• Rich creamy buttermilkfresh milk in a bowl image by Maciej Mamro from Fotolia.com
  
  Buttermilk is a common ingredient found in baked goods and salad dressings due to its rich creamy taste. Buttermilk is also used as a marinade for poultry and other dishes. Buttermilk is the liquid that remains after butter is churned. The flavor is sweet and frothy like yogurt and other dairy products, and the texture is thicker than regular milk but not as heavy as cream.
  
  

Spreads

• The Taste website (taste.com) suggests using buttermilk in place of salad dressings and sandwich spreads as a healthy alternative to mayonnaise. According to the Nutrition Facts Website (nutritionfacts.com) buttermilk is high in calcium, B-vitamins and magnesium. The University of Maryland Medical Center says that B-vitamins help to metabolize fats and proteins as well as improving circulation. In addition, buttermilk is also high in protein and phosphorus. Small percentages of vitamins C, A and iron are also contained in buttermilk.
  
  

Use Buttermilk Instead of Butter

• If a recipe calls for melted butter or oil, use buttermilk instead. Buttermilk can provide a richer consistency to the batters for baked goods, making it easier to mix and blend them. Buttermilk is also a better option as compared with some cooking oils such as canola oil because of the rich taste. Buttermilk is also less fattening as compared with regular milk and creams.
  
  

Marinade

• Use buttermilk to marinade chicken, steak or other meats. Allow the meat to soak in a bag or dish in buttermilk along with salt, pepper and other herbs or sauces. The meat will soak up the fat in the buttermilk, adding more density and flavor. Marinade your meat for 30 minutes or longer.
  
  

Storage

• According to gourmetsleuth.com, buttermilk can be stored in glass containers in the fridge for several weeks. This is ideal for people who cook frequently. You can also freeze buttermilk to keep it fresh longer. Just be sure to put the buttermilk in freezer containers rather than glass. After freezing, buttermilk is still suitable for cooking.