Go Greek!

by Shauna Sever — February 15, 2008

I am one of those people who cannot function properly without a good dose of protein at breakfast. But I should tell you that eggs and I don't have a good relationship. I'm pretty skeeved out at the sight and smell of them. At least, eggs in a clearly identifiable form. So scrambled, hard-boiled, poached, what have you--none of that will be happening on my breakfast plate. The challenge is finding suitable breakfast-y protein, and for a while I was alternating between smoothies with whey protein powder and fruit with cottage cheese, both of which get boring, quickly. So I was thrilled to give Greek yogurt a try and find that I love it.

Found in most natural foods stores and better supermarkets, Greek yogurt is nothing like that fruit on the bottom nonsense you might be used to. It's thick and rich, even the very low fat varieties. And at a whopping 13 grams of protein in a mere 5 ounce container, Greek yogurt can't be beat as a morning (or anytime) protein source.

Greek yogurt sometimes comes with a small packet of honey for drizzling, which is the traditional way to enjoy it, but otherwise it is completely unsweetened. It is a blank canvas for so many great flavors--homemade granola and berries are my favorite additions--and it's tart, creamy quality makes it a perfect healthy alternative in any dish or recipe where you might use sour cream. Go Greek!