Yogurt Fruit Cup

I'm sure you've done your own version of a Yogurt Fruit Cup, well here's mine - and I think you will want to make my version some time, too.

I find that yogurt with added fruit, from the grocery cold case, is way too sweet. If you read the ingredients of most brands, you will find sugar, cane juice, and/or fructose near the top of the list.

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I prefer plain yogurt with fresh fruit mixed in. That's plenty enough flavor. But if you like your yogurt sweet then add your own favorite sweetener. At least you will know how much you are adding. And use any fave vegan yogurt too.

And, often the fruit on the bottom of the yogurt container is cooked, so it's mushy like jam. Or, if it's not cooked, the texture will still be off.

If the only yogurt on sale has fruit on the bottom then I will spoon out the yogurt and toss the too sweet fruit.

There is a lot of cheap and tasty fruit out there to choose from. So keep an eye open for seasonal fruit that hits the bargain bins at your local grocery store, farmers market, or local fruit stand.

It is quick and easy if you use whole fruit that can be mixed into yogurt, like berries and seedless grapes.

Some fruit will not age well when peeled or sliced, turning brown quickly, like banana and apple, so you want to eat a Yogurt Fruit Cup with these right away. In general it best to make just enough of a Yogurt Fruit Cup to eat in one sitting, as other types of fruit may water down yogurt over a few hours.

Start with a banana, as they are usually the cheapest fruit. During cherry season in May and June (at least out here in Los Angeles) I can find them for around a dollar per pound.

For extra crunch add an on-sale apple. We also get mangoes and peaches cheaply at my neighborhood Latin market.

One pound plastic bins of strawberries cost 99.99 cents at the local 99c only Stores. Whole pineapples even make an appearance there.

You can mix and match any favorite fruit you find. Some fruit may come on sale if it has blemishes. Since you are slicing up the fruit, it won't matter - just cut out any damaged segments.

Start you day with a 99 Cent Chef inspired Yogurt Fruit Cup sometime, especially when fresh fruit is on sale and in season.

Ingredients (2 servings)

• 2 small cartons of yogurt - I used plain, unflavored yogurt. You can use any type on sale. 
• 6-10 cherries - seeds removed. Okay to add more or fewer cherries.
• 1 banana - peeled and sliced.
• 1 mango - peeled, seed removed, and sliced.

Directions
Mangoes are a bit messy and tricky to work with. They should be ripe first, with a slight softness and yellow or reddish color, depending on the type of mango.

I like to peel them this way. First I slice into the skin from top to bottom four times. Make sure to slice intersecting at the top and bottom.

Now just peel each segment to remove half of the skin, at the widest half of mango. The mango seed is flat and wide so you want to slice off the most flesh along the seed. The seed will guide your blade, just follow the seed as you slice.

Once one side is stripped of flesh, then peel the other side and repeat, slicing along the length of the seed.

You can keep slicing around the seed to get all the mango flesh. Now just cut the mango flesh into bite sizes.

You know how to peel and slice a banana, I'm sure. Just make sure it is ripe.

Cherries are easy to peel, but can be messy, so make sure to work on a surface that is washable, as cherry juice will stain your clothes or any porous surfaces.

All I do to remove a cherry seed is cut around the middle of a cherry. Grab each half and give it a twist. One half of the cherry will separate off the seed. The other half will need to be sliced around the seed to finish removing it. Once you've done it a few times, it gets easier and quicker to do.
 
Once all the fruit is prepared, time to add the yogurt. I add some yogurt in the bottom of a bowl.

Next add the fruit. And finally I mix in the rest of the yogurt. 

2016 Cheap$kate Food Finds

The Cheap$kate Forager has a grab bag  full of the best 2016 deals from Dollar Tree and 99c only Stores.

Los Angeles is the epicenter for cheap food finds. And, while not all 99 cent or dollar stores are created equal, this Chintzy Cuisineste knows were to get the goods for the most economical deals.

 Some of my cheap$kate finds are healthy and some are not - that's what happens when you cruise the aisles. What you find today may not be there tomorrow, so I have learned to get it while you can.

This year I've found everything from grass-fed cow yogurt to Star Wars themed SpaghettiOs.

I tried the delish yogurt but only took a photo of the SpaghettiOs - I'm no fool.

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Freeze-dried fruit, like grapes and pear, are "in" this year. There is not much to them really - they are all air and lightness, with none of the heft and concentrated sweetness that regular dried fruit carries. I can't say I'm a big fan....yet.

This year my local Dollar Tree store has really kicked it up a few notches. While the selection is no where near what my fave budget 99c only Stores stock, they are getting better.

 Single servings of frozen, seafood, pork, beef and poultry are well represented.

 

I've even found enough dollar ingredients to create tasty individual pizzas (click here to see my recipe for Sausage and Black Olive Pizza.)

I always discover fantastic eatable finds at my local 99c only Stores. Again, if you see it today, it may not be there tomorrow, so I advise impulsive purchasing.

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Not every 99c only Store sells beer and wine, but I have found the ones that do, and boy do they ever! Twelve to sixteen ounce bottles or cans of Pumpkin Ale, Thai lager or The Hobbit Smaug Stout, anyone?

Deli meats make frequent appearances, everything from sliced Roast Beef to Blackened Chicken Breast. Those are the kind of finds that vanish from the store shelves very quickly.

I picked up a couple of containers of Oyster Mushrooms last week, to simply saute in butter.

Living in Louisiana during my high school daze, the Southern product brand of Zatarain's was everywhere to be found -- and here in Los Angeles it's a great treat to get it at such cheap prices. 

So major props to the 99c only Store and Dollar Tree for keeping my stockings stuffed all through the new year! And be sure to check back next week for my Top 9 Recipes of 2016.

Broccoli, Tangerine and Yogurt Salad

The Cheap$kate Chef's latest healthy recipe has it all: nutritious veggies, sweet and tangy  fruit, crunchy nuts, pungent dried fruit and creamy yogurt. And my Broccoli, Tangerine and Yogurt  Salad recipe is wife approved!

This low calorie delightful mix is simple to make and taste even better the next day. The most  complicated part is to give the broccoli a quick bath in hot water for a minute, then cool it  back down in cold water. Oh, and there is a little chopping of the broccoli and peeling a tangerine or an orange.

I get all these ingredients cheaply, of course. Fresh broccoli is always coming up on sale. I  like to use the whole thing, stem and all. Usually I peel some of the stem, it's more tender  that way. I blanch the broccoli for a minute, but if you like your veggies extra crunchy and  raw, then skip the blanching.

I used a couple of small tangerines. Oranges are a cheaper substitution and are just as tasty.  Be sure to take out any seeds though. Canned Mandarin oranges are an easy way to go.

I find dried cranberries on sale at my local 99c only Store, but if you can't, then just use raisins, the taste will be fine.

I sprinkled on roasted peanuts. It's best to use unsalted. If salted peanuts are on sale then  use them. Just be sure to brush off the salt. If you rinse the peanuts then blot off the  excess water. The peanuts don't have to be totally dry, since you are adding them to wet  yogurt. Of course, if you or anyone in the family is allergic to nuts, them leave them out, my  salad will be just as delish.

You only need a small container of yogurt. It's best to use plain yogurt. Although I've used  lightly flavored ones like vanilla or honey. And you can use low fat yogurt.

When everything is mixed, keep it refrigerated until ready to serve. My cheap$kate veggie and  fruit salad travels well, either to a party, a picnic, or to the office.

Give this Internet Chef's Broccoli, Tangerine and Yogurt Salad a go. It makes a light and  refreshing  snack anytime of day.

Ingredients (about 2-3 servings)
1 pound broccoli - about 4 cups when florets are broken down and stems chopped.
1 small container of plain yogurt - 5 to 7 ounces or about 3/4 cup. You can use low fat, or  regular yogurt. Okay to add more yogurt to desired creaminess. You can use a lightly flavored  yogurt like vanilla or honey. Fruit yogurt may be too much of a good thing. (And, you can  substitute yogurt with mayo or sour cream.)
1 cup of tangerine or orange - peeled and sliced into bite sizes. Remove seeds if  necessary. You can add more or less to taste. Okay to use a can of Mandarin oranges, if they're cheap enough.
1/2 cup of dried cranberries or raisins - again you can add more or less to taste.
1/2 cup of unsalted peanuts - or any favorite or local nuts, like: cashews, almonds, pecans, walnuts, etc. If salted peanuts are on sale then use them, just rinse or brush off the salt first, or the salad will be way to salty. If you are allergic to nuts them leave them out - the Broccoli  Salad will still be delish.

Directions
Get a pot of water heating up to a low boil.

Prep the broccoli. Chop off the stalks. I like to peel the larger pieces. Chop the stalks into  bite sizes. Separate the broccoli florets into smaller sizes. If the floret is very large  then slice it in half or quarters.

Add the broccoli to boiling water. Cook the broccoli for no more than a minute. You don't want  to overcook. Crunchy is good for this recipe. If you like your veggies really raw then skip it  and go right to mixing all the ingredients together. You can use less water and just steam the broccoli for a minute.

After a minute of blanching add broccoli to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking. Drain  the broccoli before mixing all the other ingredients.

I use peanuts for my recipe, but you can use any nuts you like or find on sale. For salted  peanuts, brush or rinse them off. Allow the peanuts to dry for a couple of minutes or blot  them off with a paper towel. They don't have to be completely dry, as you will be adding wet  yogurt anyway.

Next, peel a tangerines or an orange. Slice the fruit into bite sized segments. Remove seeds if  necessary.

Now time to bring it all together. In a large bowl, add the drained and cooled broccoli. 

Mix in the fruit, nuts and dried cranberries (or raisins). Finally spoon on yogurt. Mix it all  together.

 

Store the Broccoli, Fruit and Yogurt Salad in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Hindsight
Of course, you can blanch or steam broccoli longer to desired tenderness.

Adjust any of the ingredients to suit your taste. If you want more creaminess, then  add more yogurt. If you don't care for yogurt then substitute with mayo or sour cream.

If you have a lot of peanuts to get rid off, then add more to the salad. Same goes for raisins, and tangerine or oranges.

And, best to finish this off in a couple of days, as the yogurt begins to deteriorate and break down - but you can refresh the salad with a spoonful or two of fresh yogurt.

This salad is easy to double for more servings.