Thursday, May 21, 2009

Stonyfield Farms/Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt Makes for Yummy Recipes

Have you heard of Stonyfield Farms and/or had some of their wonderful organic products?  They have things ranging from kid's on-the-go yogurts to smoothies, milk and Greek yogurt.  I love that their products are all organic.  I recently received a wonderful package from them with a great (big) reusable shopping bag as well as some coupons to try their Oikos Greek Yogurt.  Thanks Stonyfield!  I have to say that while I don't really like eating plain yogurt (yes, I've tried adding fruit!), they have other flavors in the smaller size containers, like blueberry, vanilla and honey.  These are great tasting and most of all I love baking with them.  I have been using yogurt in place of butter and oil for a while now--mostly in muffins and quick breads.  I'm excited to try it in other recipes.  So far, it's great.  I should have kept better track of the things I've been making with the Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt, but here are just a few things. 
I week or so ago, I made these Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes when we had breakfast for dinner.  They were great.  I used the Oikos Greek Yogurt as this recipe called for plain yogurt.  I also replaced the sugar in these with agave nectar.  These pancakes were good, although the recipe does not call for any wonderful spices that go with pumpkin, like cinnamon and I did add some myself.  I did not take any pictures of these pancakes.  Does anyone else have a really hard time when they're making breakfast, getting everything done all at the same time?  I don't know what it is, but my timing stinks when I try to  make bacon, eggs, hash browns and pancakes.  Oh well.  The kids just wanted to eat, so I didn't take any pictures.  You'll have to picture a stack of yummy orange looking pancakes with butter and syrup dripping all down them yourself.  Better yet--make them!  And if you do, try Oikos Greek Yogurt.  I used plain, but vanilla or honey would be great, too.  And I'll bet the blueberry Greek yogurt makes some killer blueberry pancakes!
This Fresh Mango Bread that I recently posted for Tuesday's With Dorie and changed lots of things to make it a little bit healthier--I also used plain Oikos Greek Yogurt in place of some of the fat.  That was some GOOD quick mango bread!
THEN I recently made some really good Peanut Butter and Honey Banana Muffins--and of course I used the Oikos yogurt in it.  These muffins were de-licious!
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Did I mention I also threw some mini chocolate chips in them?  Yep, that much better!  These muffins were pretty darn healthy.
Peanut Butter and Honey Banana Muffins (with chocolate chips), by Katrina
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup quick oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy protein powder (can be omitted--just bumping up the protein a bit)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
a good pinch of salt
1/4 cup natural peanut butter (I used Smuckers creamy)
2 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Oikos Organic Greek Honey Yogurt (it's fat free!)
2 small ripe bananas, mashed (about 3/4 cup)
1 large egg
1/4-1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (you decide)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray desired size muffin tin with cooking spray (I almost always make mini muffins!)  In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, protein powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Whisk together and set aside.  In another bowl, combine the peanut butter (if it's cold, microwave it for 20-30 seconds in a small bowl), honey, oil, yogurt, egg and mashed banana.  Combine well.  Stir the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just to combine.  Stir in the chocolate chips, if using (and why would you not?)
With a small cookie scoop, fill each muffin tin.  Bake for 12-14 minutes.  Cool for 3 minutes in tin, then remove to wire rack and just see if you can wait until they are completely cool to eat one.  Makes 24.
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I made half without the chocolate chips, but wish I'd have just pit them in all of them.
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I forgot until looking at my pictures that I had a little too much to fill the 24 mini muffin tins, so I made four muffin top cookies.  Just as good!
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Thanks for the great, organic Greek yogurt, Stonyfield Farms!  Check out their website on the link above.  I'm sure you'll see more from me that I've made using the yogurt.
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Since we've been on the subject of breakfast, I made baked oatmeal last Sunday.  I hadn't made it before and had seen others and wanted to make my own.  Of course, I used one of my favorite things--BANANAS!
I have eaten this oatmeal for five days now (finished it today).  Scott had some on Sunday and liked it.  No one else here will eat oatmeal--crazies!  I thought the bananas baked in it would "go bad", but they didn't.  I loved this and really liked that each morning all I had to do was warm some up with a little milk.  Here's my baked oatmeal.
Banana Pecan Baked Oatmeal
2 cups old fashioned oats
1/4 cup 7 Grain hot cereal (optional--but I love it!  You could use any or just add another 1/4 cup oats, or flax meal, wheat germ, bran, whatever.)
1/4 cup agave nectar (or brown sugar, sugar, try honey)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1  1/2 cups fat free milk
2 small bananas, mashed
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4-1/2 cup pecans, chopped (or walnuts)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly spray an 8x8 inch pan with cooking spray.  In a medium sized bowl, combine oats, 7 Grain, salt, and baking powder.   In another bowl, combine agave, milk, egg, vanilla and mashed banana.   Combine the wet with the dry ingredients.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Add chopped pecans to the top and bake for another five minutes to toast them.
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I stir mine together with some milk, but I love the "bite" it has to it as I don't like my oatmeal to be mush.  I even usually add about a tablespoon of Grape Nuts for that extra crunch to the top of my bowl of oats and I love fresh berries.
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On a slightly funny note, Scott is in 5th grade, 5th--think back to when you were in 5th grade.  Do you remember the teachers taking the girls into one room and the boys into another to have "the talk"?  Scott had the privilege of getting that wonderful health lesson in school today.  Boy, they really save it for the end of the school year, there are only 3 days left!  What is funny to me is that they gave the kids a little small, sample size deodorant.  At first Scott didn't want to have anything to do with wearing deodorant.  Kevin talked with him about some of the things they discussed in class and "cleared up" anything he wondered about.  Then he encouraged him to try the deodorant.  We've really been trying to talk to him about better hygiene lately (not that he stinks, he doesn't, but it's about time he starts showering daily and such--my boy will be 11 next week!).  Kevin got Scott to put on some of the deodorant and it was cute and funny to me to then see him the rest of the evening tonight carrying the deodorant around like it was some great prize he'd won.  Parker was even mad and jealous that he didn't get that at school.  Soon enough, bro, you're only in 1st grade!  It's Old Spice and quite potent.  It would really be funny to smell his classroom tomorrow and realize how many of the boys are wearing their new deodorant!  (Scott would kill me if he knew I just put this on the blog--but someday in the far off distance, he'll look back and we'll all joke and laugh about it.) ; )  

23 comments:

3rd Wave Inc said...

Buying quality organic products is the initial move to a healthy, natural, green lifestyle that can bring a good feeling not only to ourselves but as to our environment as well.

Nick said...

oh my, gimme some! I'm making these muffins soon.

Elyse said...

Oh, I remember having the deodorant talk :) My mom is a fifth grade teacher, and while they don't have the talk with students, they have had to deal with the 5th grade girls wearing bikinis during swimming! Boy oh boy! All of these recipes look fabulous. Those muffins are totally calling my name, but you know what I'm really craving?! That baked oatmeal. Deeelish!! School's almost out!!

noble pig said...

Okay that oatmeal dish looks awesome. I am an oatmeal nut!

I can't even imagine my boys needing deodarant...I want them to get old and stink!

Becky said...

My Katie is in 5th grade this year also and had the talk right before spring break. Holy Cow! That's all we heard about for days, dare I say weeks. My first two weren't quite as enthused about the whole talk, they were kind of close mouthed. But my Katie wouldn't stop talking about ovaries, uteruses and periods. It was almost comical.

Switching topics, baked oatmeal, genius!

Steph (I am Bee) said...

those muffins look so moist! i want one!!

vibi said...

I don't think it is the same brand but I do use organis greek yogurt in many baked recipes... and I agree, they do give a lot of moistness and density to cakes and such.

Thanks for sharing one more great recipe, they look yummy!

Leslie said...

These look so yummy! I love the idea of adding protein powder. I can't wait to try these (I just bought some Oikos yogurt at Whole Foods yesterday after reading what everyone is doing with it).

Maria said...

I love that yogurt, my favorite! I eat it almost every day. I eat it with berries and a drizzle of agave. SO good! I can't wait to try these recipes!

Anonymous said...

Those muffins are calling out my name!

Megan said...

I remember Sabrina having "that talk" last year (when she was in 5th). You should see what the girls came home with! Talk about a goody bag!

Carla said...

I got the same package from them! Did you read the tiny print where it said the bag was made from plastic water bottles? And it's cat-approved.

I agree about eating the plain yogurt. I had some with strawberries this morning, but plain yogurt is not meant to be eaten from the container. The honey one mixed with strawberries is delicious! I bet the vanilla would be too, but only one store in my area actually carries the greek yogurt, and it's just the plain and honey versions.

I'm tempted to make those muffins right now!

Prudy said...

Those muffins looks just perfect and absolutely moist. I'm a firm believer in deodorant for the young and old alike! Three cheers!

The Sugar Fiend said...

Those muffins look fantastic--I use both Fage and Stonyfield, and even plain, with Splenda.

Old Spice, though? I always thought of that as 'dad' brand deodorant. I think something a bit more youthful might be more appropriate...

Valerie said...

Those photos look great! Thanks for sharing all that info and recipes.

Chocolaty Lifestyle said...

I love Greek yogurt, but I have never tried to bake something with it! Muffins are looking SO yummy! :))

Emily said...

Wow! The muffins look incredible. Healthy and delicious! I like the use of yogurt.

Risa said...

Those muffins look incredible to me and the oatmeal looks incredible to my boyfriend. Looks like you have made something for both of us!

Anonymous said...

Hi Katrina!
I love Stonyfield Farms Yogurt! I use the non fat plain yogurt to make smoothies. When I'm counting calories they fill me up and make me feel like I'm getting a treat! I use it to bake with too. There are some good recipes on their website.
I've always meant to try the baked oatmeal, but I've never gotten around to it. I eat oatmeal pretty often so I'll have to get at it.

Deeba PAB said...

Got here from Cathy's.Love yougrt in everything...& you've done full justice to these muffins...YUM!!
O,BTW, my lad is due for the talk soon!! LOL

Diane said...

I've got to do some baking today! Thanks for the great photos!
I'm a big fan of peanut butter and banana sandwiches... can't think why I've not thought about putting it in muffins before though!

Saskia (1=2) said...

Hi there! Just wanted to compliment you on your baked oatmeal recipe. I read about it on Chef In Disguise. I've been making it at least once a week, and my boys love it. The recipe is now taped to the inside door of my pantry! Such a great way to use all the over-ripe bananas I usually have lurking in my freezer; and such a nourishing before-school breakfast. My husband and I love it too.

C.B.Whyte said...

Just finished making a batch of these! They are my new "go-to" banana muffin recipe. So moist and super flavourful :)
Made regular size muffins: 15 muffins; baked for 20 min.
Thanks for the recipe :D