Something of a [breakfast] epiphany.

You know how sometimes you find something, something you never even dreamed existed and then you can't live without it ever again and this transition from one state of being - ignorance - to another - essential need - is instantaneous?

The other day I was at Whole Foods, which is a thing I try not to do too often as it is terribly expensive.

But they are the only place around here I can reliably find Dr Praeger's Spinach Pancakes, without which Saturday breakfast would be meaningless, so that's how much my fiscal integrity is worth right there.  They're really good.  With poached eggs and Indian relish on top, mmmmmm.
Plus I love Dr. P's motto - where you recognize all the ingredients.   I would love to be the kind of woman who cooked all her own food lovingly from carefully selected locally grown produce and made her own yogurt from the milk of virgin goats, but I have wool instead and there are only so many hours in the day.  I do try to make my shortcuts reasonably non-toxic.

Where was I?  Whole Foods. 

I went to the yogurt section becasue the only yogurt I had left at home was displeasing to me - unsuccessful flavor choice - and for reasons that are a little unclear I picked up a carton or two of something called skyr.is in strawberry.  I think it looked a bit like Greek yogurt to me, but with less fat and the container had a spoon attached which is wasteful except when you bring a yogurt to work without a spoon, rather compromising the success of breakfast.
And I have such a love hate relationship with yogurt to begin with I am always interested in new approaches.

Skyr is not yogurt, skyr is the food of the gods, or of Iceland, which may be the same thing.  It is thick like sour cream, and sharper flavored, and very high protein and non-fat but without that compromised flavor that often taints non-fat things and it turns out it is not even yogurt, it is cheese and my gods, I love it wholly.
The strawberry is a hair too sweet, but very good, the blueberry extremely so,  but a handful of granola muted the sweetness to palatability (I won't buy that one again).  I haven't been able to try the vanilla as it is always sold out - leading me to believe that it might be the most successful flavor - and the plain is incredibly tart but delicious.  Particularly the way I ate it this morning, with a cut up nectarine and some hemp granola and a little Vermont maple syrup and some wheat germ.  Yum.

This little container fills me up until lunch, it is delicious, it has 22 grams of protein and until I filled it up with granola and fruit, a mere 110 calories.  It is apparently the national food of Iceland - how much of these kinds of marketing claims do I choose to believe?  Plus I wonder if the Skyr we're getting here is the same as Icelandic Skyr really?  But I don't care.   I went back to Whole Foods over the weekend - the sole importer, according to Google - and bought 8 little containers.   I called people up to tell them about it.  I explained to random people at the market why they ought to try it.

I'm saving the little folding spoons though, I can't bear to throw them away.

(I will know I have truly succeeded in changing myself for the better when the morning beverage that accompanies this is a cup of tea instead of a diet Coke.)

Comments

[Jess]

I may have to break my Whole Foods ban and try this out. It sounds divine!

And remember - calories from fresh yummy nectarines and wholesome granola and maple syrup are *so* much better for you to add to your yogurt than calories from HFCS-laden granola and canned fruit! Not to mention tastier...

[Sarah W.]

Alright, I'm a little late posting (behind on bloglines), and you've already got the word straight from the Icelander, but I can also verify that skyr definitely is the national food of Iceland. In fact, you don't even have to go into town - just fly Icelandair via Keflavik (all sorts of European destinations) and you can get about 15 flavors at the snack bar in the airport!
Of course, if you don't leave the airport, you won't get to visit the Lopi factory store (are there 3 words that sound better in a string than yarn factory store? I don't think so!).

[elizabeth]

I'll have to check it out. I've been going to Whole Foods for goat's milk yogurt because of the low sugar content (I don't mind the tartness, fresh fruit usually takes care of that). If it's not packed with sugar, it'll go in my cart!

[Katherine]

Greek yogurt--you can get it for much less at a middle eastern grocery store. Several other brands are available, just as creamy and good.

[Gwen]

Milking virgin goats? Immaculate Lactation!

Mouthwatering post.

[Yvonne]

Sheesh, Juno, so now my weekly Trader Joe's trip is now going to become a Trader Joe's-slash-Whole Foods trip?? We have a WF in Pittsburgh but I have never, ever been to it...and I am so going to have to go, because I am in love with greek-style yogurt, but now have to get Skyr...because you make it sound so gosh-darn yummy!!!

[Carol]

This is the kind of post that makes me sad that I live in small-ish town Canada. I have trouble finding worsted weight cotton to knit with, there is no hope of finding Icelandic dairy products. Sigh....

[anne]

oh MAN! i just can't eat yogurt, though i like the way it tastes . . .
i'm jealous of your whole foods though; even though it's a little pricey, at least you HAVE one. i think everyone in our town wishes we had a great store with alternative choices, but i guess "canton" just doesn't ring out in the ears of food companies as being a location that would make money.

[Michelle]

Did you, like me, read that bit about a skyr smoothie and immediately begin to drool? I think I see a WF trip in my future.

[denny Mcmillan]

crap I'm one of those women bake, cook, sew, knit and I drink tea instead of diet coke for morning breakfast. But but but I think you are haing more fun. My yogurt mojo .....gone.

[Syd T.]

ohhhh I must try some! Yum!!!! One little thing....I don't think virgin cows can give milk.

[Kathy]

Who knew that yogurt would be such an engaging subject! :-)

I am absolutely addicted to the Fage yogurt -- also to be found at WF, but also at Shop & Shop in the "healthy" case. Will have to check out your recommendation -- you hooked me up with that great handcream, so I'm thinking the yogurt will be delicious.

[Sara]

There's a recipe to make your own (though best if you have some to help culture it) here:
http://www.isholf.is/gullis/jo/Miscellaneous.htm

Making yogurt is really quite easy, skyr sounds similar in terms of the process "intensity"

I want some...

[Laurie]

Curiosity is piqued. I already dump enough money there, one more trial will barely be noticed.

Need something to hold me from 6am to 1pm. Will this do it?

[LauraJ]

Has anyone offered you _good_ tea? I would happy to guide you through Uptontea.com.

[Jill Smith]

Ohhh. Yes. Skyr is delightful. Bribe your local Whole Foods stock-person to save you some vanilla. It is truly delish.

[Specs]

I recently had the same epiphany with (of all things) blueberries. Oh, how did I make it through the day before this point without my blueberries?

[Lee Ann]

Dude, just the thought of yogurt and fruit and granola washed down with Diet Coke is making the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Please investigate tea. There has to be something you'll like.

I eat hemp granola too. Love it. Also, it freaks my father out to come visit and see boxes with the word "hemp" on them. Which is always fun.

[moiraeknittoo]

Ohhhh. While I adore Fage (Greek yog), I would love something that has a little less fat in it. I will have to go to Whole Paycheck and see if they carry it out here. Woo!

[regina]

I just discovered this stuff a couple of weeks ago at the whole foods in midtown and I absolutely flipped! It's just divine. I think i wrote to Cassie about it since she is, of course, an honorary Icelander. And i'm totally with you on the spoon -- so cute.

[Lee]

Love it, love it, love it. So much better than yogurt! I want some right now!

[heatherly]

i miss whole foods. ~sigh~

[Rachel H]

Diet Coke with breakfast? Oh honey.

[chris]

Ohhhh, I've never seen Skyr before, but now I MUST go to Whole Foods on my way home from work and buy every carton they have . . . and some spinach pancakes, too (which I also have never tried).

Thanks for the heads-up!!

[Margaret]

Skyr.is MMMmmmmm. And great for dessert.