Healthified Green Bean Casserole with Stonyfield Yogurt!

Nothing makes me more excited than finding a healthy alternative for foods I'm cooking.  Even better when you can't tell the difference!  Yogurt has been my favorite substitute for a couple of years now.  Check out my awesome yogurt banana bread! 

With all of the cooking and baking coming up for the holidays, buying a big tub or two of yogurt will help you healthify so many things!  Making a spinach dip that uses mayo?  Use yogurt instead! On the Stonyfield website, they have a super handy guide for you!  For the most part, the substitution is a 1:1 ratio, and you can choose regular or Greek yogurt, plain and lowfat.

If you are hesitant to make the switch, try a 50/50 substitution to start with.  For sour cream, I prefer Greek yogurt, since it has that thick texture.

This green bean casserole takes maybe 5 minutes longer because you have to wash and chop the mushrooms, but the health benefits are worth it!  Adding yogurt instead of the can of soup makes the protein of the dish go way up and the sodium drops drastically!  Also, there is less fat.  I could continue to make the dish healthier by omitting the French fried onions, but it's really not green bean casserole without them!

 Here's what you'll need:

• 1 large bag of frozen green beans- Cut or French style
• 1 cup Stonyfield plain 0% Greek yogurt
• 8-12 oz package of fresh mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup skim milk
• Dash of soy sauce
• 1 container of fried onions 
• Salt & Pepper, to taste.  

1.  Clean and slice the mushrooms.  If you prefer to dice them, that works too!
2. Heat a pan over medium heat.  Add the mushrooms and a touch of EVOO.  Saute until cooked and softened.  Pepper and salt them as desired (I tend to go heavier on pepper).  Add a dash of soy sauce. 
3. Clear a hole in the middle of the pan for the butter to melt.  After melted, sprinkle with the flour.  Cook for 1 minute (the flour can mix in with the mushrooms).
4. Slowly add milk.  Mixture will be very thick.  Now slowly add yogurt.  If the mixture is too thick, add a splash of milk.  
5. Add green beans in the pan, frozen.  Cook for 2-3 minutes.
6. Place mixture into a casserole dish.  Top with fried onions!  

Here are some other ways you can healthify your holiday dishes:

• Cut back on the butter and add yogurt in your mashed potatoes.
• Make these tasty yogurt biscuits for breakfast or Thanksgiving meal! 
• For baking, check out the Stonyfield site for TONS of tasty ideas! Even snag a few coupons while you're there!

What healthy tips do you have for holiday cooking and baking? I'm all ears!