Plain Yogurt

I love plain yogurt. My favorite way to have it is mixed with fruit and splenda... and a touch of vanilla... I just discovered that I can also use it as a subsitute for sour cream! I was a little nervous to try it and was excited when it worked...

So, I'm wondering how many other uses are out there for yogurt... so far I have it as a treat and sour cream... what do you use plain yogurt for?

I googled it and found this article I thought I'd share...

Yogurt: Good for You Inside and Out!

Yogurt. It is one of those foods most people either love or hate.

I love yogurt and over the years have tried finding a variety of ways to put it to use for both health and creative purposes. As a health care worker and mom of active children, yogurt often came to the rescue in some surprising ways.

The health benefits of eating yogurt on a daily basis is often advertised and preached in health magazines and commercials. Yogurt made from active cultures has been shown to enhance your immune system, prevent diarrhea and yeast infections, sooth and help prevent stomach ulcers and is even a healthy addition to your pet's diet . Have you wondered how many other uses is there for a container of plain, active- culture yogurt?

Facials: To cleanse, moisturize and tighten. Simply apply a generous coating of plain, active-culture yogurt to your face , close your eyes and relax for 20 minutes then rinse well with cool clear water.

Revitalizing Facial Mask: 1 teaspoon plain active-culture yogurt, 1tsp fresh orange juice with pulp, 1 tsp of aloe. Mix together well and spread onto face, allow to sit at least 5 minutes before rinsing off with cool clear water. (Cool cucumber slices on your closed eyes while you wait for either of these treatments really does reduce puffiness and redness as well!)

Relieve sunburn pain: My children often got too much sun before I realized just how long it had been since the sunscreen was applied. A coating of plain yogurt quickly cools hot sensitive skin and adds much needed moisture. Of course your little ones will groan 'Ewwww....gross!' but then giggle as the cool yogurt starts easing the burn! For extra moisture you can add a dollop of aloe gel to the yogurt before applying. Let sit on the red skin for several minutes then toss your little ones into a tub of cool water to rinse off!

While on the topic of children and yogurt here are a few more projects I introduced to them while they were young enough to think I was a 'genius'.

Yogurt Cheese: Introduce this as an 'experiment' and your kids may decide they like this cheese on a cracker better than peanut butter! Simply place a colander in a bowl(to catch liquid) then line the colander with cheesecloth or coffee filters. Pour a pint of plain yogurt into the colander. Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight - 24 hours. The longer it drains the firmer your cheese will be. Then blend cheese with your choice of herbs and enjoy in dips or spreads in place of cream cheese. Each child can make their own flavor combination!

Finger Paints: Yogurt makes a great edible finger paint. All you need is a few drops of food color to make the 'paint' any color you wish. You can even give a lesson in primary and secondary colors and show the little ones how yellow & blue=green or red & yellow=orange. Then see how many colors you can come up with. Spread a large drop cloth under the work area for easy clean up. Better yet, use an inexpensive disposable tablecloth and simple toss in the trash after the fun is done! Also works great to 'paint the sides of the shower' while playing in the tub. Easily rinses off with cold water!

Moss 'Paint': You need to help prepare this one mom. I suggest getting an old blender at a yard sale for this project. It will come in handy for future messes you don't want mixed with edible food later as well!

Into a blender, pour a pint of plain active-culture yogurt, a few good size pieces of lawn or yard moss and a cup of water. This can be painted onto terra cotta pots to give an 'aged' look when placed on the patio or garden for a few days. If you have a damp shady area under some bushes or trees that nothing seems to grow in, pour the remaining 'moss paint' in the area and keep damp, you should soon see the moss grow and spread in the 'painted area'. Why not try 'painting the ground in a design? Perhaps your child's initials?

Pets: Don't forget your pets out when considering the benefits of yogurt. If you have a pet who tends to get 'gassy', it is often a result of not enough live bacteria in their digestive tract. Add a few tablespoons of yogurt to the pet's meals and you should see a difference in just a few days.

Has Fido found something foul to roll in or tried to play tag with a pole cat? Massage a thick layer of yogurt into their fur before giving them a bath for a squeaky clean and fresh smelling furry friend! A yogurt massage once a month, before his bath,will help Fido's fur shin and cut down on dogie dandruff as well!

Have you found a use for yogurt that I've not tried?