Failing at Greek Yogurt

Sunday morning I dropped A off at the airport again and my kids off at my in-laws' house before heading back to sleep and go to work. I'm a single parent until Friday afternoon while A is gallivanting all over a spectacular city and doing extravagant things like riding the subway. L: "He's SOOOO LUCKY!" Despite having my phone pre-dialed to 9-1-1, I don't sleep as well without him here and our tupperware drawer has gotten messy.

I've been trying to like Greek yogurt because it's . . . I don't know, the new thing? Healthier? Less sugar, more protein? Most of us don't need more protein, but I could do with less sugar, I'm sure. I bought the vanilla-honey kind to use in my strawberry parfaits, but I need to add a liberal amount of honey to make it palatable. The Greek yogurt tastes more like sour cream, I think, and I don't care for sour cream.

I've also started making homemade coffee creamer and I'm still experimenting with different recipes. If you have a good one - specifically for hazelnut and peppermint - please share! I found an organic hippie recipe that is sweetened with maple syrup, but the one that has sweetened condensed milk is way yummier.

 C had her last day of preschool today and I am filled with bittersweetness. On one hand, I will have all three kids in full-day school and can look for a new job. On the other hand, I fear change. And there is something about no longer having any kids at home that makes me feel one step closer to death. I felt the same way when I no longer had a baby to put in the baby nursery at church. Hello, mortality!

Comments

[Christine]

Thanks for the warning on the Greek yogurt; I do not care for sour cream, either. I will go back to searching for the birthday Oreos instead.

[Davida]

You are right that greek yogurt tastes like sour cream. It is just texturally off.

I tried it recently and decided that I will just keep eating normal plain yogurt instead, which I can eat plain or with frozen blueberries.

[SarahA]

I agree on the honey flavor. Bad. But I've had fruit flavors of both Oikos and Chobani which I do like. Honey flavored yogurt is just a bad idea.

[Michelle]

I'm not a fan of the Greek yogurt either. But truth be told, I could skip yogurt altogether!
Nothing drives home the mortality thing quite like change. For me, it was the "advanced maternal age" with this past pregnancy. With #4, I was considered AMA but only because she was due to be born after my 35th birthday. I kept telling the docs that *I* wasn't that old. This time around, I was that old!

[jen w]

I like the fage yogurts that have the "side" of fruit or honey. Makes it more tolerable for me. I don't like it plain. I agree on the sour cream taste. I have an almost teenager so I totally feel for you on the mortality. seems like yesterday he was in preschool :(
If you want a job with fairly good hours, decent pay (not as much as hospital pay but still good) and not too boring, look into urgent care nursing. I have been at my UC job for a year (was in an ER previously - too stressful, no breaks, crazy hours, ALWAYS tired) and love it. Less stress, get my breaks, the latest I work is 8pm and every 4th weekend. It's great. I usually work 2 x 12's a week then my weekend when it comes up.

[Brigid Keely]

Someone I know was lambasting coffee creamer and part of The Big Deal was that it doesn't actually contain cream or dairy (although it does contain dairy ingredients so people with milk ALLERGIES or who are vegan should avoid it) and I was all but... but... but... I'm lactose intolerant! I CANNOT CONSUME CREAM IN COFFEE or else I and everyone around me will be the saddest! There's "all natural" coffee creamers out now and I'm all like WHELP I KNOW WHAT I WILL BE SKIPPING. That being said, here's hoping you find awesome recipes for YOUR home made coffee creamer! That sounds like a fun project.

[Linda]

High protein/low fat foods are the best recovery foods post run when your muscles are searching desperately around your body to build more muscle. I like to eat it within 30 min of a run and I think here you go muscles- build!!

[Kristin]

I think greek yogurt (plain with a drizzle of honey and maybe some fruit) tastes like whipped cream/the food of the gods. But if you don't like it automatically, just be happy. It costs a fortune. Unless your alternative to greek yogurt is Snickers bars, in which case maybe add some chocolate syrup to your yogurt and try harder?

[AnnabelleSpeaks]

I am not a fan of the honey kind, but I do like most of the fruit flavors of Chobani Greek yogurt. It still took some getting used to (I'm diabetic, so I had strong motivation for the "less sugar" in Greek yogurt), but the fruit-on-the-bottom helps the texture a lot when you mix it in well. The strawberry or raspberry are the most like regular yogurt to me.

[Lisa]

For the kids (and you if you'd like!) try the Chobani Champions for Kids. They have honey/banana and a very berry. Both are incredibly smooth creamy greek yogurts without feeling sour cream ish. My girls both love them (2 and 7) and I even sometimes indulge in the kid version vs adult chobani. I think the Champs are 3 PP on WW and regular fruit chobani (Peach and raspberry are sweeter, easier to enjoy) are 4 PP.

[Liz S]

I hate Greek Yogurt!!!!!!!! BLAH YUCK ICKY Its the texture with me.

Try having a kid move out! That makes you feel really close to death.

[Heather]

It took me awhile to get used to Greek yogurt too, but I'm not big on sweets so after awhile I got to like the tart taste. I hate when my DH goes out of town too as I sleep awful when he's not here. When he comes home I fall asleep and tell him to feel complimented by that, LOL! Hang in there on the single mommy thing. It's tough.