Readers who follow Eating Rules know I’m a longtime fan of Redwood Hill Farm and Green Valley Organics Lactose Free. Their products are consistently excellent—delicious, crafted with high-quality ingredients, and free of artificial colors, fake flavors, and preservatives. These brands offer unprocessed, real food made in an artisanal way.
Both labels come from the same company. Redwood Hill Farm focuses on goat’s milk products like yogurt, kefir, and cheese, while Green Valley Organics produces lactose-free yogurts, kefir, and sour cream from cow’s milk.
They operate like a small family-owned farm and creamery should: their animals are Certified Humane Raised & Handled and partner suppliers have pursued the same certification. The company treats employees well, providing fair wages and medical benefits, and they run entirely on solar power.
Last summer I toured both the farm and the creamery (click through for photos of feta being made and me frolicking with goats), so I can personally vouch for their authenticity. It’s rare and refreshing to feel so confident about a company’s environmental, social, and ethical practices.
The company invited several bloggers to create original yogurt flavors. We were encouraged to think “outside the cup” and design creative mix-ins rather than the usual fruit-on-the-bottom. I was paid to develop and share my recipe, but I genuinely admire the company and would have said the same without compensation.
I immediately decided to make a savory yogurt. A bowl of very ripe tomatoes from our garden made the choice easy—those juicy tomatoes begged to be diced. I’ve been exploring black pepper more for its flavor than heat, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil completed the idea. Note: stirring the olive oil into the yogurt makes it disappear, so it’s better to add a few discrete drops to each spoonful for texture and bright flavor.
I prefer this with Redwood Hill Farm plain yogurt, where the goat’s milk’s earthy character is enhanced by the grassy olive oil. If you’re not fond of “goaty” flavors, the lactose-free Green Valley Organics plain yogurt works well too.
Use excellent tomatoes for this—vine-ripened, smaller, and sweeter varieties are best. Tomatoes are a fruit, and flavor matters here: avoid bland beefsteaks and choose sweet, ripe ones for the most satisfying result.
After a little brainstorming (and checking the spelling), I named the dish “Yogurt Margherita” as a nod to the classic pizza. It’s not to be confused with a Yogurt Margarita—that would involve tequila, lime, and salt, and that’s for another time.
My friends Dara, Dorothy, Sabrina, and Deb also shared their yogurt flavor creations this week:
- Grilled Chicken Tenders with Chipotle Lime Yogurt by Dara at Cookin’ Canuck
- Moroccan Goat Yogurt with Dates and Preserved Lemon by Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious
- Yogurt with Rosemary-Infused Honey by Sabrina at The Tomato Tart
- Lactose-Free Greek-Style Yogurt with Roasted Rhubarb by Deb at Smith Bites
Yogurt Margherita
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Ingredients
- 1 six-ounce cup Redwood Hill Farm Plain Yogurt
- Pinch or two of salt
- 3/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup finely diced tomato
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- Sprig of fresh basil
Instructions
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Mix together yogurt, salt, and pepper.
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Gently fold in the tomato.
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Drizzle with olive oil, garnish with basil, and enjoy!
Nutrition
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Photos by Kelly Jaggers for Eating Rules.