Ask Nicki

Ditchin’ the Kitchen this holiday season?

Posted by nicki on November 19th, 2009

The National Restaurant Association estimates 53% of Americans will top their tables with carry out or pre-prepped foods this holiday season. Orders for turkeys, hams, and holiday sides are already starting to pick up.

While it may save you time in the kitchen, it’s not doing your waistline or your wallet any favors. Take out is often higher in calories that foods prepared at home. Research shows that people who cook are often slimmer than their carry out counterparts.

This holiday season ditch take out, and take on this delicious, healthy feast:

Perfect Party Salmon Bites

Warm Spinach Arti-CHO-ke Dip

Sweet CHO-tato Salad

Roasted Beets with Chobani Dill Sauce

Greens dressed with balsamic vinaigrette

Grilled Salmon with Chobani Curry Sauce

Creamy Apple Pie

Granola Perfection

Posted by nicki on November 17th, 2009

Last December, as a gift for the holiday season, my neighbor gave me the most amazing granola I’ve ever had. I’ve been thinking about it ever since and finally got the recipe from her.

I whipped up a batch tonight after dinner. (It’s super easy to make by the way.) My morning Chobani has just gotten even better!

This recipe makes a lot of granola, but it stores well. And, as I discovered last year, it makes an awesome gift for the holidays. Just put some in a cute jar, tie a bow around it, and voila. You’re ready to give the gift of granola perfection! Enjoy.

Canyon Granola

Recipe adapted from Cowgirl Cuisine: Rustic Recipes and Cowgirl Adventures From a Texas Ranch, by Paula Disbrowe.

Makes 11 to 12 cups.

1 cup pure maple syrup (not maple-flavored)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 cups old-fashioned oats (not instant)
4 ounces (about 1 cup) pecan halves
2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) raw unsalted pepitas (pumpkin seed kernels)
2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) raw unsalted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1/2 cup ground flaxseed meal
4 ounces (generous 1/2 cup) chopped dried peaches or nectarines
4 ounces (generous 1/2 cup) dried cherries or golden raisins

Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 300 degrees. Combine maple syrup, brown sugar, oil, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until brown sugar is dissolved, and stir in vanilla. In a large bowl, combine oats, pecans, pepitas, sunflower seeds, flour, milk powder, and flaxseed meal. Pour warm syrup mixture over dry ingredients and mix well with a rubber spatula.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread the moistened oats evenly between the sheets. Bake for 20 minutes, then stir with a metal spatula and switch sheets to opposite racks to ensure even cooking. Bake another 20 minutes, then stir and switch pans again. Continue baking until mixture has a fragrant, toasty aroma, about another 10 to 15 minutes. Cool the granola in the pans, breaking up any unwieldy clumps with a spatula. When completely cool, mix in dried peaches and cherries. May be stored at room temperature in an airtight container.

Probiotics in yogurt may fight weight gain…

Posted by nicki on November 13th, 2009

I stumbled across a super interesting article in the Daily Mail today.

Basically, scientists are finding that the type of bugs in our gut (whether they’re good or bad bacteria) depends largely on the quality of the foods we eat.

Diets high in fat and sugar, may cause good bacteria to die off and increase the number of bacteria linked to weight gain. Even crazier, is the possibility that these “bad bugs” may be “fueling the obesity epidemic.”

It just shows the potential impact that our gut bacteria play on our overall health. The article alluded to the potential to create special probiotic products, like yogurts, designed to boost numbers of the bugs that like healthier foods, which may help us keep the number on the scale from moving up.

In the meantime, it’s important to eat a healthy diet along with a variety of foods, like Chobani, which contain probiotics for digestive health!

SPOONS is happening today!

Posted by nicki on November 12th, 2009

That’s right. Spoons, the game that gives 20 lucky winners a free case of Chobani, kicks off today. All you have to do is follow me on Twitter @ChobaniNicki, and watch my Twitter stream. When I tweet “Spoons is On!” be one of the first 20 people that goes to http://www.chobani.com/spoons and grab a Spoon. We’ll send you a free case of Chobani Greek Yogurt!

Don’t have a Twitter account? It’s easy, and free, to get one so sign up today. Just go to https://twitter.com/signup.

My Fave Fall Comfort Food

Posted by nicki on November 10th, 2009

The air is chilly. The leaves are falling. It’s definitely fall, which makes me yearn for warm comfort foods. Especially my all-time favorite, Shepard’s Pie–a staple in my house when I was growing up. As soon as the first cold snap would hit, I could count on my mom plopping this savory casserole on our dining room table.

So of course, I got the most intense Shepard’s Pie craving after taking a brisk walk in the Autumn air. Cold and hungry, I decided to make it. However, I wanted to lighten up this traditionally heavy dish, especially since I no longer eat meat. After whipping up a few versions of lightened Shepard’s Pie, and several cups of Chobani later, I think I’ve perfected my light yet still delicious Shepard’s Pie recipe.

It definitely takes some time, but it’s guaranteed to warm you up on a cold fall day. Let me know what you think!

Lightened Up Shepard’s Pie

Warm, Ooey Goodness

Ingredients:

4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 large onion
2 cups of baby portabella mushrooms, rinsed and sliced into 1-inch pieces
12 oz Morningstar Farms® Meal Starters™ Grillers® Recipe Crumbles™, frozen (meat eaters can substitute ground turkey or beef)
3 Tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup of red wine
1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp oregano
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup Plain Chobani Greek Yogurt
1/2 cup milk (more or less depending on desired texture of potatoes)
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 15-oz cans of creamed corn
2 cups of frozen peas, de-thawed and drained
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425F. Bring large pot of water to boil; add potatoes, and cook until tender. Drain potatoes in a colander. Allow to slightly cool while you cook the onions, mushrooms, and crumbles.

Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium heat and add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add onions and mushrooms and sauté for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add frozen Morningstar crumbles, and combine with mushrooms and onions. Add chili powder and oregano. Cook for 4 minutes or until crumbles start to det0haw. Add Worcestershire sauce and red wine. Continue cooking until liquid evaporated. Remove mixture from skillet and set aside.
Mashed Potato Topper
Place warm potatoes in a large bowl. Add remaining olive oil, butter, Chobani, and milk; Mash until combined. Add more milk until desired consistency is achieved. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add peas to a 9X12 baking pan. Top with crumbles mixture followed by creamed corn, making sure to spread each so that no holes exist. Top with potatoes, and spread to smooth.

Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes. Top with cheddar cheese if using, and cook for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and slightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Tough times don’t have to mean tight pants!

Posted by nicki on November 5th, 2009

I recently ran across an article in the Wall Street Journal about the effects the recession is having on America’s health.

“As the unemployment rate inches toward 10% and U.S. consumers continue to find themselves strapped for cash, many are turning to cheaper fare to better balance their budgets. That often means fast food and canned and frozen processed foods that are higher in fat and calories and are made with refined grains and sugars.”

In the past year, snack food sales have increased 22% as more and more consumers reach for low-priced, on-the-go foods like potato chips and cookies.

Don’t let tight pants happen to you! Skip the chips and reach for healthier snack options — like Chobani!

The author of the article gave these tips for healthier eating in tough economic times:

• Think ahead. Planning out your meals and snacks in advance forces you to think more about the types of foods you are eating.

• Make a shopping list. Studies show that people who make shopping lists — and stick to them — are less likely to make impulsive purchases of things like candy, chips or a box of donuts.

• Buy in bulk. Buying 32 ounces of yogurt can cost less than buying four eight-ounce containers. In some cases, the savings of buying in bulk versus the premium-preportioned packages can run upward of 50%, according to grocery-store price surveys.

• Make it yourself. You can find a multitude of 10-minute recipes online that use healthy and affordable ingredients. And you can be both time- and budget-conscious by making a few larger meals early in the week and freezing smaller portions for later use.

• Pack a lunch. Take leftovers for lunch and bring your own snacks to work. This will save you money and keep you from binging on vending-machine fare when hunger strikes.

• Cut down on sugary drinks. Water is cheaper — and better for you. If you still crave some flavor, squeeze the juice of a lime or lemon into the water.

Chobani Scores Big

Posted by nicki on November 4th, 2009

yogurt_eating When it comes to yogurt, nutrition isn’t always black and white. Although we tend to assume that yogurt is an inherently healthy food, that’s not necessarily the case. Many are loaded with added sugars, preservatives, and all kinds of other non-yogurty additives.

Luckily more and more people are looking at a product’s nutrition facts panel and ingredient label before adding it to their carts at the grocery store. And more and more nutrition scoring systems are popping up to help consumers make smarter choices.

Once such program is Nu-Val, a nutritional scoring system developed by a team of nutrition and medical experts. It was created to separate the losers from the winners and help “consumers see – at a glance – the nutritional value of the food they buy.”

The NuVal system uses the Institute of Medicine’s Dietary Reference Intakes and the Dietary Guidelines For Americans to quantify the presence of more than 30 nutrients – including vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants; sugar, salt, trans fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. The system also incorporates measures for the quality of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, as well as calories and omega-3 fats. The NuVal™ System also takes into account how these nutrients influence health based on broadly accepted, published scientific literature.ased on a product’s nutritional profile.

The NuVal scores for yogurt range anywhere from 22 to 99 (talk about good, bad, and just plain ugly!), with 100 being the highest possible score. Out of this range, our 0% Plain Chobani Greek Yogurt scored a 94. That’s near perfection! Woo-Hoo.

Click here for some awesome recipes featuring our 0% Plain Chobani.

Chobani takes over Denver

Posted by nicki on October 29th, 2009

Team Chobani was in Denver for FNCE–the American Dietetic Association’s annual Food and Nutrition Conference. The event has recently been dubbed Fashion week of the nutrition World.

Doron, our VP of Marketing, working the Chobani booth

It was an amazing show and so busy. The Chobani booth had at least 20 people at all times waiting for their free cup of Chobani. We practically ran out of yogurt, which means we gave away almost 5,000 cups of Chobani while we were there. Wowsers!

Read the rest of this entry »

Noting but good deconstructed…

Posted by nicki on October 1st, 2009

I just spent the past few days at a natural foods trade show in Boston. The show was jam packed with retailers and buyers. Even though the crowd might have been different than a lot of the consumer shows I go to, one thing was definitely the same; the age old question of what makes Chobani Greek Yogurt different than other yogurts.

I must get asked this question 100 times at each show, which means that it’s a good question!

So besides the love and passion that goes into Chobani, what makes it different than the runnier, conventional yogurts out there on the shelves you might wonder?

The biggest difference is how we make it. You see, all yogurt starts out in a similar way. You add starter cultures to milk, which ferment the lactose naturally found in the milk to make yogurt. Now this is where regular yogurt companies stop. They package this yogurt and they’re good to go.

At Chobani, we take this process one step further: After adding the cultures to create yogurt, we strain it so that the excess liquid is removed. This process is what separates Chobani from the crowd and is why our yogurt is so awesomely think and creamy. Plus straining Chobani gives our Greek yogurt a few other advantages over regular yogurts:

* Two times more protein
* Half the sodium
* Less lactose
* Fewer carbohydrates and sugars

Pretty cool, huh? Next time you’re at a dinner party and run out of things to talk about, you can spout out the differences between Chobani Greek Yogurt and regular yogurt and be the star of the show!

File this one under Nothing But Good….

Posted by nicki on September 13th, 2009

This Chobani-loving baby came across my inbox this morning and absolutely made my day. Click here to check it out. (By the way…am I the only one who’s noticed the crazy affinity that babies seem to have for Chobani? The proof is in the pics.)

Thanks to Rachel for: one–having such an adorably cute baby girl and two–sending this my way.

Warning: Chobani does not recommend dumping full cups of Chobani Greek Yogurt on your head and is not responsible for clothing that becomes stained or ridiculously high in protein from doing so. (Just kidding! Go for it. Yogurt’s great for the complexion.)

Chobani