Kid's kitchen: Frozen Blueberry Breakfast Bars

"It's too cold."

Of all the things I expected Miles to say about the Frozen Blueberry Breakfast Bars, it was not a complaint that they were too cold. I thought it would be more like, "Yummy!", or another enthusiastic expression as he was once again a part of kitchen preparations.

Yet, he was unimpressed by the frozen treat and insisted that I eat it. Not that I minded - I found the bars to be sweet and satisfying, an interesting balance to the fourth cup of coffee I had this morning.

 The recipe for the bars was sent to me by Yoplait Greek (as was the yogurt to make them ---> full disclosure) was quick, easy and very toddler friendly. Miles was able to help by stirring together the butter and granola, dumping the yogurt on top when it was cool and sprinkling on the garnish.

And since there were no chemical reactions (rising, leavening, etc.) or raw ingredients, I didn't have to worry about whether he added too much or too little of a particular ingredient, overstirred the base or licked the spoon.

The only worry, it seems, is being patient enough for them to thaw so we can eat them at a more palatable temperature.

Frozen Blueberry Breakfast Bars

2 1/2 cups Cascadian Farm® organic oats & honey granola
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 containers (5.3 oz each) Yoplait® Greek blueberry yogurt
1/4 cup fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons Cascadian Farm® organic oats & honey granola, coarsely crushed

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, mix 2 1/2 cups granola and the melted butter. Firmly press in bottom of ungreased 8-inch square pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cool 10 minutes on cooling rack. Freeze about 5 minutes or until cold.

Spoon yogurt over crust; gently spread to cover. Sprinkle with blueberries and crushed granola. Freeze about 3 hours or until firm.

Remove from freezer 10 minutes before cutting. To make bars, cut into 5 rows by 2 rows. Wrap each bar tightly in plastic wrap. Store in freezer. Makes 10 servings. 

Nutrition: Calories 180 (Calories from Fat 60); Total Fat 7g (Saturated Fat 3g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 15mg; Sodium 100mg; Total Carbohydrate 24g (Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars 6g); Protein 5g

Try any of the Yoplait® Greek yogurt flavors in this bar in place of the blueberry. These bars can be stored tightly wrapped in the freezer up to 2 weeks.

Award winning night {Yoplait Greek}

We runners know how to party.

And party hard.

After a tough nearly 17-mile run and couple hours on my feet doing an unofficial Nuun tasting at Fleet Feet Sports Fort Wayne, the idea of heading to my friend's Emmy party seemed ... well ... you know. So rather than load up the goodies and drive a half-hour, I curled up on the couch to watch the Emmy's at home.

I saw Kevin Spacey deliver the best of the intro/opening scene.

I saw Jim Parson's win best actor in a comedy series for "Big Bang Theory."

And then I fell asleep. On the couch. In my compression socks. See? I told you that I knew how to party.

But where I fall flat in the social department, I make up for in the yogurt parfait-making department - Yoplait Greek, fresh raspberries, bananas and toasted pecans.

The new Yoplait Greek yogurt is blended cup of strained Greek yogurt, featuring a thick and creamy texture, high protein and real pieces. The best part? Yoplait developed this yogurt as a result of learning that many consumers were not fully satisfied with fruit on the bottom and aftertaste of their previous Greek offering. It comes in six flavors – Blueberry, Coconut, Pineapple, Strawberry Raspberry, Tangerine and Vanilla – all containing 150 calories or less per serving and 100 percent more protein than regular yogurt.

Thanks to Yoplait, I've tried two flavors - Pineapple and Strawberry Raspberry. I much appreciated the blended style (especially when sharing with Miles) and found it to be thicker than the Yoplait Greek 100, which I've tried in the past. The flavor was good, and there were bits of fruit in it. I preferred the Strawberry Raspberry to the Pineapple. That said, I froze the Pineapple and now use the frozen yogurt in smoothies - how's that for putting one of my old Weight Watchers tips in action.

The Yoplait Greek is also good as a garnish for a diet gin and tonic, in Chocolate Cherry Mini Lava Cakes and Yogurt-Filled Strawberries, which celebs munched on over the weekend. Stars at the event to support Yoplait Greek yogurt’s breast cancer initiative included Laura Prepon, Vanessa Lachey and Elizabeth Moss.

I'm guessing they know how to party a bit better than I do.

I'll be sharing the recipe for the yogurt-filled strawberries on my Facebook page, as well as offering one reader five coupons good for one cup of Yoplait Greek so be on the lookout for that.

Yoplait is sure you'll like its new Greek yogurt so much that its offering a “Love it or its Free” with mail-in rebate. Restrictions apply. Find information at www.Yoplait.com/rebate.

Disclosure: I was provided with an Emmy party package that included free yogurt but no other compensation for this post. As always, all opinions are my own and I choose to review products based on items I buy regularly or would otherwise buy. 

Feeling blue: A refreshing recipe

Blueberries. You could say I've been a bit obsessed lately.

By the handful, in oatmeal, over angel food cake, on wheat waffles, by the handful, over yogurt - I have found any way possible to incorporate the berries into my diet. It doesn't hurt that they've been $1.49 a pint at Aldi of late.

And that's not such a bad thing. According to WebMD, blueberries rank the highest of any fruit for antioxidants (those free-radical-fighting powerhouses), and one cup delivers 14 percent of the recommended daily dose of fiber and nearly a quarter of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C. Blueberries are also low in calories -- fewer than 100 for a full cup. They owe their distinct hue to their high anthocyanin content, which gives certain fruits and veggies their deep blues and reds.

So it was a no-brainer to include the vibrant fruit in a recipe when I was challenged by Yoplait to make a refreshing summer snack using Yoplait Greek 100. I didn't want to just make something refreshing, though. I wanted to take one of my favorite treats - and I do mean TREAT - and make it more mindful.

My first summer out of college, I lived in the "resort" town of Sandusky, Ohio - otherwise known as that city where Cedar Point is. I rented a small house a couple blocks from the bay and lived a quiet, lonely existence.  I didn't have friends in the area, and I struggled in a job I didn't like and felt unfulfilled in my long distance relationship. I spent my evenings off chatting with my mom as I went for walks ... to the seasonal ice cream shop about a half-mile away. Some days, I might enjoy a cone and others a sundae but my favorite was the Cobb's Cooler. It was slush mix, sliced bananas and strawberry topping with a swirl of ice cream. It was insanely delicious and completely negated the 100 calories I might have burned walking to the shop.

The more mindful version of the cooler, which is just as refreshing - if not more - features fresh fruit, a no-sugar base and fat-free lemon yogurt to brighten the drink. And it comes in at less than 100 calories per glass. It does require a bit - not a lot - of prep work but it's worth it as you take a sip on the patio, watching a now 2-year-old swing a bat like a major league player.

Berry Cool Lemon Cooler

1 container Lemon Yoplait Greek 100 yogurt
6 ice cubes
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup lemon sparkling water, more or less to taste

Mix yogurt with a spoon and scoop onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Freeze until slightly firm, or until ready to use.

In a blender, add ice cubes and pulse into nearly crushed. Add blueberries and continue pulsing until there are no large chunks of ice. Scoop 1 cup of mix into a large glass and add sparkling water, stirring until desired consistency. Place half of frozen yogurt scoops in glass. Serve with straw. Makes 2 servings.

Note: If yogurt is frozen overnight, it will be easier to eat if you bring it to room temperature or defrost it slightly.

Variation: Stir in half container yogurt with drink for a creamier take on the drink.

Disclosure: Yoplait provided me with free product coupons but all opinions are my own.

Disclaimer: While I'm not 100 percent in love with the yogurt's nutritional profile, namely its inclusion of artificial sweetener, I can't deny its accessibility, price point and the role it could play in someone who is on a weight loss journey, especially as many Greek yogurts have 150 to 200 calories per container and a lot of sugar. The taste is good, too, especially when used in a dish like this.

Food Friday: All Greek to me {+ giveaway}

There were two things I missed when I was limiting dairy during marathon training: cheese and ice cream.

Wait. Make that three things. I missed cheese, ice cream and Greek yogurt.

Whether it's topped with berries and nuts or the occasional granola, stirred into oatmeal or a topping pancakes, it's a delicious snack or breakfast. And healthy, too. Greek yogurt has more protein than traditional yogurts, fewer carbohydrates and less sodium.

But of course you already knew that.

There's a dizzying array of Greek yogurt brands - Chobani, Fage and Oikos (my first foray into Greeks) - and more traditional yogurt brands such as Dannon and Yoplait have come out with their own versions. It's a $5 billion business {source}, with each brand trying to create its own niche. Chobani has a loyal following in the blogosphere and Fage has its own group who appreciate its tang.

But Yoplait is targeting someone else. Someone who can't afford to "spend" 150+ calories on the sugary concoctions of other producers. Someone who budgets snacks. Someone who is busy and needs a quick snack on the go.

Yoplait's Greek 100 is 100 calories and just 2 Points Plus if you follow Weight Watchers. It has 10 grams of protein for staying power and 9 grams of sugar (there are artificial sweeteners in this yogurt). And though it has no fat, it still has a thick consistency that Greek yogurt fans enjoy.

I sampled a bit of this yogurt during the summer, and I found it to be good. A tad sweet but good. It's something easy you can throw into your purse .... I mean lunch bag ... for a quick snack at work without having to worry about calories or portions.

And I do mean you. The folks at Yoplait have generously offered to send a case of the new yogurt to five - yes, 5! - readers.

Happy snacking.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and will end on Sunday, Nov. 18. Winners will be selected at random and announced on the blog Monday, Nov. 19. Winners have 72 hours to claim their prize (by emailing hlthystrides at gmail dot com) or new winners will be selected.

Food Friday: Snack finds

I've been snacking. A lot lately, so it seems. And while I have my go-to snacks - sliced cucumbers, fresh fruit, 100-calorie packs of almonds - I've come across some new (to me) things that I thought I'd share.

Seapoint Farms Dry-Roasted Edamame,  Spicy Wasabi flavor. I first discovered dry-roasted edamame in a Go Picnic! pack but have since seen it at Marshall's and niche grocers. I love it as a salty snack alternative to nuts or crackers with a punch of protein. A quarter-cup serving has 130 calories, 4.5 grams of fat and 14 grams of protein. And if you get the Spicy Wasabi flavor, I promise you that it has enough POW! that you won't be going back for seconds. I am a wasabi lover - it's a good part of the reason I like sushi - and this did not disappoint. Some pieces can have more wasabi powder than others so if you have a sensitive tummy, I would go with the traditional flavor.

Yoplait Greek 100. Greek yogurt for a dairy free gal? I know, I know. The company had contacted me before my decision to limit my dairy so when it came to my door, I thought I should at least give it a try.

{what I love about it} It's only 100 calories, still thick like fuller fat Greek yogurts and just 2 Points Plus if you are following Weight Watchers. I had a hard time finding plan-friendly yogurts when I was regularly attending WW and it's even tougher with Points Plus. It's also a bit more affordable than some of the other brands such as Chobani and Fage.

{what I didn't like about it} It is sweet. Almost sickeningly sweet. So much so that I felt an insane sense of mother's guilt giving Miles bites of it. I will say that I had been accustomed to eating Fage 0%, which I get ridiculously cheap at my butcher, and has about 16 grams of sugar from fruit. Yoplait Greek 100 is sweetened with sucralose (brand name Splenda), which explains the sweetness.

Earl Grey Latte with soy. OK, it's not so much a snack as a beverage - sue me. I picked up one of these the other day at Starbucks, and I fell in love.

Since I got my Keurig Vue, I've been obsessed (to say the least) with coffee, and I'm trying to balance it with something I can pretend is a bit better for me. The tea latte is just that. I got mine unsweetened (later added stevia) and was singing its praises for the three-block drive to work as I listened to a podcast of "This American Life" (also an obsession). It is a bit of a calorie-buster at 140 for a tall but it's a nice treat.

Snack drawer. I made a pit stop at Target this week to replenish my snack drawer (that's my reason, and I'm sticking to it), and I picked up a few things for the afternoon munchies - mandarin oranges in light syrup, 100-calorie packs of raisins and Fiber One Strawberry PB&J bars.

And maybe some fun-size Snickers Almond. Maybe ...

Anything else you would add to the drawer? I may or may not need another reason to hit up the Target.