Yogurt is a common product in one’s shopping cart while visiting the supermarket. It is both nutritious and healthy and often is a part of the daily meal of people who are health conscious or are trying to reduce body weight. Greek yogurts are considered the most nutritious yogurts and are appreciated by majority of consumers.
Some facts about Greek yogurt
Greek yogurt is prepared in somewhat similar pattern as a regular one. At first, the milk is heated and then cooled to the desired fermentation temperature, which is 106 to 114 degrees Fahrenheit. After fermenting, bacteria grows, producing lactic acid and gets the milk protein to produce yogurt. This is also how regular yogurt is created. To make Greek yogurt, liquid whey and lactose are strained to leave behind a thicker-textured yogurt that is the Greek yogurt.
Top Greek yogurt brands
With time, the market is getting filled with so many varieties that it would make it difficult for you to choose the best Greek yogurt. It might confuse you to know which one is lower in fat and which one is filled with additional sugar and lactose. The main ingredient to look for is live active bacterial cultures and milk. The more ingredients it contains, the less healthy it is to consume. The following are some of the top brands of Greek yogurt:
Fage: It is an authentic Greek yogurt. No additional thickeners are added to make the yogurt look thicker as compared to the regular ones. It is made from straining, which is the best possible way to get the ideal Greek yogurts. In the straining process, most of the sugar and carbs are removed. It is a snack rich in protein and ideal for low-calorie lovers.
Wallaby: Wallaby is another top brand as it is ideal for a healthy diet. It is filled with bacterial cultures, which are essential to ferment the milk to produce yogurt. Moreover, they contain probiotics, which are necessary for a healthy gut.
Chobani: It is yet another good option among fat-free and plain Greek yogurt. The brand Chobani offers many flavored yogurts, but the nutritionists and the health specialists recommend to avoid such flavored ones as they negate the benefits one can get from protein. Also flavored yogurts have a high sugar content in them. Chobani has flip-cup yogurts, which are better to consume as the yogurt is kept separate from the toppings like nuts or chocolate. If you want flavor in your Greek yogurt, add berries or honey to make it naturally flavored, instead of artificial flavors.
Stonyfield: Stonyfield Greek Yogurt contains approximately 300 million live active bacterial cultures per gram, which are very healthy and fundamental for the digestive system. Stonyfield branded yogurts are said to be rich in probiotics.
Dannon Oikos: It is the brand of Greek yogurt, which has the least quantity of added ingredients. It does not contain artificial thickeners like corn starch or carrageenan that is most commonly present in flavored yogurts.
We are a coffee-drinking nation and every form of the beverage – decaf, regular, expresso, latte, cappuccino, macchiato and ristretto is consumed everyday by millions of us. It’s the first thing we need in the morning and the last (for some) after dessert. Black, with cream, with sugar, no sugar, flavored, each of us has a preference with regard to strength. Nespresso’s taken heed of this and given us a gift in a pod with the Nespresso capsules. Available in the regular Arabica and Robusta capsules, they have some amazing seasonal flavors as well.
Nespresso capsules are hermetically sealed in a capsule that holds 5-7 gms of coffee – enough for one serving of coffee. They offer five ranges in Ristretto (25ml), Espresso (40 ml), Lungo (110 ml), Decaffeinated (40 ml and 110 ml) or Flavored (40 ml).
The variations in Nespresso coffee capsules Ristretto range are:
Ristretto Origin – Made from South and Central American Arabicas, it has toasted flavors with cocoa notes and woody undertones.
Ristretto Origin India – A blend of the finest Arabicas with a smidgen of Robusta from Southern India, this full-bodied coffee has hints of spices.
Ristretto Intenso – A strong blend of South and Central American Robustas and Arabicas, the Ristretto Intenso is a full-bodied coffee with a creamy texture and peppery notes.
The variations in Nespresso coffee capsules Espresso range are:
Espresso Origin Brazil: A pure Arabica coffee, it has a mild sweet flavor.
Espresso Leggero: A blend of South American Arabicas and Robusta, it has smooth notes of cocoa and cereal.
Espresso Forte: Exclusively made from South and Central American Arabicas, it has an intensely roasted balance of espresso and fruity notes.
The variations of Nespresso coffee capsules Lungo range are:
Lungo Leggero: Lightly roasted East African, South and Central American Arabicas, with mild notes of jasmine is what makes up this delicious brew.
Lungo Forte: A complex mix of South and Central American Arabicas, this coffee has heavy roasted notes with a slight hint of fruit.
Lungo Origin Guatemala: A mix of Arabica and washed Gourmet Robusta coffee, Lungo Origin Guatemala is smooth and well balanced with dry and malty cereal notes.
The variations of Nespresso coffee capsules in the Decaffeinated range are:
Espresso Decaffeinato: Dark roasted South American Arabicas with a touch of Robusta enhances the cocoa flavors and roasted cereal undertones of this decaffeinated espresso.
Lungo Decaffeinato: This is a slightly more complex blend of separately roasted South American and East African Arabicas. It includes toasted cereal and sweet notes with subtle and floral hints of East African Arabicas.
The variations of Nespresso coffee capsules Flavored range are:
Espresso Vanilla: This silky-flavored coffee is the result of a base of Espresso Forte, which is a complex and heavily-roasted blend of South and Central American Arabicas and a slightly caramelized aroma of vanilla. Espresso Caramel: On a base of Espresso Forte, this complex and intensely roasted blend made from South and Central American Arabicas has the sweetness of caramel.
Here are a few easy and healthy recipe ideas that are both quick to make and light to digest on hot summer days. With very few ingredients, the preparation of these recipes is a breeze. So go on, enjoy these easy, healthy recipes that are brimming with nutrition and taste heavenly too!
Greek Cucumber Rolls
Ingredients (Serves 2)
Directions
This is popular among easy and healthy recipes. Slice cucumber into thin flat strips using a vegetable peeler and arrange them in slices of two on a clean tray. Smear the hummus on top of each slice, then toss some feta cheese, black olives and cut tomatoes on each of the cucumber strips. Squeeze a little lemon juice and sprinkle some finely chopped dill and cilantro. Finally, roll the strips, serve the Greek cucumber rolls and see them being gobbled up by the young and old alike!
Flavorful fettuccine pasta with vegetables
Ingredients (Serves 2)
Directions
Cook the fettuccine pasta according to the directions on the label. In a thick bottomed pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the chopped garlic and shallots. After about a minute or so, add the other vegetables along with salt and toss them gently for a few minutes. The vegetables must cook and be crunchy at the same time. When they are done, add the cooked pasta, Parmesan cheese, and some freshly ground black pepper to it and mix well. Serve this flavorful fettuccine pasta with vegetables for lunch or dinner as a filling, yet light meal.
Sunshine juice
Ingredients (Serves 2)
Direction
Squeeze juice from the oranges and blend the strawberries in a juicer. Then in a pitcher, take the orange juice, strawberry juice, and chilled water together and mix well. Refresh yourself with this yummy sunshine juice with ice cubes on a hot day.