There are some foods I've grown up eating that I still enjoy. But I use them in different ways. For example, I've been eating yogurt since I was a kid. Back then it was really sweet, synthetically flavored and colored. It was creamy like pudding, and there was most likely no active cultures in it.

		Additional recipe Chicken and Chickpeas with Yogurt Topping

As I grew up, so did yogurt. It became a bit more tart, as it was meant to be. And manufacturers started adding active cultures, enzymes and beneficial ingredients. As I began to travel, I learned yogurt is more than a sweet dessert or snack. It is an essential part of the diet in many countries.

My Persian friends consume yogurt daily as a therapeutic food with medicinal qualities. Syrians and Lebanese call it laban and make several beverages from it to drink with dinner. Every Indian restaurant serves drinks that are yogurt based, and it is used in many dishes.

The yogurt eaten throughout the Mediterranean is high in butterfat, super thick and rich -- much like quality ice cream.

In Greece, I had the pleasure of enjoying thick, creamy rich yogurt every morning with honey and walnuts. The combination is so memorable that I still purchase authentic Mediterranean yogurt and drizzle it with honey for breakfast. It is part of my daily routine.

More recently Americans have discovered the healthful qualities of yogurt, but far too often it's still served only as a dessert or snack.

Yogurt has yet to be recognized for its versatility, as it is in the Middle East, where it is made into hot and cold soups, salads, dressings and marinades.

The best way to sample true Mediterranean yogurt is to shop in Greek or Middle Eastern markets. There are many kinds of yogurt and laban in whole fat, part skim and fat-free versions. You may even find such yogurt in natural food stores.

Look for Fage brand. It also comes packaged with honey on the side, if you want an authentic treat. Keep in mind that Middle Eastern or Mediterranean yogurt is tart, not sweet.

I offer you a recipe for a Persian drink that I will never forget. It is somewhere between a raita or relish and a liquid beverage.

My Persian friend Benham taught me to make this decades ago. When I was in college, we used to drink iced shots of vodka followed by this yogurt chaser before a big feast. Now, I serve it as a side relish with dinner.

Using yogurt

Here are some of the ways in which you can incorporate yogurt into your meal plans:

Breakfast: Drizzle yogurt with honey or maple syrup and sprinkle with almonds, walnuts or granola.

Dressings: Combine yogurt with olive oil, chopped fresh herbs, salt, pepper and lemon juice. This makes a low-fat creamy dressing for salads or raw vegetables.

Marinades: Yogurt can be combined with curry powder, chopped onions, garlic or herbs to marinate vegetable steaks or slabs of tofu.

Many cultures use yogurt for marinating meats because the active enzymes act as a tenderizer.

Beverages: There are countless yogurt drinks commercially available such as kefir, yogurt smoothies and shakes. Most of these are heavily sweetened.

You can make your own lassi, commonly served in Indian restaurants, by mixing 2 cups plain yogurt with 1/2 cup chopped mango and 1/2 cup crushed ice. Add some sugar, cinnamon or cardamom. Then combine all the ingredients together well in a food processor fitted with the metal blade or a blender.

To make strained yogurt: This is a wonderful way to enjoy yogurt. Straining the yogurt takes much of the liquid from it and makes it very creamy and thick. The easiest way to do this is to place a colander in a bowl and line the colander with a couple of layers of cheesecloth or a thick paper towel. Dump the yogurt into the lined colander, cover and allow it to sit over the bowl in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, it is ready to be eaten.

MINT AND CUCUMBER CHASER

You can serve this with crudites, chips, pita bread or as is.

• 3 cups low-fat plain yogurt
  
• 1 cup peeled, seeded and chopped cucumbers
  
• 1/2 cup chopped red onions
  
• 12 mint leaves, minced
  
• Salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients well in a large mixing bowl. Refrigerate 20 minutes before serving. Makes 8 servings.