If you think yogurt is just for breakfast, think again. Look beyond the showy rows of single serve containers filled with fruit, sugar and, all too often, gums and preservatives, to the bottom shelf of the dairy case, where you’ll find unassuming containers of plain yogurt. Don’t know what to do with plain yogurt? Read on and discover ideas for exciting and healthful recipes.

In its unadulterated, unflavored form, yogurt is a healthful cultured milk product used as an important cooking ingredient all over the world. It commonly appears in dipping sauces and salads in Greece and India as well as all over the Middle East, eastern Europe and central Asia. Similar sauces exist in dozens of countries. Most include garlic and sometimes cucumbers and olive oil. Occasionally, lemon is blended in, as are herbs such as mint, cilantro, dill or parsley. In Greece the sauce is called tzatziki; in India it goes by the name raita. These sauces, and many like them, are commonly used as dips for flatbreads, vegetables, meatballs and other snack items, served alongside spicy curries and spooned over cooked vegetables.

India has a particularly rich tradition of cooking with yogurt. You may have enjoyed a lassi in an Indian restaurant. Lassis are refreshing milkshake-like drinks made of yogurt blended with ice. The drink may or may not include fruit, spices or salt. Traditionally drunk during meals, yogurt rich lassis enhance digestion and act as a cooling companion to spicy dishes. In another use for yogurt, Indian cooks prepare tandoori oven cooked meats that have been marinated with yogurt and spices. The yogurt’s acidity not only works to tenderize meat by breaking down proteins, but also helps the spices in the marinade penetrate, producing intense flavors. In other Indian recipes, meat is stewed in a yogurt-based sauce, resulting in a creamy and complex dish.

Many eastern European and central Asian cuisines include a soup made with yogurt. These soups are often, but not always, served cold. One Armenian version includes barley and is served either hot or cold. Bulgarian recipes are usually served cold and include cucumber or, less commonly, spinach.

If the use of yogurt in cooking is so common to many countries, where did yogurt originate? An often repeated, somewhat romantic legend tells of a desert nomad with a sheepskin bag full of milk. The nomad became thirsty while wandering in the desert heat. When he opened the bag for a drink of milk, he discovered it had been transformed into a thick, tangy substance. Most likely, the combination of intense desert heat, the agitation of the milk caused by the nomad’s movements and the natural bacteria present in the milk, the sheepskin bag or the environment caused the milk to become naturally cultured. The first cultured milk product may have happened by accident, but it was a fortuitous accident, since culturing dairy products is a way to preserve them in hot climates with no refrigeration.

Yogurt is a Turkish derived word, and the desert legend seems to point to a Middle Eastern origin. From the Middle East, cultured dairy products probably spread to other parts of the world through trade and conquest. Or perhaps they developed independently in several places. There is evidence that the conquering armies of Genghis Khan, not only ate yogurt, but practically existed on it. Their swift horses sustained them thorough many battles in more than one way, for the yogurt consumed by everyone from the lowliest soldiers to the commanders, was made from the milk of the horses.

Yogurt’s varied and ancient story reveals itself in the history of many civilizations. Yogurt was mentioned for its life-giving properties in India’s ayurvedic teachings as far back as 2500 years ago. Kefir, a cultured yogurt-like product, originated long ago in the Caucasus Mountains of Russia. Later, a scientist studying the effects of yogurt on the longevity of Bulgarians, attributed their superior lifespan to a love of yogurt, and so named the main organism in yogurt Lactobacillus Bulgaris. Yogurt is mentioned in the Koran. Though most yogurt today is made from cow’s milk, in ancient times, the milk from other mammals was made into yogurt. Now, one can find yogurt from the milk of goats, sheep and even buffalo.

Yogurt has a well-deserved reputation as a healthy food. It is an excellent source of calcium and a good source of protein. The live and active cultures in yogurt help to maintain the friendly bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, which enhances the body’s digestive system, allowing the body to purge itself of toxins and unhealthy organisms that can cause sickness and disease. Some studies have suggested that regular consumption of yogurt can lengthen lifespan and prevent certain cancers. Yogurt is well known for its ability to help the body rebalance itself after antibiotic use.

Though plain yogurt is undoubtedly a versatile cooking ingredient and definitely healthier than many of the more heavily processed versions on the market, it may be somewhat of an acquired taste for many people. To eat it on its own, you might want to enjoy it with fresh fruit with a bit of honey or maple syrup drizzled over. If you find that you still prefer flavored, sweetened yogurts, check the labels on the yogurts you buy to make sure that they don’t contain unwanted ingredients. Try some of the recipes below and discover the good taste, versatility and health enhancing properties of yogurt.

Chilled Cucumber Yogurt Soup
Serves 5
1-pound seedless green grapes
2 English cucumbers
1/4 of a medium yellow onion
1 clove garlic
2 cups plain yogurt
Salt & pepper to taste
Avocado & green onions for garnish

1. Stem the grapes and puree them in a blender. Strain the grape juice, discarding the skins. Return the juice to the blender. Peel and seed the cucumbers and cut them into 2-inch lengths. Put them into the blender with the grape juice. Add the peeled yellow onion and the garlic. Blend until smooth. Add the yogurt and blend just until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. 2. Chill the soup for several hours. Stir before serving as it may separate. Garnish with little cubes of avocado and green onions sliced thinly lengthwise.