Tangy Fage-Cranberry Dessert

Before I knew that Caleb and Kiara were bringing a pureed cranberry relish that I could eat for Thanksgiving, I had already purchased a can of organic jellied cranberry sauce at the Whole Foods Coop.  So, now my creative juices started flowing once again as I thought about how I could use this jellied cranberry sauce.  Upon sampling it, I realized how sweet it was and my taste buds were confirmed in their suspicions as I looked at the nutritional information on the can.  A quarter cup contained 26 grams of carbohydrates.  So my challenge was to think what I could mix with it to lessen the sweet taste and carbohydrate content. My immediate idea was to combine it with Fage (pronounced FA-yeh)Yogurt, which I always have in the refrigerator. I learned about this type of yogurt a few years ago in a diabetes magazine, where it was promoted as a good choice for people with diabetes because it has a higher protein content than most Greek yogurts.  In fact, one cup of Fage Nonfat Yogurt contains 9 grams of carbohydrates and 23 grams of protein.  And it contains five strains of live active probiotic cultures, which are helpful for both digestion and immune function.  I often use this as a healthy substitute for sour cream and as a base for dips, spreads, or as a garnish for cold soups.   It proved to be a winner once again when combined with the
tangy-sweet cranberries.

Now, I'm dreaming of other ways to use the jellied cranberry sauce.  Maybe combined with a savory red lentil soup, or would it work with squash?  Stay tuned for my next culinary creation. 

Ingredients:
4 Tablespoons  (1/4 cup) Fage Nonfat Yogurt
1 Tablespoon jellied cranberry sauce  (I used a brand called Organic Grown Right)

Preparation:
Stir together the yogurt and the cranberry sauce, reserving a small portion of the sauce for a garnish.

Nutrition:
Servings per recipe: 1
Serving Size: 1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon
Calories: 58
Total Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 30 mg
Total Carbs: 9 g
Dietary Fiber: 0
Protein: 6 g