximizing the yield and storage time of milk.

Skyr is a big part of the modern diet in Iceland. It has enjoyed a resurgence of kind in the past decades, in particular among athletes and the nation’s prominent musclemen as a highly coveted and convenient source of protein for them muscles!

Today, all Icelandic skyr is made from cow’s milk. Up until the 19th century, however, skyr was made from both sheep and cow’s milk. Siggi’s skyr is made solely from cow’s milk."

Okay, enough of the background info. Now to what you are all wondering. Is it worth my money?

In a word... Yes! I am a big fan of Greek yogurt, which is thick and high in protein. But Greek yogurt isn't very sweet which turns off some people. Siggi's skyr yogurt is sweetened slightly with agave nectar and actual fruit so it doesn't have the bite than many yogurts have. However, it is thick and creamy. Perfect for breakfast or dessert!

I haven't had an opportunity to try the other flavors (they were all sold out!) but the other Siggi's flavors include: Acai, Vanilla, Grapefruit, Blueberry, Orange & Ginger, and Plain. With 100-120 calories a serving, no fat what-so-ever, and 16-17 grams of protein, these babies will all be coming home with me!

Nutritional Information for Siggi's Pomegranate & Passion Fruit Skyr: 120 calories/0 grams of fat/0 grams of fiber/16 grams of protein

INGREDIENTS: Skim Milk, Agave Nectar, Passion Fruit, Pomegranate, Live Active Cultures, Vegetable Rennet CULTURES: B. Lactis, L. Acidophilus, L. Delbrueckiee Subsp. Bulgaricus, L. Delbrueckiee Subsp. Lactis, S. Thermophilus

Oikos Spa Bag Giveaway!

When I get stressed out and overworked, I know that it can be hard to make sure I am still taking time for myself to eat right and relax. According to the Mayo Clinic, stress can cause weight gain. Which for some of us can only lead to more stress! As I head off to work with my students for one of the largest competitions of the year, I wanted to leave you with a opportunity to destress.

The fabulous folks at Oikos recognize that this is a stressful time of year and have offered one lucky Uncovering Food reader a chance to take a moment for themselves. This spa-themed giveaway will help you relax and renew at home and includes coupons for 4 free containers of Oikos organic Greek yogurt, a reusable Oikos tote bag, and the "Take- 5" Anti-Stress spa kit, from Earth Therapeutics, which includes a loofah massage sponge, Anti-Stress massage soap, a body brush, Anti-Stress massage lotion and a soothing gel eye mask.


To enter, please leave a comment about why you need to destress and say Ohm. This initial entry is required.

For additional entries you can:
1) become a follower of Uncovering Food (leave a comment!)
2) blog about this contest (link the URL in the comments!)
3) tweet about this contest (mention @UncoveringFood and @Stonyfield)
4) become a fan of Oikos and/or Uncovering Food on Facebook (leave a comment for each page you become a fan of)

The contest closes on November 25 @ midnight PST and a winner will be drawn randomly on Thanksgiving. Good luck!

Oikos Miniature Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake

When my students performed well at a local debate tournament, I wanted to celebrate their success. However, I wanted to keep that celebration healthy and include my students with gluten and nut allergies.

As a health conscious individual who has a fetish for Greek yogurt, I was excited to hear about Stonyfield's Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt recipe contest. Combining Greek yogurt with some seasonal flavors, I came up with a celebratory treat that had my whole debate team cheering. These mini cheesecakes weren't just tasty and allergy-conscious, but the high protein and lack of fat in the Oikos yogurt made it a low-calorie treat for me as well!

Oikos Miniature Pumpkin Cheesecakes with Chocolate Drizzle

Crust:
3/4 cup brown rice flour
2 tbsp flax meal
1/6 cup tapioca starch
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup
pinch of salt
1/4 cup of water

Filling:
5.3 oz container Oikos Fat Free Organic Plain Greek Yogurt
3/4 cup reduced fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup fat free cream cheese
1/2 cup egg whites
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Topping (Instead of including the chocolate in the cheesecake, I turned it into a drizzle so that I could leave it off a couple of servings for students who couldn't have chocolate.):
Chocolate (I use a gluten free, nut free, semi sweet chocolate)

Preheat over to 300 degrees. Coat a mini muffin tin with your choice of oil/spray (count additional calories accordingly). Mix crust ingredients together. Press crust into the bottom of each tin. Blend the cottage cheese, yogurt and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the remaining filling ingredients. Spoon the filling into the tins. Do not overfill. Remember it will bake up slightly.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the cheesecakes are firm to a gentle touch. Turn off the oven and let the cakes sit in the oven for an additional ten minutes. Remove and refrigerate in the tin overnight before loosening and removing.

The final optional touch is drizzling melted chocolate or dipping the cheesecakes into the chocolate to form a candy crust. I melt a measure amount of chocolate in the microwave (heat for 10 seconds, remove and stir and repeat until desired consistency).


My students LOVED the cheesecake bites and didn't realize how healthy they were until I told them after! The cheesecakes disappeared so quickly the other teachers in my department never got to try them. So it looks like I will be hitting the store for more Oikos yogurt to whip up another batch.

Each miniature cheesecake sans chocolate: 62 calories, 1.7 grams fat, .6 grams fiber, 2.8 grams protein

Do you want a chance to try your hand at crafting an amazing recipe that feature Oikos Greek yogurt? Are you a fan of Greek yogurt and just want to share your love with other fans? How about scoring some free coupons for this fabulous yogurt (that has amazing calorie stats... only 80 calories in a single serving cup!)? Become a fan of Stonyfield Farm Organic Oikos Greek Yorgut on Facebook today!

I am also excited to announce that Oikos is sponsoring a fabulous relaxation giveaway that starts tomorrow on Uncovering Food. I hope that tomorrow you will grab a cup of yogurt goodness, open your laptop, and visit us tomorrow to check out this spa themed giveaway :o)

Vanilla Bean Plum Frozen Yogurt

5 small-medium Red Beauty plums
1 tablespoon sage honey
2 cups non-fat plain yogurt
1 organic Tahitian vanilla bean

Dice plums and stew covered with honey for 15 to 25 minutes over low to medium-low heat. You want the plums to breakdown but still be slightly chunky. I prefer to keep the skins on. If you dice small enough, the skins just cook into the plum stew, leaving the color vibrant and the nutritional content at it's fullest. Chill after finishing.

Scrap the contents of one vanilla bean into your yogurt. Stir and chill for several hours. I buy my vanilla beans from the Organic Vanilla Bean Company. The prices are reasonable and the customer service has been great.

After chilling for several hours, blend plums and yogurt together. You will want to let this mixture set for a few more hours. This is optional but I feel as if the flavors marry together in that resting time.

Following the instructions on your ice cream maker, proceed to make your frozen yogurt.

Makes approximately 6 half cup servings at 65 calories, .3 grams of fat, .8 grams of fiber, and 5 grams of protein.

*****

I am entering this in this week's Blogger Secret Ingredient challenge hosted by LK over at Health Delicious.

I also want to share this with the Ice Cream Social hosted by ScottySnacks, TangledNoodle and SavorTheThyme!

Curried Banana Frozen Yogurt

1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/8 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp cinnamon
3 small bananas, diced
1 tbsp Nutiva coconut oil
2 tbsp sage honey
2 cups nonfat plain yogurt

Grind turmeric, coriander, chili and cinnamon together. Set aside.

In a medium size pan, heat coconut oil over medium high heat. Add bananas and toss to coat in oil. Saute for two minutes and then add spice blend. Saute for another minute. Drizzle honey over bananas and saute for another one to two minutes until bananas are coated and begin to soften. Remove from heat and chill.

Blend yogurt and chilled curried bananas together. You can opt to mash the bananas further or leave them chunkier. I mashed about a third of the bananas but kept the mixture on the chunkier end.

Follow ice cream maker instructions to chill mixture. Store in freezer. Serve garnished with a mint leaf.

Makes six servings at 131 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 1.3 grams of fiber, 5 grams of protein

*****

I am entering this in July's Royal Foodie Joust hosted by the Leftover Queen.

I am also entering this in the Ice Cream Social Challenge hosted by ScottySnacks, SavortheThyme and Tangled Noodle.

Mix me up a piece of that at MixMyGranola

I love customizable products. In a world that markets to the individual, it seems like everything out there can be personalized to meet your needs. And now granola can also be mixed to fit your desired flavor profile.

MixMyGranola is one of the latest companies to sweep the blogosphere. Part of it has been their willingness to cooperate with the hoards of eager taste testers because many bloggers will read one blog and then stalk the company for their own sample of the latest trend. However, one of the reasons for all the hype is because the products that MixMyGranola produces are just that good.

With a variety of bases and mix-ins to choose from, the options for creating your own granola blend are endless. MixMyGranola offers a number of organic ingredients and advertises that all of their mix-ins are made from natural ingredients. You can choose from dried fruits, nuts, seeds, chocolates and even candies to create that signature taste. As you go through the steps of creating your own mix, there is even a nutritional calculator to figure out just how many calories you will be spending to enjoy your blend.

The cost of the granola is based on what you mix in. The base cereal runs from $3.99 to $4.99 and after that it is up to you! The more times you click on an ingredient, the more they add to your mix and the more it costs. I recently created a mix with dried mangos, blueberries, cherries, chia seeds, hemp seeds, amaranth seeds, flax seeds and pumpkin seeds. The entire mix plus shipping was well under $20. They also sell gift cards which make it a personalized gift for your favorite health food fan.


The containers themselves are also environmentally friendly. These 16oz containers are 100% recyclable, however I reused mine to store pasta!

The flavors of the granola are fresh and pop in your mouth. I preportioned out the 8 servings so I could grab them on the run. My mix was high in protein and fiber which serves as a filling snack on it's own but it is also great mixed in with yogurt or sprinkled on oatmeal. My "Uncovering Food Mix" comes with it's own individual number so I can order the exact same mix again if I want. This means I don't have to remember how many times I clicked pumpkin seed to get that perfect blend.

Because the nutritional information will vary based on how you mix your own granola, I encourage you to check out the MixMyGranola site to find out just what your granola would look like!

Pumpkin and Brie Panini: Bauman Family Fruit Butters

If you have been following my food journals at Uncovering Me, then you may already know that I bought a Breville Ikon Panini Press and I am in love! It has non stick plates which means I don't have to use any added oils when I make sandwiches. And make sandwiches I have!

As a featured publisher at Foodbuzz, I was given the opportunity to try Ile de France Le Brie. I plan on sharing more about the cheese specifically in an upcoming blog, but I knew I had to try some of it in a panini. I also had just received a sampler of Bauman Family Fruit Butters. As I look to utilize more naturally sweetened products, I ran across this company who sweeten most of their fruit products with fruit juice or honey. Many of the products they just let the fruit sweeten itself! This results in an all natural and low calorie alternative to overly processed spreads you find on store shelves. You can find these fruit butters in stores or order them online! One of the butters was a pumpkin butter that is sweetened with fruit juice and is only 25 calories for a tablespoon!

Pumpkin and Brie Panini

2 slices Oroweat Light Whole Wheat Bread (or your favorite whole wheat bread, adjust calories accordingly)
1 tbsp Bauman Family No Sugar Added Pumpkin Butter
1.5 oz Ile de France Le Brie

Warm panini press while assembling sandwich. On one piece of bread, spread pumpkin butter. Place cheese on top of butter and top off with second slice of bread. Grill on low for 3 minutes. Enjoy!

This sandwich is sweet, spicy and creamy. With April being National Grilled Cheese month, consider this my contribution to the celebration. It is so delicious I had one for dinner last night and another for breakfast this morning.

Nutritional Information using the above named ingredients: 255 calories/14 grams of fat/7 grams of fiber/11.5 grams of protein.


There are many uses for fruit butters besides paninis. I have used all of these to sweeten my steel cuts oats in the morning. They are also great on waffles and toast as well as mixed into yogurt. I even used the butters in savory main courses! All of the Bauman Fruit Butters I tried ranged in calories from 25 to 35 calories per tablespoon and were bursting with sweet fruit flavors. I love that the company has been around for over 100 years and is still family owned and operated.

For those of you who enjoy fruit butters, am I missing another use? Please share ideas and links to your favorite fruit butter recipes here!

Chobani Yogurt: Protein Satiation

On my journey to a healthier lifestyle, one realization I had was that I wasn't getting enough lean protein into my diet. I would eat low-cal/low-point but would not be satisfied. According to the New York Times health guide: "You need protein in your diet to help your body repair cells and make new ones. Protein is also important for growth and development during childhood, adolescence, and pregnancy."

An easy way to get in protein is to up your yogurt intake. Yogurt is also beneficial for a number of other reasons, according to a Mayo Clinic article published at Medical News Today. However most of yogurts on the market are either high in fat and calories, or contains artificial sweeteners.

A friend of mine suggested that I try out Greek style yogurts, which are higher in protein and usually contain no artificial sugars. However I was sorely disappointed by the lack of flavor options and relied on mix-ins... which made traveling more difficult. Until I found Chobani yogurt!

Chobani comes in 6 different flavors, and in nonfat/lowfat/regular options. It is a single serving container that can toss easily into a purse (I carried one to work in my purse today!) and contains no artificial sweeteners!

Today I wanted to tell you about two of the fruitalicious varieties I have tried. Both of which, I will continue to buy.


The first flavor that I have been enjoying is the blueberry. With fruit at the bottom, this yogurt is creamy and thick and has whole berries you can enjoy! The yogurt is tart, but less so than most yogurts. It is also very smooth. I could imagine enjoying this as a dessert, or as a sweet mid afternoon snack. I most recently enjoyed it at the JFK airport after a long day of traipsing around NYC. It helped keep me satiated on the nonstop back to California.

Strawberry Chobani also contains fruit on the bottom, but the strawberries are not as sweet as the blueberry and the yogurt is a bit more tart. It made the perfect midmorning snack for me, as the 14 grams of protein will help keep me full, but the strawberries gave it just enough sweetness to also satisfy my morning sweet tooth. I could imagine mixing some toasted oatmeal into the yogurt for a filling and healthy breakfast.

Chobani is slightly high in calories than the "diet" yogurts. This is due to the fact that it doesn't contain artifial ingredients. And I am okay with paying 30-50 more calories to enjoy something that will keep me satisfied for longer while not harming my body for the sake of weight loss. If my body can't lose weight, it isn't the extra 30 calories from a healthy yogurt that is the issue. Consider this my rant on many of the artificial diet products out there that never left me truly satisfied. There is a rare moment when one of those finds rocks my socks off... but the truth is sometimes you have to go for the real thing. And Chobani is the real thing.

Ingredients for Blueberry Chobani: cultured pasteurized nonfat milk, sugar, blueberries, contains five live active cultures including s. thermaphilus, l. bulgaricus, acidophiluc, bifidus and l. casei.

Nutritional Information: 140 calories / 0 grams of fat / 1 gram of fiber / 14 grams of protein

Ingredients for Strawberry Chobani: cultured pasteurized nonfat milk, strawberries, sugar, natural flavor, beet juice concentrate (for color), contains five live active cultures including s. thermaphilus, l. bulgaricus, acidophiluc, bifidus and l. casei.

Nutritional Information: 140 calories / 0 fat / less than one gram fiber / 14 grams of protein

Caramel Apple Cheesecake

***NOTES: I used reduced fat graham crackers, fat free french vanilla yogurt, light orange juice, gala apples, butter instead of stick margarine, and egg substitute in stead of eggs***

6 POINTS WITHOUT MODIFICATIONS

Caramel Swirl-and-Apple Cheesecake
From Cooking Light

So that the yogurt has ample time to drain and become yogurt cheese, start this cheesecake a day ahead.

1 (32-ounce) carton vanilla low-fat yogurt
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon stick margarine, softened
1 egg white
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 40 crackers)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Vegetable cooking spray
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
3 cups cubed peeled Golden Delicious apple (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (8-ounce) block Neufchâtel cheese, softened
1 (8-ounce) block nonfat cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1/3 cup fat-free caramel-flavored sundae syrup
2 tablespoons fat-free caramel-flavored sundae syrup
Cinnamon sticks (optional)

Place colander in a 2-quart glass measure or bowl. Line colander with 4 layers of cheesecloth, allowing cheesecloth to extend over edge of bowl. Spoon yogurt into colander. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; refrigerate 12 hours. Spoon yogurt cheese into a bowl; discard liquid. Cover and refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine 1/4 cup sugar, margarine, and egg white in a bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until blended. Add crumbs and cinnamon; stir well. Firmly press mixture into bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes; let cool on a wire rack.

Preheat oven to 300°. Combine brown sugar and orange juice in a large nonstick skillet; bring to a boil. Add apple; cook 8 minutes until apple is tender and liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Combine yogurt cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and next 5 ingredients (1/2 cup sugar through nonfat cream cheese) in a bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Spoon apple mixture into prepared pan. Pour cheese mixture over apples; top with 1/3 cup sundae syrup, and swirl with a knife to create a marbled effect. Bake at 300° for 1 hour until almost set. Turn oven off; loosen cake from sides of pan using a narrow metal spatula or knife. Let cheesecake stand for 40 minutes in oven with door closed. Remove cheesecake from oven, and let cool to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons sundae syrup over top; garnish with cinnamon sticks, if desired.


Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 286(25% from fat); FAT 8g (sat 3.7g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 10.4g; CHOLESTEROL 55mg; CALCIUM 160mg; SODIUM 384mg; FIBER 0.9g; IRON 0.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 44.2g

Cooking Light, APRIL 1996