Did you know that your gut is the most densely populated area within your body with neuro-transmitters (the chemical signals that pass messages throughout your body)? Who would believe that serotonin, your mood elevating neurotransmitter, is actually higher in concentration within your gut, than your brain!

What does this mean?

If you are wanting to elevate your mood, reduce inflammation within your body, and boost your body’s ability to absorb the nutrients from the foods that you eat, keeping your gut lining healthy is extremely important!

So how do you actually keep your gut happy?

Consuming foods rich in probiotics, the live microorganisms found in foods like Greek yogurt, is one of the key factors to achieving this! This will ensure that you strengthen your immune system by keeping a healthy balance between the “good” and “bad” bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract, and thereby boost the integrity of your gut lining!

Not a bad result for eating something you would enjoy anyway, right?

A range of studies have shown that consuming probiotic rich formulas help reduce stress, anxiety and depression related behaviors; Showing that the connection between a healthy gut and healthy brain definitely exists!

So next time you question grabbing that second yogurt for the day out of your fridge, don’t worry, go for it. Your stomach, mind, and taste buds will be thanking you for it!

Kara has also kindly lent us the crave-worthy recipe below, inspired by Susan Irby’s (aka The Bikini Chef) contribution to Kara’s new book “The Clean Separation”. Enjoy!

 Wild Berry Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS – serves 8

230g reduced fat cream cheese (1/3 less fat preferred)
1 cup 0% Plain Chobani Greek Yogurt
1 ½ tablespoons stevia
2 tablespoons cornflour mixed with 2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Fine zest of ½ lemon
2 large eggs
¼ cup fat-free soy milk
½ cup part skim milk ricotta cheese
1 ½ cups fresh wild berries such as raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries, lightly crushed.

PREPARATION

Crust – Healthier Graham Cracker Crust (allrecipes.com)

1 1/2 cups finely crushed shortbread cookies, animal crackers, or graham crackers
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons 0% Plain Chobani Geek Yogurt
1 ½ teaspoons stevia

For cheesecake filling:

In a standing mixer or large mixing bowl using a hand mixer, combine cream cheese, yogurt, stevia, cornflour, and lemon zest.  Mix together using the paddle attachment at medium speed.  Add eggs and combine.  Mix in milk and pour into baked graham cracker crust.  Bake for 45 minutes or until center is nearly set.  Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.  Remove sides of springform pan and allow to cool for 1 hour.

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together ricotta cheese and wild berries.  Spread over the cheesecake and refrigerate, uncovered, for 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 180*C.  In a medium bowl, mix together shortbread crumbs, cocoa powder, yogurt, and stevia. Press mixture firmly onto the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan.  Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Slice into 8 equal slices.

Nutrition:

Serving size: 1 slice
Calories:  210
Fat: 9.3g
Saturated fat: 4.5g
Carbohydrates:  19.5g
Protein:  11.5g
Fibre: 2.2g
Sodium:  236.2mg

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We all know this day is an excuse to dip some deliciously juicy strawberries in chocolate. And, who are we to say no? So here’s our take on a classic…

Ingredients

170g Plain 0% Chobani Greek Yogurt
2 Tbsp dark chocolate unsweeted cocoa powder
1 Tbsp sugar free maple syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Punnet of juicy, ripe strawberries

Directions: Mix cocoa powder, syrup, vanilla and Chobani. Dip strawberries in chocolate mixture. Enjoy!

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To give you some idea of just how large; our new plant is about 1 million square feet, or close to 93 000 square metres. That’s equal to 20 football fields. Can someone say field goal?!

Of course, this new plant required pipes, so we installed about 800km of piping alongside new, state-of the-art equipment. To put that in perspective, the distance between Sydney and Melbourne is 875km. Needless to say, that’s a lot of pipe!

Now for the milk: Idaho is the 3^rd largest dairy producing state in the US and home to about 574,000 cows… moo! The average Idaho cow produces roughly 29 litres of milk a day, and it takes more than 30,000 cows to produce the amount of milk we need daily to churn out our yogurt.

And, what’s even more amazing is that all of this came to be in just 326 days.

*Our plant in Idaho is the largest yogurt manufacturing facility in the world, by milk volume!

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We’re forever experimenting with creative ways to eat Chobani and nothing says summer like frozen yogurt and luscious berries. Berries dipped in CHO and frozen = perfect antidote to a hot summer’s day. What’s more, they couldn’t be easier to make.

In keeping with the festive spirit, we’ve added a bit of sugar and spice to make them nice. Enjoy!

• Honey Chobani and cinnamon dusted frozen berries
• Biscuit coated, vanilla bean Chobani frozen berries

INGREDIENTS

A variety of berries – blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries
Plain 2% Chobani Greek Yogurt
Honey
Vanilla bean paste
Skewers
Baking paper
Cinnamon for dusting (optional)
Crushed biscuit (optional)

PREPARATION

1. Thoroughly rinse berries and allow them to dry.
2. Mix Chobani with a drizzle of honey in one bowl, and Chobani with vanilla bean paste in another.
3. Using a skewer, dip each berry into one of the Chobani mixtures.
4. Place the Chobani-coated berries on a tray lined with baking paper.
5. Dust with cinnamon or sprinkle with crushed biscuit.
6. Place tray in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
7. Enjoy cold!

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Last Friday night we attended the Woolworths Supplier of the Year Awards where we were honoured to receive the 2012 Fresh New Product Launch Award. This award is given annually to new products entering the ‘Chilled’ and ‘Fresh Food’ categories in Woolworths and was awarded to us for our launch of Chobani into the yogurt category.

We couldn’t be more excited and proud to be this year’s winner. A big thanks to Woolies and go team CHO!

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YOGURT BONES (from Inspire Co.)

1 170g 0% Chobani Greek Yogurt
1 bag mini pretzel sticks
1 bag mini marshmallows
(Optional – caramel sauce for drizzling)

PREPARATION

1. Press marshmallows onto both ends of mini pretzel stick, with the marshmallows’ flat sides parallel to pretzel
2. Dip each end of pretzel into yogurt to cover it. Use fingers to cover pretzel rod with yogurt, and lay on a sheet of waxed baking paper.
3. Put in freezer for a few hours, then peel off baking paper and place 2 yogurt bones on top of vanilla cupcakes! Optional: drizzle caramel sauce on top

CUPCAKES – makes 12

½ cup Plain 0% Chobani Greek Yogurt
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cup plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
4 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs

FROSTING

½ cup Plain 2% Chobani Greek Yogurt
¼ cup cream cheese at room temperature
¼ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup icing sugar

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
3. With an electric mixer, cream butter with sugar until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl and mixing well between additions. Alternate adding flour mixture with Chobani in three additions, starting and ending with flour.
4. Divide batter among the muffin cups filling each about two-thirds full. Bake until golden and a cake tester inserted into centre comes out clean, 15-20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, then turn cupcakes onto wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
5. For frosting, beat Chobani, cream cheese and vanilla with an electric mixer. Turn off mixer and sift in icing sugar. Continue to beat until thick and glossy. Frost cupcakes and let frosting set for 5 minutes before serving.

The post Yogurt Bones with Chobani Vanilla Cupcakes appeared first on Chobani Yogurt.

INGREDIENTS – makes 24

Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp ground cinnamon
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
3 tbsp canola oil
3 tbsp orange juice
1 1/3 cup dried cranberries
¾ cup Plain 0% Chobani Greek Yogurt
½ cup sugar
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
½ tsp grated orange zest
1 large egg white, lightly beaten

PREPARATION – 55 mins

1. Preheat oven to 160°C.  Spray an 11 x 7-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Whisk together flour, oats, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in bowl.
3. Drizzle butter, oil and orange juice over dry mixture, stirring until moistened and crumbly. Reserve ½ cup mixture. Press remaining oat mixture into the bottom of prepared pan.
4. Combine cranberries, Chobani, sugar, flour, zest, and egg white in medium bowl, stirring well.
5. Spread cranberry mixture over prepared crust. Evenly sprinkle reserved oat mixture over filling.
6. Bake for 40 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack before slicing.

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A message from Hamdi, himself –> Happy 5th Birthday, Chobani!

So, join us in celebrating this exciting milestone and party like #itsCHObirthday. Cheers to the next 5 and beyond!

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While we might only be a year young in Oz, we’ve got our spoons held high in celebration of our 5th birthday tomorrow.

A lot has changed in the space of five years. We’ve grown from five employees to over 1,300 strong. We started out with one truck of milk a day and now use over 1.4 million litres each day. And, our products are now available nationwide in the US and Australia, as well as in Canada and the UK.

But, there are some things that will never change like our unwavering commitment to producing the best-tasting, highest quality products and being nothing but good to our fans, employees and local communities. Thanks for your support! We have the best fans around, including all our new friends in Oz. Without you, we just wouldn’t be us so we’re super excited to share the joy of this day.

Cheers and party on, peeps!

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And can we just say, these Pop Sets make froCHO that much more fun!

So we’re puttin’ it to you, dear friends, to share your froCHO creations with us. How do you mix and freeze yours? We invite you to post your creations on our Facebook page and we’ll be featuring our faves here on our blog, over the next few weeks.

Here’s a simple recipe to get ya started…

Mixed Berry CHO Pops

INGREDIENTS – makes 6 CHO Pops

3 x 170g pots of blueberry or strawberry Chobani
100g of fresh mixed berries/sliced strawberries (frozen berries are also fine)
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp honey, to taste

PREPARATION

1. Mix fresh berries, Chobani, lemon juice and honey.
2. Divide mixture evenly amongst Chobani pop moulds, stopping about 0.5cm from the top.
3. Insert handle and freeze until firm, for about 6-8 hours.

And voila! A delicious, healthy alternative to ice cream and perfect at any time of day.

Now, hot-foot it to Woolies for your free Pop Set! They’ll be in stores for the next 4 weeks or until stock runs out.

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