Seasonal pantry: Savory ideas for yogurt

The other day I read that certain yogurt containers are wreaking havoc with wildlife. Skunks and other critters are getting their heads stuck as they try to lick out the last bit of yogurt in abandoned cups. If no one is around to rescue them, they die.

This got me thinking. Why do we even have individual containers of yogurt? Sure, they are convenient, but that convenience comes at a pretty big cost to the environment and it seems to be one of the places where it would be easy to adjust to a more sustainable practice.

If you buy large containers of yogurt instead of individual sizes, you can easily use Mason jars to divvy up the yogurt. It's a wise financial move, too. Large containers of almost anything are a better deal than individual containers. And as far as convenience goes, here's how to make it simple. Buy plain yogurt on the weekend and divide it among clean, wide-mouthed, half-pint jars. Let family members add whatever condiment they like or add it yourself. You can put a layer of sliced strawberries, blueberries tossed with a little sugar, apple sauce or apple chutney, a big spoonful of honey or your favorite salsa in the bottom of the jar, add the yogurt and close the jar with its lid. Stack the jars in the refrigerator where they can be grabbed by anyone heading to school or work or simply for a snack. They are portable, reusable and much more pleasant than eating out of plastic.

Sonoma County has a wealth of choices when it comes to yogurt and, because we have such great milk, it is also easy to make it at home (I've posted a recipe for homemade yogurt along with other recipes from the Seasonal Pantry archives at 'Eat This Now' at pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com).

Clover Stornetta, Redwood Hill Farm Goat Dairy, Saint Benoit Creamery, Straus Family Creamery and Bellwether Farms all make yogurt and offer it in a range of sizes. Wallaby Organic, based in American Canyon in Solano County, makes several types of yogurt using milk from seven farms, six of which are in Sonoma County. Saint Benoit's yogurt comes in glass jars, with two sizes, 4.75 ounces and 23 ounces, available. Both sizes are reusable.

I prefer yogurt that has just two ingredients, whole milk and live cultures.

As far as nonfat, low-fat and whole milk go, I always choose whole milk yogurt. There is some evidence that full-fat dairy products, especially from animals that graze, provide the most and the best nutrients.

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This recipe is for anyone who enjoys yogurt in a savory, not sweet, context.

Yogurt with Celery & Radish Salad

Makes about 4 to 5 servings

3-4 celery stalks, trimmed and cut into thin diagonal slices

4-5 small radishes, trimmed and very thinly sliced

1 tablespoons minced fresh chives, optional

1 lemon wedge

— Kosher salt

1 ounce, or more to taste, blue cheese, broken into small pieces, optional

2 cups plain, whole milk yogurt

1 ounce blue cheese, broken into small pieces, optional

Set 4 or 5 clean, wide-mouthed, half-pint glass jars near your work surface. Put the celery, radishes and chives, if using, into a small bowl and squeeze the lemon juice on top. Add several generous pinches of salt and toss gently. Divide among the jars and scatter a little blue cheese, if using, on top. Agitate each jar gently so the vegetables make an even layer.

Fill each jar with yogurt, close the jars and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Stir before eating.

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Yogurt and avocado go together beautifully and in this recipe they are combined into a simple but delicious dip.

Avocado Yogurt Dip

Makes about 4 to 8 servings

2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted and peeled

— Juice of 1 lime or 1 lemon, plus more to taste

¾ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1 serrano, optional, stemmed and seeded

½ cup cilantro leaves

— Black pepper in a mill

2 cups plain, whole milk yogurt

Put the avocado into the work bowl of a food processor, add the citrus juice and sprinkle the salt into it. Add the serrano, if using, and the cilantro and pulse several times, until the mixture is smooth.

Use a rubber spatula as needed to scrape the sides of the work bowl.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and use a rubber spatula or a whisk to add the yogurt, along with several turns of black pepper.

When the mixture is smooth, taste and correct for salt and acid. Enjoy right away or cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.

To pack for lunch, divide among quarter-pint or half-pint Mason jars.

Serving Suggestions

To use as a dip, offer crackers, pita chips, radishes, sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and celery sticks alongside.

To serve as a lunch dish, put a few sliced cherry tomatoes or chopped tomato, minced clove of garlic and some minced radishes into a half-pint Mason jar and season with a little salt and pepper. Spoon yogurt dip on top, close jar and refrigerate until ready to enjoy. Stir before eating, with or without pita chips or crackers alongside.

Email Michele Anna Jordan at michele@saladdresser.com. You'll find her blog, 'Eat This Now,' at pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com.