Summer corn has made its grand entry, and just in time for the first official day of Summer! To me, the sight of these husks is permission to unleash all the warm-weather dishes. There are just so many ways to use it. Something I really enjoy is finding inspiration from eating out or traveling, especially in the summertime, and this recipe was no exception.

Every time I’m at the Dallas Farmer’s Market, there’s never not a line in front of Paul’s Sweet Corn. I constantly see people people with their cups of creamy corn in hand, snacking while they shop.  This past Saturday, I finally had to see what all the fuss was about and ordered a cup of elote- as traditional as it comes. I watched the nice man load up my cup with butter, mayo, parmesan cheese (no wonder this stuff is good), and then he told me to add lime juice, season salt, and lemon pepper myself. The sweet corn got nice and cozy with the rich, tangy, salty flavors of the add-ins, and I was instantly a believer. Good thing there was a mound of fresh sweet corn at a vendor right next door…

You probably know by now that I am a fan of delicious, healthy, nutrient-dense food. And while elote is certainly delicious and wonderful for a weekend treat, it’s not necessarily something I would classify as particularly “healthy” or “nutritious.” So, I decided to recreate a version that’s a little lighter, higher in protein, and something I would feel good incorporating into my weekly summer meal rotation. I kept all the same flavors, but swapped the butter and mayo for farm fresh yogurt. You’ll want to be sure to use plain yogurt for this recipe, not Greek, because it’s a little thinner and not quite as tangy. I added a little more freshness with the jalepeno and cilantro, and amped up the spices with ones I found from a local company (but you can’t go wrong with season salt or lemon pepper). While some recipes call for cotija cheese, I kept with the parmesan and just reduced it to a garnish rather than a big heaping. Add a squeeze of lime and some salt and pepper, and this truly couldn’t be any easier, quicker, or healthier!