Make These 4 Healthy Desserts with Greek Yogurt and You'll Be Everyone's Favorite Chef!

Discovering Greek yogurt was a revelation. I absolutely love the texture and the flavor. The 80 calorie versions with the fruit on the bottom flat-out gets me through the day, while the plain version is a staple for desserts and sauces of all kinds, with everything from fresh blueberries to creamy peanut butter to chocolate being featured in this post. 

Peanut Butter Mousse with Bananas and Shave Semi-Sweet Chocolate

Raspberry Lemon Custard Parfaits

Swirling PB&J Parfaits

Blueberry Mini Pie in a Dish with Blueberry Cream

Let's be honest. The Greek gods had one of their best days ever when they created yogurt. I mean, I love cream, butter, eggs and milk like most people. But when you're in a hurry and you want a certain consistency, there's no better cheater's ingredient to a lend creaminess to a dessert than yogurt. And without a doubt, the fact that it is also low calorie and good for you just confuses the heck out of my guests. Like, how did that little twist of fate happen without anyone having to give up a first born? 

I'm not gonna ask. I'm just gonna be grateful...and eat it.

​Check out these 5 quick recipes here!!!

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RECIPE: Peanut Butter Mousse with Bananas and
​Shaved Semi-Sweet Chocolate

For printable version, click here.

• Ingredients
• Method

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​1 C heavy whipping cream
4 - 5 T creamy peanut butter (I simply grabbed two big globs with a serving tablespoon)
½ C packed brown sugar
½ t vanilla
1 6 oz. package plain Greek yogurt
1 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate shaved
Mint sprigs to garnish
2 small bananas cut into small pieces

​In one bowl, beat the cold cream until double in volume and stiff peaks just begin to form. In another bowl, combine the yogurt, peanut butter, brown sugar and vanilla. Beat together with whisk until smooth. Gently fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture with spatula, just until incorporated. Now, fold in the bananas. Spoon mixture into serving glasses, top with shaved chocolate, garnish with mint sprig. Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.
Can make the day ahead and then top with chocolate and serve.
VARIATIONS: Could top with toasted peanuts and mini chocolate chips, or omit bananas and top with cherry preserves and whipped cream. Or, put in small pie crusts and then top with chocolate ganache.

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RECIPE: Raspberry Lemon Custard Parfaits

Click here for printable version.

• Ingredients
• Method
• Lemon Filling

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​¾ C blackberries, rinsed and dried
¼ C sugar + 2 T sugar
2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice, divided
Lemon Custard pie filling (recipe from my Grandmother!)
1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream beaten to 3 cups or so
1 small container Greek yogurt
1 t vanilla
1 drop yellow food coloring
Lemon sliced thin
¼ C fresh pecan pieces

​Make lemon filling as directed and cool. Take blackberries and the 2 T sugar and 1 T lemon juice and cooker over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often. Set aside to cool. Whip the cream, add the ¼ C sugar and incorporate sugar. Then with a hand whisk, blend in the yogurt, lemon juice, vanilla and food coloring. In a small glass serving cup or parfait glass, cover the bottom third with the lemon custard.  Then layer with the blackberry mixture. Then place the lemon cream on the top. Sprinkle with the pecans. To keep the lemon slices stiff for presentation, first slice very thin, roll in the 2 T sugar, then place on a paper plate and freeze. Takes about an hour or so. Then place on the dessert before serving for a sparkly and colorful garnish.

Here's a link to one of my favorites. Or use your own. -- ​http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/classic-lemon-meringue-pie/8f991b88-55b0-4740-b12c-251958d663a6

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RECIPE: Swirling PB&J Parfaits

For printable version, click here.

• Ingredients
• Method

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1 6 ounce container Greek yogurt (low fat is preferred)
6 ounces of smooth peanut butter
3 cups whipped cream (3/4 C heavy cream)
½ t vanilla
2-3 T powdered sugar
½ C of your favorite jam, divided
1/3 C salted peanuts, chopped
4 raspberries or other fruit to top rolled in granulated sugar

In a large mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter and yogurt, mixing well. In another bowl, beat the cream with a hand mixer, add the sugar and vanilla just as it approaches soft peaks, and then keep beating again until stiff peaks form. Now add the peanut butter mixture a little at a time, folding in with a spatula about ¾ C at a time. Be patient. It will combine. But you want to keep the air in the whipped cream so be gentle.
 
In four parfait serving cups, add a little of the jam at the bottom, until you get see it on the side. I used red raspberry preserves. Then spoon the peanut butter mixture over the jam, and smooth out the tops of each patting down a little and swirling the top so it is flat and pretty. Top with the fruit piece rolled in sugar, and then sprinkle with the chopped peanuts. Chill until ready to serve and cover if it will be over 6 hours. Good overnight but not more than 1 day.
 
*I added 3 T powdered sugar and ½ t pure vanilla extract to the cream right before it came to stiff peak. Then finished blending.
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RECIPE: Blueberry Mini Pie in a Dish with Blueberry Cream

Click here for printable version.

• Ingredients
• Method

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​1 ½ cans large can blueberry pie filling
9 original graham crackers, ground into a coarse meal
4 C whipped cream with the sugar and vanilla, ready to garnish
6 T butter, melted
3 T white sugar

​Mix smashed grahams with the melted butter and sugar. Press into the bottom of 6 dessert dishes, dividing evenly. Cover with the blueberry pie filling. Then take all but about a cup of the whipped cream and blend in 1 C of the blueberry filling, and lightly fold in. You want a few chunks to show but you want it blended so the cream turns a lovely shade of purple! Place that on top, not quite touching the outer edges. You want to still be able to see the blueberry from above. Top with a dollop of the plan cream, and for something really pretty, garnish with a mint leaf and one lovely little purple pearl. They will LICK THE BOWL…