Yogurt sales have increased 33.4 percent with $718.9 million spent on it in 2007 as compared to $538.8 million in 2006, according to food marketing expert and trend analyst Phil Lempert of Supermarketguru.com, whose sources include SPINSscan, a division of the A. C. Nielsen market research firm. And there's good reason for this. Yogurt is Ice-Cream's healthier yet equally delectable cousin!

Stock your fridge with IFANCA halal-certified Natural Desi Dahi Yogurt this summer for a lowfat or nonfat alternative to mayonnaise and sour cream in dips, sauces, dressings and more. The recipes are endless!

Skip the Syrup: Top waffles or pancakes with fresh blueberries and a dollop of yogurt, and get a protein boost in return!

Move Over Mayonnaise: Substitute plain, nonfat or lowfat yogurt for one-third to one-half the mayonnaise normally used in tuna, chicken and potato salads, as well as for coleslaw or on sandwiches. You'll be saying yes to taste without the excess fat.

Sweeten Treats: Say good-bye to whipped cream, and hello to yogurt. Serve cake, pies and/or fruit with a scoop of frozen lowfat yogurt.

Get Multi-Cultural: Marinate halal chicken or meat in a marinade of plain yogurt with spicy mustard or chili sauce or ethnic spices for more tender, juicy meat.

Dip, Dip, Dip: Use plain yogurt as a base for vegetable and chip dips. Sprinkle your favorite seasonings, mix, chill and serve. Again, the protein boost turns a dip with veggies into a mini-meal.

Dream a Dressing: Turn a bottle of vinaigrette into a "homemade" creamy dressing by adding 2-3 tablespoons of plain yogurt per cup of dressing.

Top a Tater: Cut the fat by substituting plain nonfat or lowfat yogurt for traditional sour cream on baked potatoes.

Say Olé: Cool down your favorite Mexican dishes with a dollop of plain yogurt instead of sour cream.

Whip up a Smoothie: Combine your favorite sliced fruits with plain or fruit-flavored yogurt and ice in the blender for a refreshing instant meal.

Yummy Yogurt Smoothie Ingredients:

• 8 oz. plain Desi Dahi Natural Yogurt
• 6 large, fresh strawberries
• 1 sliced banana
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• 1 Tbsp. flaxseed oil (available at local health food stores, flaxseed oil enhances brain development)
• Milk, juice, rice or soy beverage (to desired amount)

Directions: Mix ingredients and blend until smooth. Add liquids for desired consistency. Serve immediately after blending while the mixture still has a bubbly, milkshake quality.

Strawberry Slurp (Serves 8) Ingredients:

• 1 10-oz. package fresh strawberries
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups Natural Desi Dahi Yogurt

Directions: Combine ingredients in blender and whir until smooth.

Adapted from National Yogurt Association

Now that the weather is warming up, it's time to get your grill on, gather up some friends and have a BBQ. We spoke with a representative at IFANCA halal-certified Better Beef Cargill, based in Canada and he had some advice on the kind of meat cuts that were best. The most commonly grilled sections of beef are Rib Eye, New York, T-Bone, Porterhouse and Tri-Tip. Chuck is best for grinding and makes the most delicious burgers. What's more it's about 82% lean. Meat from the hip is great for roasting while flank steaks are thinner sections of meat and tougher but can be very flavorful if marinated for some hours. The grade of meat to ask for is Triple A because the higher the grade, the better the quality. It's marbled nicely with streaks of fat that melt when cooked allowing the flavor to seep right into the meat. Furthermore, the age of the meat makes all the difference. The longer its aged, the better it tastes. So meat that's closer to the "sell by" date apparently is the better cut. And if a halal grocery has an account with Better Beef but doesn't have the cut you want, you can have them order it in and Better Beef Cargill will deliver. So plan ahead and the halal zabiha cuts you want are the cuts you'll get! Better Beef Cargill supplies primals, sub-primals, regular cuts, custom cuts and offals which are available as certified Halal products and are labeled with the official IFANCA logo. Boxes are marked "Zabiha Halal".

Letter: Why is pork the only animal to be prohibited while the flesh of other animals is not?

IFANCA Response: Pork is not the only animal which is prohibited. The flesh of all carnivorous animals, as well as that of human beings, is not allowed to be eaten. The meat of the cat, dog, rat, mouse, tiger, fox, lion, eagle, falcon, hawk, etc. is prohibited, while the flesh of herbivorous animals is allowed to be eaten, i.e., sheep, cow, camel, deer, gazelle, goat, chicken, duck, goose, rabbit, etc. And ALLAH, Subhanahu wa ta'ala knows best.

Letter: As-Salaam Aliakum, Please advise the Muslim people that the following product has a pork gelatin in the ingredients: Green Tea Supplement Capsules made by Rexall. This product is sold in Walmart stores. May Allah Bless you for your help. Waliakum Salaam
Rukiye, Cincinnati

IFANCA Response: Thank you Rukiye.

1. During 2007, U.S. food prices increased by 4.9% compared to 4.1% in 2007.
2. A medium sized baked potato with skin on has 844 mg of potassium while an average size banana, the food most synonymous with potassium has 451 mg.
3. Spain tops the list of olive trees grown in that country with 190 million trees and accounts for almost half of the world's olive oil production.