Yogurt & Toppings - the at-home version

Twice a week, my kids have music lessons – one plays piano, one plays guitar.  It would be easier if I had scheduled them on the same day at the same time, but, truth be told, I was kinda avoiding our previous piano teacher because I was not too impressed with her.  So, here we are, off to lessons twice a week.

The music shop is in the same shopping center as one of my favorite stores – Trader Joe’s.  This makes it quite convenient for me to run over and get a pack of trail mix or sunflower seeds or block of cheese.  And popcorn cookies if my youngest daughter happens to be tagging along that day.  If we don’t have a grocery run, I fill my time in another direction – at the frozen yogurt spot a few doors away.

Mom's treat while waiting for kids - vanilla yogurt topped with sliced almonds & strawberries

Its one of those self-serve places.  You get as much frozen yogurt as you want, pulling down that little handle to fill your cup with a range of flavors from vanilla to berry to chocolate and a few other specials of the day.  Then you add toppings – and you can go all healthy (granola, nuts, fresh fruit) or not-so-healthy (gummy bears, mini M&M’s, chocolate chips) or somewhere in between.  I usually go with the nuts and fruit, and these yummy little caviar-looking mango flavored gel balls.  These serve yourself yogurt places are becoming my newest addiction.  And I wonder whether I actually eat more or less when I serve myself rather than just getting a particular size (small, medium, large).

So, just as I was starting to feel like I might be eating too much yogurt of unaccountable quantities, what do I get as a free sample?  Ha ha – frozen yogurt! 

Here’s the coolest thing – it came in the mail!  When I came home, there was a box with a Styrofoam cooler in it, with the yogurt and some kind of super-cold ice inside.  I can’t say who was more amazed, me or my kids.  I mean, ice cream in the mail, delivered to your home?  That’s the best food invention since delivered pizza.  

Frozen yogurt delivered by mail?  Why hasn't someone thought of this sooner?

Unfortunately, this isn't the normal delivery method – you actually have to get it from your grocery store the regular way.  The samples of Healthy Choice Greek Frozen Yogurt - Vanilla and Strawberry were sent to me from The Dish, offerings to bloggers from ConAgra Foods.  (We also received samples of the Bakery Style Pudding - Banana Cream Pie.)

Given our recent weekly frozen yogurt tastings, we were intrigued by this in-your-own freezer version.  It was Greek frozen yogurt, so I anticipated a little bit more tart taste, and it was, but not in a bad way.  My kids weren’t crazy about it, but they also don’t really like Greek yogurt.  Despite that, they all ate the whole cup and decided the vanilla was better than the strawberry.  I like Greek yogurt and I liked these convenient at-home options.

In Cooking Light (maybe October?  Its so hard to keep track of magazines, they come out so early) there was a recipe suggestion to top the at-home versions with shaved chocolate and raspberries, etc. just like you would in the shop.  That’s a great idea.  I’d feel healthier with the portion control and I won’t have to go out in the cold to get my yogurt.  I wonder where I can find some caviar-looking mango gel ball things?

*Note: I like to cook and I love trying out new recipes, whether prompted by a product company or not.  If I have been provided products or a recipe from a site/company as a promotion, I'll be sure to let you know.  If I don't say so, then its simply something I've come across that I'd like to share.  Enjoy!