Stonyfield Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt

Have you tried Stonyfield's Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt yet?

If not you should.

Greek yogurt is said to have twice the protein as regular yogurt, less lactose, and less carbs (for those keeping track). It's also organic and holds up like rich thick cream (since all the liquid whey has been strained from the yogurt).

It's the texture that I like. Oikos is thick enough to use a starter if you happen to make yogurt at home. I also use greek yogurt in baked goods like Lemon Yogurt Cake or eat it topped with Maple Almond Granola or mix it with a garlic clove, fresh herbs, lemon juice, and olive oil to dress salad greens.

You can choose from eight different flavors, including plain (my favorite since I like to pair it with other food), vanilla, honey, blueberry, strawberry, honey, caramel, and chocolate.

The one drawback is that Oikos makes only one fat category, 0%. To me, yogurt needs some fat in order to eat by itself. Cooking, baking, and saucing with fat-free yogurt is fine since the flavor is cloaked. So my suggestion for Stonyfield is to offer a 2% option for those of us who like a little more heft to our yogurt.

Disclosure: While I received greek yogurt samples from Stonyfield, all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Isis Parenting Review

A few weeks ago, I was invited to an event at Isis Parenting (a parenting center) in downtown Boston. The place is pretty spectacular. You enter the parenting center through a spacious store stocked with newborn to toddler essentials. Isis also offers families support from maternity through the first three years of parenting and child development. In fact, Isis has helped more than 35,000 families since they first opened in 2003.

Isis Parenting Center, Boston 

(images provided by Isis Parenting)

Today Isis continues to grow. They run four centers in Arlington, Boston, Brookline, Needham and plan to open another location in the Boston-area as well as moving into another market in the coming year. Each center provides access to experienced parenting professionals, including childbirth educators, lactation consultants, child development specialists, massage therapists, and fitness expects.

Ken Oringer and Johanna Myers McChesney 

(images provided by Isis Parenting)

We toured the store, met Johanna Myers McChesney, President and CEO of Isis along with some of the parenting specialists, and watched Ken Oringer cook Kid-Friendly Turkey Meatloaf. The whole event made me wish I lived closer to the city. I think my two-year-old would enjoy the Lightning Bugs developmental playgroup as well as the Isis Art Studio,  Jelly Jam Tots (music and movement class), and Spanish Time!.

For those in the Boston area, I highly recommend you check out Isis Parenting's prenatal, breastfeeding support, early parenting, and child development classes. They also offer prenatal yoga, fitness, and massage for soon to be moms.

You can also learn more about Isis on their website, Facebook and Twitter.

I'm currently working on a chickpea vegetable loaf version of Ken Oringer's turkey meatloaf, but in the meantime, I thought you might like to try out his recipe, which was a hit.

Ken Oringer

(images provided by Isis Parenting)

Kid-Friendly Turkey Meatloaf
recipe from Ken Oringer, chef owner of Clio, Toro, Coppa, and other fine Boston restaurants.

1/2 bag frozen spinach (about 8 ounces)
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
2 carrots (chopped)
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon paprika
sea salt and black pepper, to taste
2 pounds ground turkey
2 eggs
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup ketchup

Puree the spinach, onion, garlic, and carrots in a food processor. Then saute in olive oil with paprika, salt, and pepper for about 20 minutes. Put vegetable mixture on a tray to cool. Mix turkey, eggs, bread crumbs, and ketchup in a bowl. Add cooled vegetable mixture and mix until completely combined. Form into a loaf in a pan. Bake in a 350 F pre-heated oven for 1 hour. Serve hot or cold.


Disclosure: Isis Parenting provided a bag of product samples to try. Thanks Isis!