Get Me to the Greek -Yogurt That Is!

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So, by now you might have tried making your own homemade yogurt. I hope you and your family have enjoyed it!

You probably noticed that your yogurt can have a tendency to separate, and the whey will float on top. That's because your yogurt doesn't have any additives to keep this from happening. Just stir it back into the yogurt - OR - strain it off and make some deliciously thick and creamy Greek yogurt!

I know this looks nasty-but it is perfectly normal!

Greek yogurt also takes some of that "sour" flavour out of your homemade yogurt. It is also better for cooking (tzatziki, yogurt-based curries, etc.), as it won't "separate out" the way regular yogurt will. It also makes a much creamier frozen yogurt.

To make your Greek yogurt, place a fine mesh sieve over a large bowl. Line that sieve with coffee filters. Pour regular yogurt into the sieve.

All set up to strain the yogurt!

Pop the bowl in the yogurt for 3 hours or overnight, and the next day, the whey will have drained through to the bowl, and you will be left with Greek yogurt.

If you are in a rush, pour your yogurt into a clean, white tea towel, and squeeze out the excess whey before placing the tea towel into the sieve for an hour or two. Keep in mind-this is messier than the coffee filters!

Now for all you calorie counters out there, remember that your Greek yogurt is a concentrated version of your regular yogurt! But I find find Greek yogurt to be more filling, so it's a decent trade-off. 

Enjoy your homemade Greek yogurt!

Make Your Own: YOGURT!!!

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Many people are surprised when I tell them that I make my own yogurt. But in reality it is cheaper than you think, and much easier than you think!

What I love about making my own yogurt is that I can control what goes into it. I can use the type of sugar I want. or leave sugar out completely. I can use fresh, organic fruit to flavour it.

To top it off, homemade yogurt is full of healthy bacteria!

Also, rather than using a thickener, I use a higher fat yogurt. Another option is to strain the yogurt (more on that later) to make a thicker, creamier Greek-style yogurt.

Some people use electric yogurt machines, but I choose to use the (much cheaper) Yogotherm yogurt maker. Really, all it does it insulate the yogurt as it ferments.

To make your first batch, you can use a yogurt starter, such as Yogourmet, shown below. After that, you can use your existing yogurt to start your next batch (much cheaper)!

The basics are as follows*:

1. Bring 1 litre of milk to it's boiling point.
2. Allow to cool to 25 Celsius
3. Mix starter with a small amount of cooled milk until starter dissolves.
4. Mix that small amount of milk into the rest.
5. Pour into Yogotherm and leave at room temp for 12-18 hours.
6. Put finished yogurt in the fridge.

*Just in case, always follow the recipe on your starter, in case it differs from mine.

But see? It is so simple! And from this you can have your morning yogurt, yogurt smoothies, frozen yogurt...and the possibilities go on!