Wednesday, December 16, 2009

2 quick little lesssons

A lesson in southern dining:

A refrigerator is referred to as an “ice box”
Lunch is called “dinner” and dinner is called “supper”…but lunch is dinner, too.
Beans (carb) are a meal, so long as cornbread (carb) is the side.
Black eyed peas are to be eaten on New Years Day in order to bring luck your way for the year.
Okra, beets, squash, and turnips are popular vegetables.
Pickles and okra are best when fried.
Potatoes are the favorite vegetable among all. They’re best when fried.
There’s a great way to prepare every meat – chicken fried steak, fried chicken, fried pork chops, fried catfish, etc.
All beef in the country is lean “because you take it to the butcher to be prepared”…
When pecan trees are producing, you make pecan pie. Constantly.
Goulash is a meal that’s prepared NUMEROUS ways, but staple ingredients include ground beef, tomatoes, and rice.
Tea is sweetened, with sugar, unless otherwise specified. 
Milk is assumed to be whole. If you buy low-fat milk, it’s 2%. 
A “hot sandwich” is an open-faced burger on top of fries, piled with gravy. 
An order of biscuits and gravy consists of TWO biscuits, halved, and swimming in gravy.
There’s chicken fried chicken and chicken fried steak – pounded meat dipped in batter and deep-fat fried and smothered in gravy.

A lesson in Greek yogurt:

Q: What makes Greek yogurt "Greek"?
A: Greek yogurt found in the US is made from pasteurized cow’s milk, versus the raw goat’s or sheep’s milk in “real” Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt, known for its thick texture, is due to the extensive straining that removes most of the yogurt’s liquid whey. With the removal of whey, the lactose and sugar content are lower, leaving a thicker, highly concentrated, tart product containing almost twice the protein of regular yogurt. Greek yogurt also causes fewer side effects for those suffering from lactose intolerance.

Q: What makes Greek yogurt so versatile?
A: Due to the thickness of the yogurt, it is easier to cook with and is less likely to “break up” when heated in cooking.

Q: Which Greek yogurt is the best? There’s so many out there!
A: According to the Chicago Tribune’s blind taste test….the 0% fat Greek yogurts (best to worst):

  1. Fage
  2. Okios
  3. Chobani
  4. Siggis Icelandic Yogurt
  5. Trader Joe’s

A huge thanks to Kristina at Stonyfield Farm who sent me Okios coupons for free 16 ounce Okios Greek yogurt! Thank you, Kristina! While I will have to keep a coupon or 2 to try new flavors, you have a chance to win a FREE 16 OUNCE OKIOS COUPON (among many other things) by entering into the Prevention Cookbook. It's a win-win, I'm tellin' ya!


Another huge thanks to Shari at Chobani for sending samples to try! I don't think there's a flavor out there I won't get to sample. So excited -- thank you, Chobani (and Shari!)!


Complete coincidence on both Chobani and Okios fun arriving today. While I've tried Okios, I am yet to try Chobani. I will give a full review once I've formed a solid opinion.


Yogurt lovers: Have you tried Greek yogurt? Do you like it better than regular yogurt? Do you have a preference for one brand over the other?



For those wonderful individuals who have already entered into the Prevention Cookbook, your recipes look delectable! If you haven't heard about the Prevention Cookbook, please go here! Wouldn't YOU like to start the new year with a bundle of healthy new recipes to try!? 
I thought so!


*!*!*!*!*!*! HELP *!*!*!*!*!*!
  
Google Readers: Is there a way to respond to leave comments on blogs from Google Reader? I am kind of slow when it comes to this stuff, and work has officially blocked everything fun (gmail, blogs, everything - AH!). Thanks in advance!


Also, preventionrd.com / preventionrd.blogspot.com is in the works! My projected switch date to Wordpress is December 23rd! Trying to keep you all in the loop so we don't lose touch!

20 comments:

  1. I LOVE Fage, but it does not love my wallet! I get TJ's which is still pretty good :)

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  2. I looooooove Greek Yogurt! Esp Oikos and Chobani =)

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  3. I very much like Greek yogurt, but I have never tried Chobani.

    Loved your lessons learned! :)

    Enjoy the yogurt!

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  4. oh love the Southern facts wish i had seen this before working as an RD in NC love it

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  5. Fnatastic information about Greek yogurt. Something else to add; the high casein in this yogurt makes it a good "bedtime snack" because there is a slow release of amino acids throughout the night, for energy for muscles!

    I do really love Greek yogurt, especially as a substitute for sour cream. Truthfully though, I can't tell the difference between the brands (and I bet 90 percent of other couldn't either!).

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  6. I like the honey Oikos. Yum!I have stopped eating it for a while now that I am on detox. Glad you are enjoying the samples.

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  7. Loved the info on Southern food. I did spend some time in Memphis, but not enough to get the rules down. I have "The Greek God's" Artemis yogurt in my frigde at the moment. I haven't had enough to have a favorite, but would love to try another variety!

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  8. Haha I learned ALL about Southern food the hard way when I first got to school. Oh and watching Paula Deen, of course!

    I love love love love love love Greek yogurt. I could eat it every day...oh wait, I do!

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  9. I love greek yogurt but we don;t get it here. We have local Portuguese yogurt but it really isn't too different. I do like that European yogurt (even dannon over here) does not use gelatin. That is so fab for me!

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  10. what fun samples! this is great to read because I don't know the difference between different yogurts at all!

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  11. So far I've only tried the Fage. Its delish!

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  12. I love Greek yogurt and definitely prefer it to other yogurts. I gotta go with Fage for being the best as well. Thanks for the info. I think I'd actually like to try the real goats milk kind.

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  13. I love the lesson in southern dining.

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  14. This is great! FYI...it's "Oikos" not "Okios." Oikos is ancient Greek for household or house. It's actually the root of the word "economy."

    Geek moment out. :)

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  15. I love chobani greek yogurt! Can't wait to see what you think!

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  16. I love greek yogurt, great info!
    I will agree with Gina, its such a good substitute for sour cream.

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  17. holy yogurt!! super lucky girl you are! I love the vanilla and plain the best! I loev spicing it up wiht my own mix in's!!

    its a great sub for making creamy chicken or tuna salad too, in place of mayo!

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  18. Isn't it soo crazy how food lingo varies so much from state to state?? Around here we eat porkettas, pasties(meat/veggie filled pastry), and poteca(walnut roll).

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  19. LOVE greek yogurt!! I have always loved regular yogurt, but now it's almost hard for me to eat because it's soooo runny!

    I wasn't all that thrilled with Oikos - I wonder if I got bad ones?! They were reallllly sour. LOVE Chobani! My sister gets the 12 pack for me at Costco for just under $12!!

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