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Hungry Girl Today: 8.28.13
ASK HUNGRY GIRL






Hi HG,




I love yogurt, but I'm looking for ideas to make it a little more interesting. Any suggestions?




Yogurt Yearnings




Hi Yearnings,





Great Q! I too love yogurt, but I'm always adding stuff to it to make it even more filling and delicious. My favorite "base" is plain fat-free Greek yogurt (like the kind by Fage or Chobani) mixed with a no-calorie sweetener packet. I'm also nuts about Yoplait Light. Now, for those add-ins...




Fruity favorites... Fresh fruit like raspberries, blueberries, grapes, and chopped Fuji apples can turn an ordinary container of yogurt into a HUGE bowl of guilt-free goodness. If you like dried fruit, I definitely recommend freeze-dried fruit. It's light, crispy, and low in calories -- a 1/4-cup serving has about 25 calories, whereas the same amount of regular dried fruit clocks in at about 100 calories. My favorite freeze-dried fruit is made by Funky Monkey. (I am OBSESSED with the Applemon flavor!) And for a fruity swirl, stir in some low-sugar preserves. (Apricot is a personal favorite!)




Decadent stuff... You might not think of yogurt as a dessert option, but the right toppings can turn it into a fantastic sweet-tooth killer! Try stirring in some mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, shredded sweetened coconut... even light caramel dip. Just watch those portions. I also like to top dessert-inspired Yoplait Lights (like Apple Turnover) with a couple of crushed low-fat honey graham crackers... It's like a little upside-down pie!




Crunchables... Go for sliced almonds (LOVE Almond Accents) or some crispy cereal. Fiber One Original is really good over yogurt, and so is Multi Grain Cheerios Peanut Butter cereal. You can also crush up some mini rice cakes, like Quaker Popped in Apple Cinnamon or Caramel Corn. If you love granola, click here for some guilt-free picks, and check out this HG recipe for low-fat granola!




Ready-to-eat finds... There are SO MANY yogurt products on shelves these days that come packaged with mix-ins. Check out the gooey-fruit-on-the-side Greek yogurts, like the ones by Fage. Chobani Flips have little sidecars full of fun stuff like honey oats and dark chocolate chunks, and Chobani Bites have the goodies mixed right in. Also worth checking out? YoCrunch (including PIE Parfaits!) and Yoplait Light with Granola.




There you have it... Happy zazzling!




Dear HG,




I've noticed you recommend packaged foods in your emails and sometimes use them in recipes. What are your thoughts on eating whole and natural foods vs. processed and packaged foods? I have been told that we should ONLY eat natural foods.