The American diet is saturated with sugar and light on foods that tend to be more sour or bitter. However, it is possible to develop a preferential taste for sour and bitter with frequent exposure. Try training your tastebuds with this dessert featuring a luxurious mouthfeel and nutrient dense ingredients.
To blunt the bitterness, you can add fig butter for subtle sweetness and extra flavor complexity—I like it both ways. Don't forget the berries!
Nutrition Highlight: Yogurt
L. Bulgaricus and S. Thermophilus are the starter cultures in yogurt. The probiotics (good bacteria) L. Acidophilus, Bifidus, & L. Casei are added later, improving the gastrointestinal (GI) health benefits of yogurt. This addition of probiotics is the reason yogurt, as well as kefir and kombucha, are more powerful than other fermented foods (i.e. miso, tempeh, sauerkraut), which lack added probiotics.
Avoiding added sugar as much as possible is best for overall health. Recent studies have found that added sugar increases cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality because it promotes hypertension, elevated LDL cholesterol, and decreased HDL cholesterol. Added sugar (sucrose) is made up of fructose and glucose; fructose is preferentially metabolized to lipids by the liver, causing elevated triglycerides, which are associated with insulin resistance and CVD. Thus, plain yogurt is the way to go!
If you're accustomed to sweetened yogurt, plain yogurt will seem extra tangy, so just give your taste buds time to adapt. Try adding cinnamon, fruit, &/or crushed nuts to subdue the sourness.
Yogurt should be cultured after pasteurization because probiotics are heat sensitive. Likewise, if a hot dish calls for yogurt, add the yogurt as close to the end as possible to avoid killing the beneficial bacteria.
Creamy Cocoa-Yogurt
Printable Recipe
A delicious and luxurious dessert with two nutritional powerhouse ingredients. Make sure to take a moment and inhale the wonderful cocoa, vanilla, and berry fragrances.
1/2 c plain yogurt
European-style yogurt = creamier texture (featured above)
Greek yogurt = fluffier texture (featured in opening photo)
2 T unsweetened (non-Dutched) cocoa powder
a splash of pure vanilla extract
adds A LOT of flavor complexity
2 tsp fig butter, optional
raspberries, fresh or frozen
In a medium bowl or tall container, whip the cocoa into the yogurt with a spoon. Add a splash of vanilla. The fig butter will add the wonderful vanilla/caramel notes found in figs without adding overt sweetness.
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for a thicker end-product. (This allows time for the cocoa powder to rehydrate.)
Top with fresh raspberries (or blueberries) or frozen raspberries that have been defrosted. Enjoy with a cup of mint tea. Enough for two petite portions.
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