Truckee Healthy Now recipe: Here’s the skinny on yogurt

Last week, the Truckee-Donner Recreation & Park District started its revamp of our Aquatic Center’s snack bar menu. Somehow, someway Cup O’ Noodles, jumbo chocolate chip cookies and sodas have infiltrated the inventory.

We are nice people at Park and Rec’ — not the food police. Please, by all means, enjoy the cake and candy you have brought in for your child’s poolside birthday party. What kid wants to be looking at a pile of celery and hummus on his or her special day?

But for the daily swimmers who get hungry after a workout and want to fuel up on something healthy, we knew we had to make a change.

Right now, the popular something healthy at the pool seems to be the organic Clover yogurt selections we offer. Not a bad choice, and especially appealing if you are looking for an additive-free, natural product, but not if you are looking to lower your sugar intake.

When looking to make yogurt part of your diet, you really need to read the nutritional content and look for three things: low fat, low sugar and high protein.

It is crazy how many name brand yogurts out there contain the same amount of calories as a premium ice cream. Not just a couple culprits mind you — at least a dozen.

The best yogurt to buy is any non-fat, plain Greek yogurt. This guarantees a good source of protein and zero sugar and gives you a chance to add all kinds of healthy stir-ins.

For sweeteners, you can use Stevia, sugar free maple syrup, all-fruit or sugar-free jams and even pure fruit baby foods! Of course, honey is a fantastic option as a sweetener, but, healthy or not, it does add calories.

If you want a sweetened yogurt, try a Light & Fit Greek selection, which has only about 7 grams of sugar, zero fat and 12 grams of protein. For add-ins stay away from granola and go with berries, cantaloupe and slices of banana.

The following recipes have gotten thumbs up from TDRPD staff and members. They are definitely Aquatic Center Café worthy.

Shredded apple yogurt parfait ingredients:

1/2 large sweet (not tart) apple, shredded (just use your cheese grater)

1/2 small pack Stevia OR 1 tsp. Sugar Free Apple Cider mix

Dash cinnamon

Dash lemon juice

1cup non-fat, plain Greek yogurt

Preparation:

Mix together all ingredients except yogurt until blended. Stir in yogurt. Let sit for about 10 minutes before enjoying.

Strawberry chunk yogurt ingredients:

1 tbls. sugar free strawberry jam

1 cup non-fat, plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup chopped strawberries

Preparation:

Mix jam with yogurt until yogurt is pink and jam has dissolved. Add strawberries. Enjoy.

This column comes courtesy of Truckee Donner Recreation & Park District staff and members, inspiring creative, active lives for a healthy mountain community. For more information on how you can stay in shape this spring, visit tdrpd.org.