Review: Elli Quark (a.k.a. A Reunion with a Childhood Love)

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Growing up as a half-German girl living in North Carolina, I loved having the best of both worlds:

Cool German summers and temperate winters in the American South.

German sweet treats, like Kinderschokolade and Nutella, and American peanut butter and trail mix.

German Weihnachtsmaerkte and American Halloween.

German linguistic freedom (anyone can build a word!) and uncomplicated English grammar.

Long American summer vacations and school to attend in Germany during those long summer breaks.

Rustic German breads and neon-colored American ketchup to amuse my German cousins with.

As the increasing global market brought more and more of my German favorites to me in the USA (I still fondly remember the year that Target brought Nutella in America to me - even if German Nutella tastes way better) the things that I couldn't get here stood out more and more. Key among them: quark.

Creamy Elli Quark

A soft cheese that is both low in lactose and fat, as well as high in protein and creaminess, quark was dairy that I could digest and I LOVED it. I still do! But it was, sadly, impossible to find in even international markets in the USA. Until now!

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Nutritious Dessert: Tiramisu the Healthy Way!

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I participated in an Event and Blogger Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Dannon. I received product samples to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation. All views and opinions are my own, and do not necessarily represent those of Dannon.

Bikinis and beaches. Barbecues and brats. For many of us, summer is associated with a lot of great sensory experiences. But one thing that we tend not to associate with summer is dairy! 

But with cows producing more bone-strengthening milk in the summer months than the rest of the year and the average American already only consuming 52% of the recommended 3-4 servings of dairy daily, we shouldn't neglect it just because the sun is out! That's how June as National Dairy Month came about.

Many of us, myself included, purposely avoid much dairy because of the associated digestive upset from lactose intolerance. 

Yogurt, however, contains live active cultures that help produce lactase in our bodies to digest the lactose in the yogurt. So even if you're like me and just a slice of stomach makes your stomach roll, you might find that yogurt doesn't bother you at all! 

If you're really worried, rich for protein-rich Greek yogurt. The same straining process that makes it so good for us removes some of the yogurt's lactose, making it a lower lactose option than regular yogurt.

Dannon's *Limited Edition* Light & Fit Greek Tiramisu

But here's the best part - with Dannon Light & Fit greek yogurt dessert flavors, your daily Greek yogurt can serve not only as a nutritious snack, but also a creamy, indulgent dessert that's low in sugar, free of fat, and perfect for a sweet treat that you can feel good about eating!

A nutritionist from Dannon and a nutritionist from Stop & Shop hosted me for an educational morning in a suburban Massachusetts Stop & Shop store, to celebrate the launch of *limited edition* Dannon Light & Fit Greek Tiramisu. 

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A SMART Bar!

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Snack bars are a great option to stay fueled on the go, whether you're busy with work, school, travel, holiday prep, or any combination of those! I love protein bars, but sometimes it's nice to mix things up with regular granola bars, too.



I've reviewed some of Detour's delicious protein bars before, but they have a whole new type of bar out this fall! The new Detour SMART bar is their first venture into the natural foods market, so it's pretty exciting!

What exactly is the SMART bar? It's a gluten-free oatmeal bar that is currently available in two flavors, blueberry and apple cinnamon.



When I first heard of the bars, I was thinking they would be like granola bars or baked fruit-filled bars.

I was surprised to find that they really weren't!



Both bars were delicious, not at all artificial or malt-y tasting, but they were a sticky consistency, more like a nut butter-based bar than your usual granola bar. They have a sweet, tasty greek yogurt drizzle on top.



Detour keeps the sugar really low for a granola bar (just 4g!) with stevia. The bars are also pretty small, so they're good if you're just looking for a little something or as a snack bar for kids.



They're small but tasty! Both flavors were great, but the blueberry was my favorite.



 It even had little bits of dried blueberry in it, which was fun!

Have you tried the new SMART bars?

What's keeping you busy this week?

Have you started your holiday prep yet?

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Review: Smari Organics

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Are you obsessed with greek yogurt (like *cough, cough* me)?

Well, put down the spoon because I have an exciting new obsession to share that you're bound to love!

Greek yogurt is awesome because it's delicious, creamy, thick, and loaded with protein (about double as much as regular yogurt) in addition to all the usual probiotic and calcium benefits of regular yogurt. Greek's neighbors (in a far removed sort of sense) from the north have Greece beat in terms of healthy, delicious, and satisfying cultured dairy creations.

Icelandic yogurt (=skyr) is made from four cups of whole milk that are skimmed, heated, cultured, allowed to rest, strained, strained, and strained to create one cup of protein packed goodness!

Smari Organics brings that protein-packed, potentially longevity-boosting yogurt to the US!

It's no coincidence that Icelanders have among the highest life expectancy in the world - 83.3 years for women and 78.8 for men.























The yogurt, with its crazy high protein levels, may be partly to thank for Icelanders' famous strength (not only from Viking days, but more recently from being the 8 time winners of 'Strongest Man in the World').

If not that, I can't believe that it isn't related (causally) to the fact that they were ranked as the fourth happiest nation in the world in a 2006 international study (taste that awesomeness, realize it's healthy, and yes, you will be happy, too).

Smari comes in four popular flavors - strawberry, vanilla, blueberry, and pure (=plain).



It can be purchased in convenient single serving 6oz cups at a variety of stores, including Whole Foods (just use their handy-dandy Smari Finder to find Smari near you).

With 0g of fat and 17-20g of protein per flavor, this figure-friendly snacks really can't be beat.

And did I mention that Smari Organics keeps it organic and grass-fed? Because they do. Also, there's no Red20 (or whatever the heck the colorings usually are) in the Strawberry Smari - just a drop of red beet concentrate for color, which gets two thumbs up from me!

Don't worry, you can't taste the beets, it's sweet, creamy, and delicious.

Speaking of thick...Icelandic legend has it that people in remote Iceland villages eat it with a knife and fork. You're skeptical, right?

SERIOUSLY GUYS, THIS STUFF IS THICK. It's amazing. Period.

I didn't need a knife and fork, but I also didn't need my usual million cups of granola to make it satisfying. The sweet, simple, fruity blueberry and strawberry Smari yogurts made a delicious snack all by themselves (like a less sweet, more substantial mousse) and the vanilla was great with a sprinkle of dried cranberries on top.



I tend not to like vanilla, as I think they often try to be too dessert-y, but Smari Vanilla isn't too sweet and doesn't try to be dessert-y, but ends up being scrumptious. Yum!



I had the plain with a little granola sprinkled on top and a dollop of jam and peanut butter before a three hour lecture all the way over at Northwest Labs (on the far side of Harvard's undergraduate campus) and was satisfied and focused all through class.

WHAT.

These are a keeper! Definitely a new favorite food and a new favorite study aid. Double win!

Check them out on Twitter and Facebook to stay up-to-date on product promotions, discounts, etc.

Have you tried Skyr?

What's your favorite way to eat dairy and get your calcium in?

Have you ever been to Iceland? Tried Icelandic Cuisine? Met a Viking?

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Wallaby's Organic Nonfat Greek Yogurt - Review and Giveaway!

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It feels like ages since I've last had a giveaway, doesn't it? To make up for lost time, today's giveaway is super awesome and there will be three winners!

Why is this giveaway so super awesome? Because it's of ohmygoshridiculouslydelicious Greek yogurt!

I've reviewed Wallaby Organic Yogurt in the past, but I've only recently had the chance to try their new line of nonfat Greek yogurt.

Wallaby Organic Yogurt has been making really great lowfat yogurt and really great lowfat Greek yogurt for a while now. I've always liked how they kept the fruit flavoring and the plain yogurt separate in their Greek yogurt cups (the regular low fat yogurt cups are all mixed up) as it's more DIY and fun that way!



I prefer swirling the fruit preserves in only partially and this setup allows me to do that. I think it tastes better that way, because that helps maintain the integrity of the individual flavors of the yogurt and the topping!

Anyway, Wallaby Organic Yogurt came out with a new line of nonfat Greek yogurts a few months ago, to complement their line of low fat Greek yogurts.

Inspired by their travels and always free of artificial ingredients, their products are all the sort of great, whole food that you can feel good about putting into your body.

Just like the low fat Greek yogurts, their nonfat Greek yogurts are smooth, creamy, and delicious! They also come with the fruit topping separate and come in lemon, mixed berries, peach, raspberry, and plain flavors.

Of all the flavors, the lemon is my favorite flavored yogurt (it strikes the perfect balance between sweet and tart, without erring on the side of saccharine - a lot of flavored yogurts do, which I find makes them less appealing for breakfast).

But I'm a plain yogurt girl through-and-through, so the plain flavor was my absolute favorite! I loved pairing it with granola, dried fruits, and peanut butter for a breakfast or snack that keeps me going (Greek yogurt has great protein content)!

The nonfat plain greek yogurt, with coconut sugar, vanilla protein powder, and cinnamon stirred under - yum!

While their other products, including their blended, Australian-style low fat yogurts, their low fat Greek yogurts, and their sour cream, are available at a variety of shops, the nonfat Greek yogurts are available exclusively at Whole Foods stores.

Okay, so now for the part of the post that you guys are most excited about: the giveaway!

The folks at Wallaby Organic Yogurt have been extremely generous and are offering to send five (5) VIP coupons each, redeemable for free 5.3 or 6oz Greek yogurts (they're good for both the low fat and nonfat Greek yogurts) to not one, not two, but three lucky Living, Learning, Eating readers!

If you're based in the US, enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below for your chance to win - the odds are triple as good in your favor as usual!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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An Icelandic Treat

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I love Greek Yogurt, but thick, protein-rich yogurt isn't just a recent trend. It's blown up over the past few years in the US, but people in Iceland have been enjoying a similar creamy treat for years!

Skyr is a super-healthy form of dairy that pairs an enticing creamy, thick texture and smooth, rich flavor with exceptional levels of calcium and protein. It's also naturally low in fat and a staple of the Icelandic diet - part of why Icelanders are among Europe's longest living people!

Skyr.is is an authentic Icelandic company that has expanded to providing Skyr to US consumers, as well!



There are three varieties of low-fat Skyr available.



There's Blueberry (I didn't try this one, but I imagine it must be as good as the others), Strawberry, Vanilla, and (my favorite!) Plain.



I was delighted to find that Skyr is like the lovechild of Greek yogurt and quark - it's technically a soft cheese, but with the nutritional stats of a thick yogurt.



It's really delicious to enjoy as a yogurt (either by itself or, as I prefer, topped with dried fruits and nuts and cereal). It's thick, creamy, and just lightly tart. If you go for one of the flavored varieties, they aren't too sweet (but are sweet enough).



It's also a great ingredient for healthy and cooking - the Skyr.is website even has several healthy recipes to get you started! You can make Tzatziki ala Skyr, Chocolate "Skyramisu," fun smoothies, and even "Skyr-a-mole," a high protein, low fat twist on guacamole.

Have you tried Skyr?

What's your favorite world cuisine?

Have you tried any Icelandic foods?

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Friday Foodie Finds #35: Greek Yogurt Edition!

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It's finally March!!

March is awesome. All of the coolest kids are born in March.

Tee-hee.

Anyway, it's Friday! Yaaaaay!

Today's Friday Foodie Finds features greek yogurt, since it's one of my favorite foods. Since greek yogurt is today's star, however, none of these recipes are vegan.

No worries, I'll have some vegan recipes again next week!

Liz's Zucchini Spice Greek Yogurt Pancakes

Nigel's Yogurt Brulee

Dannon's Creamy Yogurt Cheesecake

Heather's Lemon Balm Yogurt Donuts with Blackberry Glaze

Vered's Whole Wheat Greek Yogurt Biscuits

Those look like they would be absolutely amazing fresh from the oven with peanut butter and strawberry jam, don't they?

Voskos's Greek Yogurt Chocolate Bread

Frankly, all of these recipes look really delicious.

But my favorite way to eat greek yogurt is still in a parfait with granola, dried fruits, seeds, and nut butter.

I don't think that will ever change.

Do you prefer greek or regular yogurt?

How often do you eat some sort of yogurt? For me, it's multiple times per day every day!

What is your birthday month?

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WIAW #72: Greek Yogurt-licious!

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I've been talking a lot about yummy ways to make breakfast a regular part of your diet. There are a lot of ways to do it, from planning ahead to waking up earlier to stocking your pantry and fridge. But the best way to make breakfast a part of your life is to make sure you love your breakfast - then you'll want to eat it! And what's one of my favorite ways to inspire breakfast love?

By adding greek yogurt!

Greek yogurt is a great source of protein for vegetarians and omnivores alike, it's an excellent source of calcium, and its super thick and creamy-licious texture makes it super satisfying and super delicious! Greek yogurt is awesome on its own, in creations (cough, cough: yummy yogurt-granola-nut/nut butter messes), or as an ingredient in anything from soup to muffins to potato balls and tzatziki!

I've had the pleasure of trying a new-to-me Greek yogurt, Voskos Greek Yogurt,  recently and, since I got to try all of their products and that's a lot of greek yogurt, I thought the best way to share my thoughts with you is by dedicating this WIAW to the ways that Voskos greek yogurt has been in my life lately!



Check out that super awesome greek yogurt shelf in my fridge

NOTE: Greek yogurt is, of course, not thing only thing that I eat all day (much as I'd like to) nor did I eat all of that Greek yogurt in one day. This isn't a day's record WIAW, it's a 'what I've been eating lately' kind of WIAW with Greek yogurt as the theme!

Voskos greek yogurts have double the protein of regular yogurt and are non-GMO and free of rBST and rBGH (whoot-whoot!) and anything else that you don't want in your healthy cup of creamy goodness.

Track down the blue Voskos Van for your free samples - they give away greek yogurt every weekend! You can also check out their What's Fresh blog for great articles about healthy living (like how to minimize colds, slow the aging process, and the latest research about how dairy may help prevent diabetes and probiotics may help against IBS)!

Though all that great health stuff doesn't even really matter once you taste these deliciously creamy, fruity greek yogurts. There's nothing artificial tasting about even the peach flavor - and I think peach is one of the hardest yogurt flavors to get right.



But Voskos pulled it off. It's really fun to go crazy with the toppings! Here's a cup with the last of a bag of pretzel sticks swirled in, but I also really enjoyed topping the cups with granola, banana chips, chocolate chips, peanut butter, and (in a last ditch attempt to hang on to Christmas) candy canes.

Voskos Greek yogurt comes in a bunch of different varieties, flavors, and sizes, so that there's something for everyone!

Unless you're lactose intolerant...

But Greek yogurt is actually easier to digest for some lactose sensitive people than other dairy, because of the healthful bacteria in the yogurt!

Anyway, there's the big 32oz tub in case you're running a family (or just reallllly love Greek yogurt), the 16oz tub for smaller households or smaller Greek yogurt addictions, and the 5.3oz cups for bag lunches and breakfast/snacking on the go.

My favorite is the 16oz plain yogurt - perfect for piling on the toppings :)



And Voskos greek yogurt is creamy! My mom bought some of the Yoplait variety (it was on sale) the other day and then we had this shortly afterwards and she said she couldn't believe that they claimed to be the same product. I couldn't either - Voskos greek yogurt is so much creamier and thicker and all around yummier!

It's right between Chobani and Fage in consistency - just the right amount of thick.

I didn't try the Crunch greek yogurts, but they have four flavors for snacking on the go - that's Greek yogurt with an attached little compartment full of crunchy granola! The flavors are Vanilla Crunch, Honey Crunch, Blueberry Crunch, and Strawberry Crunch. 

Have you tried Voskos Greek Yogurt?

What's your favorite way to eat Greek yogurt?

Do you prefer Greek or regular yogurt? Which do you eat more often?

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Halloween Fashion Inspiration: Mean Girls

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First: Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a chance to win a Ronco Food Dehydrator and my other one to win 3 taster bars of organic, fair-trade Madecasse Chocolate!

Second: happy (almost) Halloween, everyone!

Do you remember the Halloween party scene in Mean Girls, where Halloween is described as "the one night a year when a girl can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it."

Walking back from a babysitting job on Halloween my freshman year, I realized just how true that was. There were girls in various states of undress all over Harvard Square and then a group of giggling girls dressed in literally bras and panties got out of a cab and proudly informed me that they were Boston University students visiting for a final club party.

Some stereotypes die hard. Especially when so many work to reinforce them.

Anyway, here's an outfit that's about 5 on the skanky scale, with 0 being a big purple Barney costume, complete with the head and everything, and 10 being those girls in their lacy underwear. As always, no individual piece is over $50. Enjoy!

Halloween by livelearneat featuring platform shoes

Long maxi skirt
$25 - etsy.com

Platform shoes
$48 - lulus.com

Kate spade jewelry
$38 - couture.zappos.com

REGENCY glove
$32 - etsy.com

Steampunk Costume,Steampunk Clothing,Steampunk Corsets,Steampunk...
$40 - costumesofnashua.com

Persuasion Womens Masquerade Mask with Feathers and Trim
$28 - successcreations.com

Black Lace Fan
$5.99 - totallycostumes.com





I've also been enjoying this not-so-spooky snack:

 Wallaby Organic Low-Fat Greek Yogurt is super creamy and smooth. My favorite flavor is the strawberry, which tastes the most authentic to me and is really yummy with the tart greek yogurt. Yum!

There's also no food coloring or high fructose corn syrup, so there's no reason to be spooked ;)

I'm such a kid sometimes, I got entirely too much of a kick out out the separately partitioned flavoring and getting to dump my own mix-ins in. :P

Do you celebrate Halloween?

What's the coolest Halloween costume you've ever seen?

What are your Halloween plans?

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