I have finally, finally, finally made my own Greek yogurt! One of my co-workers, who I miss dearly on my team, gave me this recipe awhile ago and I finally got around to making it. I am going to make this all the time! It is so easy and a much cheaper option.
Despite my paranoid attempt to get everything exactly correct (timing, temperatures, etc), I now realize that I was over-thinking everything. It is so simple! All you do is heat the milk, let it cool, add starter, let it sit overnight, strain, and voila. It’s just one big waiting game.
Let’s talk a little about yogurt. Yogurt is one of the healthiest foods, if chosen wisely because…
- Calcium and Vitamin D: Yogurt is a great source of calcium and vitamin C. Calcium slows production of cortisol, a hormone that contributes to belly fat
- “Live active cultures” means that it contains probiotics. This little guys help clear your digestive track of unwanted organisms that may cause infections.
- Protein: Greek yogurt is a great source of protein, Fage has 18g in one serving!
- Lower blood pressure: The potassium in yogurt can help lower blood pressure.
- It can help prevent bloating and constipation and decreases yeast infections.
Over the past few years, I have begun to love Greek yogurt. Greek style yogurt begins with traditional fermentation of yogurt and after the fermentation process is completed, the yogurt is strained, removing the watery whey. The result is a thicker and creamier yogurt.
I eat plain Fage 0% Greek yogurt with jelly or 0% Chobani. There are a whopping 18g of protein in one serving. That is more protein than some protein bars even contain! Plus, with yogurt, you are foregoing all the hydrogenated oil and high amounts of sugar in the bars. Fage yogurt has ZERO grams of added sugar, and the 7grams of sugar that it contains, is natural lactose sugar.
What You’ll Need:
- 1/2 gallon of milk
- 1/4 c. Greek Yogurt
- Agave Nectar or choice of Jelly
(that’s it!)
Directions:
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| Strained and thick! |
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| I added my favorite Ginger Jelly with some Raspberry Jelly |
Homemade Greek Yogurt
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 hours (sitting)
Ingredients
- 1/2 gallon of milk
- 1/4 c. Greek Yogurt
- Agave Nectar or choice of Jelly
Instructions
In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, bring milk to 180 degrees F, stirring regularly to prevent scorching. Once milk has reached temperature, allow it to cool to 120 degrees F. *If you don’t have a thermometer, heat until just before boiling, and cool until pot is cool enough to touch with your fingers for 10 seconds.
While milk is cooling, preheat oven to 200 degrees.
Transfer cooled milk to a large ceramic or glass bowl (not plastic of metal!). Add yogurt to the pot and whisk thoroughly to combine.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
Wrap the bowl in a bath/beach towel so it is fully covered.
Put the bowl in the oven. Turn off the oven and turn on the oven light (this helps keep it warm!) Do not open for at least 8 hours.
Remove the yogurt, it should be thick and have some watery whey.
Line a strainer with coffee filters or paper towels.
Spoon the yogurt into the strainer and let it strain for about 2 hours, or until desired consistency.
After straining the yogurt, I kept the whey in a container so that I could alter the consistency even after a few days.
Add agave nectar or a jelly of choice to add flavor. Enjoy this delicious, healthy and money-saving treat!
4 Comments
Superfood Spotlight: Yogurt | The Fresh Find
June 12, 2013 at 2:19 pm[…] Caution: Beware of some yogurts. Some contain up to 35g of sugar!!! To give you an idea, one regular sized Snicker’s bar has 30g of sugar, and a 12oz Coke has 39g. As many people think of yogurt has a healthy snack, if you pick the wrong kind, it can be pretty unhealthy. Also, watch out for the fruit-on-the-bottom yogurts, those pack a lot of sugar. Almost every day, I eat plain Fage 0% Greek yogurt and add a little bit of jelly. There are a whopping 18g of protein in one serving. That is more protein than some protein bars even contain! Plus, with yogurt, you are foregoing all the hydrogenated oil and high amounts of sugar in the bars. Fage yogurt has ZERO grams of added sugar, and the 7grams of sugar that it contains, is natural lactose sugar. Yogurt is great as breakfast, a snack, a post-work out snack, and in cooking, as it can replace sour cream/creams. Fage can be a little thick for first time greek yogurt-ers, but some of my other favorites are Chobani and Oikos! I have also made my own Greek yogurt, find out how to do so here! […]
Kathryn @ Illustrated Nutrition
June 24, 2013 at 1:52 pmOh my goodness you are so daring for making this at home, I am so impressed! We made yogurt in a microbiology class I took, but I have never attempted to try it on my own. Good job!
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June 24, 2013 at 2:00 pmThanks Kathryn! It is so incredibly easy, I really encourage you to try it! Saves lots of money and tastes just as good!
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June 24, 2013 at 2:01 pmThanks Kathryn! Your pictures do the same to me!