Greek Yogurt Bowl Recipe

GREEK YOGURT BOWL RECIPE

I have been teasing some of you on my Instagram stories, sharing this delicious, healthy AF yogurt bowl I made on repeat when I was in Croatia. I am sharing this straightforward yogurt bowl recipe with you.

When I say recipe, I don't think there is one. It should be buying and assembling this yogurt bowl masterpiece.

I made two versions - the Instagram reel is the one on the instructions laid out below. Unfortunately, I did not take images only videos so had to re-make it again and make do with what I had where I am at the moment.

This visual appearance is the key. As we eat with our eyes first but also note that the act of investing in the process: Shopping, finding, storing, planning, and then creating = all leads to a greater connection with optimal health, the entire connection, and experience when it comes to food.

Too many people buy or order online - throw it in the microwave, press a button, add some powder to a bottle, give it a shake, or place an order online using an app, and 15 minutes later - it's gone.

By investing in the experience, in my opinion, you automatically will have more significant improvements in health.

"Those consuming home-cooked meals more than five times, compared with less than three times per week, were 28% less likely to have overweight BMI, and 24% less likely to have excess percentage body fat." (1)

The act of making and eating from home is a rebellious act of optimal health, such as improvements in cardiometabolic health,

"Home cooking, as opposed to eating out, has been associated with better diet quality and lower food costs in cross-sectional research." (2)

Is a Yogurt Bowl Healthy?

The yogurt bowl creation came from working with a client on my advanced mentoring coaching services, 1 to 1 in Croatia. (Link)

The goal was to find something that helped optimize sleep, had no impact on elevated glucose levels before bed, was more than palatable but a party-in-the-mouth experience, and added in nutrients that help maximize satiety and body fat loss and provide nutrients for optimal health.

In addition, as the summer was in full effect in Croatia - there was a preference for something to lower our internal body temperature and cool ourselves down after dinner to help improve sleep. However, that's an n=1 biohack and method that worked well with some clients.

When is the best time of the day to have a yogurt bowl?

The yogurt bowl recipe can be made for breakfast, snack, lunch, or after-dinner dessert. There are never any rules with my real food-forward philosophy. The yogurt bowl can be easily adapted with ingredients of your choice or preferred alternatives, or additional extras. As the recipe is super simplistic, there is never really a right or wrong approach with this compared to baking a cake which needs to be accurate.

What ingredients do you need to make a yogurt bowl?

Pick the best ingredients for your yogurt bowl.

Quality matters, but it also does functionality, meaning if you can't source grass-fed A2 or organic yogurt, it should not stop you from creating this. Secondly, carry on if you only have fresh berries instead of frozen berries. Thirdly, if you don't have or are allergic to bee products like pollen, then swap for cacao nibs or hemp hearts as an alternative. Finally, if you're a vegan or carnivore, then either eat the berries or yogurt and call it a day :-)

From my perspective, I can tell the difference between grass-fed yogurt and conventional yogurt. The full or low-fat composition will also change the taste and nutritional profile.

Is dairy or fermented dairy products healthy?

I definitely think dairy should contribute to a small amount of energy (10%) towards your health and body as long as it is well tolerated (does not cause any digestive complaints or aggravate any autoimmune issues).

Milk and dairy products have unique health superpowers.

"contain more antioxidants of low molecular weight (various vitamins, nitrogen-containing components, and peptides such as glutathione) and anti-inflammatory proteins (lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase, lactalbumin, etc.) compared to other animal-derived food" 3

Using Greek yogurt being fermented provides more probiotic cultures which help us (humans) digest the lactose making it more absorbable, digestible, and nutritionally rich. In addition, dairy, and particularly the fermented forms, offers a unique inhibitory neurotransmitter called GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) produced by lactic acid-producing bacteria.

"GABA contained in fermented dairy products is a non-protein amino acid produced from glutamic acid via decarboxylation catalyzed by the enzyme glutamine decarboxylase, produced by lactic acid bacteria." 3

Fermented dairy such as the greek yogurt or kefir used in the evening meal is associated in some populations as a good sleep aid. The nutritional content of calcium, potassium, vitamin B2 and amino acids alongside the GABA from the probiotics could be the detereming factor.

"GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system of mammals synthesized in the body during sleep, but disruptions of the sleep cycle and stress-induced deterioration of sleep quality reduce the amount of GABA synthesized, further impeding sleep onset. Foods rich in GABA include fermented foods such as kimchi, natto, yogurt, and germinated brown rice and potatoes. GABA is presumed to be involved in improving sleep quality observed upon ingesting fermented dairy products." 3

The recipe is built on layers which gives it a SEXY AF look. There is flexibility with how you layer the yogurt bowl masterpiece.

Within the layers we have.

Collagen powder: I used two types. Marine with acerola cherry from Health Optimisation Supplements (Use LIVEVITAE for 10% off the collagen powder) and bovine collagen flavored with chocolate (I don’t have a preferred option yet).

Bee pollen: Although the video didn't show a lot, I would have used it slightly more if it wasn't for my client using it all up earlier during the day. Try to get as locally sourced as possible, store in the fridge in an air-tight glass jar).

Yogurt: I opted for greek yogurt and combined it with kefir which is slightly more fluid and wetter. The Instagram reel highlights where I specifically placed each ingredient and yogurt or kefir layer.

Frozen fruit: I used a variety of berries for the color, visual, taste, and nutritional benefits (I used blueberries and raspberries - but also blackberries, and currants can also work). The tart cherries combine very well with the dark chocolate like a black forest combo. If you don't like cherries, add more blackberries or another berry of choice.

Additional toppings: As mentioned, you can add cacao nibs, hemp hearts, honey, crushed nuts such as macadamia, pistachios, walnuts or brazil nuts, or seeds such as pumpkin seeds.

The options, combinations, and layers are endless. But if you want to create a layered stacked version, it's best to follow the structure I have laid out below. The yogurt bowl works best presented in a glass. However, if you don't have one, all is not lost, but it won't be visually appealing.

How to make the healthiest greek yogurt bowl

Serves: 1
Skill level: Easy
Prep time: 3 minutes
Cooking time: 2 minutes

Greek yogurt bowl ingredients

• 200 grams of Greek yogurt

• 150 ml Kefir (optional) or add 100 grams of Greek yogurt.

• 100 grams each: Frozen blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, sour/tart cherries.

• 1/2 tbsp bee pollen

• 1 tbsp marine collagen - Health optimisation supplements

• 1 tbsp bovine collagen - chocolate flavor (If you don't have chocolate-flavored collagen powder, then use cacao powder)

  Optional:

• 1 tbsp of either: crushed brazil nuts, macadamia, and walnuts.

• 1 tsp Pumpkin seeds, cacao nibs, or hemp hearts on top.

Greek yogurt bowl instructions

1. Have a clean glass cup or bowl ready.

2. If you prefer a more defrosted texture, take out the frozen fruit 10 minutes before making it.

3. I don't technically weight anything but eyeball, but if you would like to weigh, please do - but try to go with the flow, making it as intuitive and creative as possible.

4. For this version, I used tart cherries as the base. Add 100 grams of tart cherries to start.

5. Next, I added the kefir. You can add Greek yogurt if you prefer.

6. Followed by the chocolate bovine collagen powder. I then gave the glass a shake to evenly distribute the powder.

7. Next on top goes the frozen blueberries.

8. Followed by another dollop of greek yogurt with marine collagen powder sprinkled on top of the yogurt layer.

9. Next up was the frozen raspberries.

10. One last bit of kefir. I twisted it to get into all the nooks.

11. I topped with more blueberries or would have done blackberries if I had them.

12. Then finally, the remaining bee pollen or any additional optional toppings listed above.

13. Then dig in and enjoy.

References:

1. Mills S, Brown H, Wrieden W, White M, Adams J. Frequency of eating home cooked meals and potential benefits for diet and health: cross-sectional analysis of a population-based cohort study. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. 2017;14(1).

2. Raber M, Baranowski T, Crawford K, Sharma S, Schick V, Markham C, et al. The Healthy Cooking Index: Nutrition Optimizing Home Food Preparation Practices across Multiple Data Collection Methods. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2020;120(7):1119-1132.

3. Komada Y, Okajima I, Kuwata T. The Effects of Milk and Dairy Products on Sleep: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020;17(24):9440.