FAGE Total Greek Yogurt

So are you a Greek yogurt person? Have you jumped on the bandwagon yet and tasted this protein-packed deliciousness?

My brother was telling me to get greek yogurt because it's higher in protein, helps keep you full longer, you want to diet and eat more healthy, right, so get this!

So I tried the brand he recommended and got it in the flavor he recommended (vanilla bean) and wasn't all that impressed other than it tasted like a warmer version of frozen yogurt (froyo!).  Meh.

Then BzzAgent and its latest campaign came around, this time for FAGE Total Greek Yogurt. Why not? I've been trying different brands of greek yogurt, they're all the same, right?

Wrong. So wrong!

Click to go to FAGE's Facebook page

So, greek yogurt is different from regular yogurt because it's strained through a cheesecloth to remove the whey, leaving a thicker yogurt somewhere in the consistency of a soft cheese. The other greek yogurts I have tried were still really wet, and while a bit thicker, they have NOTHING on FAGE.

I admit I've been confused these last few months as I tried greek yogurt after greek yogurt, all prepackaged with fruits or fruit-like jelly, or pre-flavored. Still, you opened them up and they had a bunch of water on the top and you mix it and it's still...watery like regular yogurt, albeit a bit thicker. "People cook with this? How? What the hell would I make with it?"

Enter the BzzAgent campaign! I was able to get a 17.6oz tub of FAGE Total 2% for free thanks to this campaign. I admit to some trepidation as I was in the store. Your choices are 2%, 0%, and classic. Yes they have smaller ones with add in flavors such as berry or honey, but at my store, these big tubs came in just those flavors. I've had plain yogurt before and was preparing myself for sour beyond sour.

That's not what I got.

Thick. Creamy. Incredible texture. Slightly tangy but not pucker your face sour. Delicious.

I added fresh strawberries to it and I had a wonderful amazing breakfast. The flavor combination of the yogurt and the strawberries was delightful: light but filling, refreshing, and then I started thinking about desserts. Could I substitute the yogurt for cheese in a cheesecake? (What? I'm not healthy by any means. I need to work on it, but I like my desserts, okay!?)

And look at all the ideas FAGE has on their website:

Honey scented fruits? Mmmmm
Greek Yogurt Cheesecake? I KNEW IT!
Lobster Club with Watercress Sandwich? OH THE DECADENCE

I'm going to start substituting greek yogurt in place of other things in my daily cooking and see how dips, sauces, sandwiches, soups, etc., taste!

What's your favorite recipe that uses strained yogurt?