Even though there are countless ways to battle the heat and keep your body hydrated and cool, a bowl of fresh, creamy yogurt can be a great addition to your diet. Simple, adaptable, and loaded with health advantages, this dairy product is a great choice. Yogurt, which is said to have Turkish roots, may be eaten as a meal by itself, making it simple for us to include it in our daily meal combinations. The numerous advantages would undoubtedly persuade you to do it if you don’t already include it in your daily diet. Since yogurt is a dairy product, it is a rich source of important nutrients like vitamin B-2, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and, most importantly, vitamin D and protein.

You might be familiar with considering yogurt as an easy breakfast or snack that you purchase in a small, single-serving container and is flavored with fruit. The entire potential of yogurt should be utilized because it is so much more than that. For baking dishes, meat marinades, and creamy sauces and dips, its tanginess makes it the ideal choice. With these easy yogurt recipes, we hope to present you with a world of possibilities.

Best-Ever Tzatziki

Tzatziki is a basic sauce that complements chicken shawarma, served with additional cucumbers and pita, as well as other foods. It’s the condiment we always have on hand in the fridge.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 c. whole fat Greek yogurt
• 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
• Juice of ½ a lemon
• 1/2 c. finely chopped cucumber
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. freshly chopped dill
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, oil, and lemon juice. Add cucumber, garlic, and dill. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Mulligatawny Soup

Mulligatawny soup, a vividly colored blended lentil soup with the ideal combination of spicy, creamy, sour, and sour with a hint of sweetness, has origins in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and England. It has been adapted in countless ways. The most important components of Mulligatawny are a combination of south Indian spices, creamy lentils, and a subdued sour punch from Granny Smith apples and lemon (or tamarind if you have it!).

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• A large carrot, finely chopped
• One celery stalk, finely chopped
• 1 red serrano, finely chopped
• Kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic
• A tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
• One tbsp. curry powder
• A tsp. ground cumin
• One tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
• 1 1/2 c. split red lentils
• 6 c. low-sodium vegetable stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 (14.5-oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 c. plain, full-fat Greek yogurt, plus extra for garnish
• Juice from half a lemon
• Lemon wedges, for garnish
• Freshly chopped cilantro, for garnish
• Cooked rice, for serving
• Naan, for serving

DIRECTIONS

• In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt butter until it stops foaming, Add onions, carrot, celery, and red chile, and season with ½ tsp of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Cook for about 6 to 7 minutes, or until onions are translucent and the vegetables are starting to brown lightly on the edges.
• Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in spices and ½ teaspoon salt and cook for another 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium and stir in apple until completely coated.
• Rinse lentils in a fine mesh strainer and shake off excess water. Stir in lentils, vegetable stock, and bay leaves. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 30 minutes.
• Discard bay leaves. Using an immersion blender (or transfer to a regular blender in batches), blend until smooth. (It should be smooth but not like baby food; a few bits of texture are okay.)
• Add chickpeas and 2 ½ tsp of salt, and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until chickpeas are heated through and completely tender.
• Meanwhile, combine yogurt and lemon juice in a small bowl.
• When chickpeas are done simmering, stir in the yogurt mixture until no more streaks of white remain.
• Garnish with cilantro, lemon wedges, and more yogurt, if desired. Serve with steamed basmati rice or a side of garlicky naan.

No-Bake Blackberry Cheesecake Bars

A gorgeous blackberry swirl topping transforms this no-bake cheesecake into a work of art. The cheesecake has the creamiest texture and is tangy and fluffy. The blackberry topping may not all be used for the swirling, but keep some for serving the cheesecake with additional sauce to amp up the blackberry flavor.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE BLACKBERRY TOPPING

• 6 oz. blackberries
• 1/4 c. granulated sugar
• Juice of 1/2 lime

FOR THE CRUST

• 1 sleeve graham crackers, crushed (about 1 1/4 c.)
• 5 tbsp. butter, melted
• 1/4 c. granulated sugar

FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING

• 1 c. heavy cream
• 1 c. powdered sugar, divided
• 2 (8-oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 c. Greek yogurt, preferably full fat
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• Juice of 1 lime
• Pinch kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

• Make blackberry topping: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add blackberries, sugar, and lime juice. Simmer, breaking up blackberries with a fork, until all blackberries are broken down and the mixture just begins to thicken for about 8 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Let cool. (Mixture will remain liquidy.)
• Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until fine crumbs. In a medium bowl, add graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter and mix until the mixture looks like wet sand.
• Add crust mixture to an 8”-x-8” baking dish and spread into an even layer. Using the back of a spoon or small measuring cup, pack the crust in tightly.
• Make the filling: In a large bowl, using a hand mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment), beat cream and ¼ cup powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Transfer whipped cream to another bowl.
• In the bowl, you used to whip the cream, beat cream cheese, and the remaining ¾ cup of powdered sugar until smooth. Add yogurt, vanilla, lime juice, and a pinch of salt. Beat until no lumps remain. Add about ¼ cup of whipped cream and stir into the mixture. Add remaining whipped cream and gently fold in until just combined.
• Pour mixture over crust and use an offset spatula to smooth top. Drop small spoonfuls of blackberry topping all over the top of the cheesecake. Use a toothpick to swirl the mixture into the top of the cheesecake. Add more blackberry topping until your desired pattern and coverage are reached.
• Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

Greek Feta Dip

This dip, which is loaded with feta, tomatoes, and cucumbers, was inspired by Greek salad. We added yogurt and cream cheese to give it a smoother, fluffier consistency (albeit it’s missing the olives, onion, and oregano). Full disclosure: This recipe makes a lot of dips, but it is simple to cut it in half. However, destroying it with some fluffy pita bread has never been an issue for us.

INGREDIENTS

• 12 oz. feta
• 1 c. Greek yogurt
• 1 oz. (8-oz.) block cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• Kosher salt
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp. freshly chopped dill, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 c. chopped cucumber
• 1/2 c. halved cherry tomatoes
• Pita chips, for serving

DIRECTIONS

• In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat feta cheese, Greek yogurt, cream cheese, oil, and lemon juice, and zest until fluffy and combined. Season with salt and red pepper flakes and stir in dill.
• Transfer dip to a serving bowl and top with cucumber, tomatoes, dill, and a drizzle of oil.
• Serve with pita chips.

Mango Lassi

Mango lassi is a simple pleasure that resembles a cross between a milkshake and a smoothie. To make it, all you need is a powerful blender, some ice, and roughly equal portions of sweet mangoes and creamy full-fat yogurt.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 c. whole milk plain yogurt
• 1 1/4 c. chopped ripe mango (from 2 small peeled mangoes or 1 large)
• 2/3 c. ice cubes (about 4 large cubes)
• 2 tsp. honey
• 1/8 tsp. rosewater (optional)
• Ground cardamom, for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS

• In a blender, combine all ingredients except cardamom and blend until smooth.
• Garnish with a pinch of cardamom and serve cold.