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Make the best, fresh homemade yogurt
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Fresh, homemade yogurt is easy to make--and
can pump up the nutrition in your diet with probiotic
bacteria.
If you're already a yogurt fan, keep reading. If you're not a yogurt fan, keep reading anyway.
I never used to understand why people were so crazy about yogurt. Having tried all sorts of yogurts, including fruit yogurt, vanilla yogurt, chocolate yogurt, cheesecake yogurt--heck, chocolate cheesecake yogurt!--I could never get over the strange combination of overly-sweet and tangy flavors.
It turns out I was trying all the wrong kinds of yogurt.
My yogurt epiphany occurred in Amsterdam while I was traveling on business. I was staying at the Hotel de l'Europe (clearly, not a hardship tour for me), where I ordered a room service breakfast of oatmeal and fruit. For some reason, they included a bowl of yogurt on my tray--a flat, wide bowl of plain yogurt.
"This is strange," I thought. But hey, when in Rome...So I tried it.
I was amazed at how simple and delicious it was. So smooth. So creamy. Oh, so fabulous! I was hooked. But where could I find this yummy yogurt back home?
I went on an extended yogurt tour of my grocery store aisles. I immediately rejected all of the flavored and fruited yogurts because of the added sugars and artificial sweeteners I had hated before. That left the plain yogurts. I tried them all.
Most were too tangy and not at all creamy. I include Dannon and Stonyfield, two leading yogurts in this category. But then I discovered Greek yogurt. Another epiphany!
The Greek yogurts are actually strained yogurts, which eliminates some of the whey, leaving a heavier and creamier texture. To me, they also taste less tangy and more delicious. My favorite store-bought Greek-style yogurt right now is the Fage brand, a Greek-style yogurt. Another good Greek-style yogurt is Chobani.
I now have plain yogurt every day. For breakfast I have Greek yogurt with blueberries and granola. I use plain yogurt in place of sour cream on Tex-Mex food. I top baked potatoes with yogurt. I even put yogurt on top of beans and (gasp!) use it as a dip on those rare occasions I have potato chips.
Aside from discovering a fabulous new food to add to my nutritional scorecard, I have also added probiotic bacteria to my diet by including regular active-culture yogurt. Probiotic bacterias assist the digestive system by adding beneficial microflora that help to combat the "bad bacteria." Probiotic foods are especially good if you have taken a round of antibiotics, which tend to kill the healthy bacteria our digestive systems need to work effectively. Probiotic bacteria is also good for people who suffer from yeast or urinary tract infections. Other claims are that probiotic bacterias help to strengthen the immune system, relieving everything from allergies to over-indulging in alcohol.
Yogurt brands differ in the number and type of active culture bacterias. You should always check to make sure that the ingredients list "active cultures." Fage brand yogurt is made with live active cultures S. Thermophilus and L. Bulgaricus. Organics brand yogurt is made with six live active cultures, including L. Acidophilus, Bifidus, L. Casei and L. Rhamnosus. Dannon yogurt is made with active cultures, including L. Acidophilus. They do not list any other cultures though.
Of course, you can make your own yogurt--even Greek-style yogurt--right at home for pennies a serving. Here's how:
Ingredients:
4 cups skim, low fat or whole milk (1 quart)
1/2 cup of yogurt starter (a store-bought yogurt made with active cultures) or a dried starter, as directed
1 to 2 cups dried milk powder (optional, but used for a thicker and creamier yogurt)
Heat the milk in a double boiler or over very low heat until it reacher 180 degrees. Allow the milk to cool to 115 degrees. Add the starter and mix thoroughly. Pour the mixture into containers, such as canning jars. Keep at a temperature of 110 degrees for four to 12 hours, checking regularly until the yogurt has reached the desired consistency. Refrigerate and use as you wish.
To keep your yogurt culture at the right temperature, you can place it in a sealed cooler, in an oven with the light on or even on a heating pad set on a low setting. Use a thermometer to ensure your culture is at the right temperature or it will not set properly.
To make Greek-style yogurt, strain through butter muslin (a very fine-grained cloth) in a colander for two to four hours. Don't use cheesecloth, which has too large a weave, or all your yogurt will go down the drain. You can also invest in the yogurt cheese maker--a very handy, reusable kitchen tool.
Did you also know I write about fresh foods? You can read my gardening columns at the Gardening Examiner.
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Thank you for reading! You can reach me at gardeningexaminer@gmail.com and can follow me on Twitter at @RobinWedewer.
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