Yogurt

We love yogurt around here and for years we have been buying the large tubs of plain whole milk organic yogurt. I like plain  because there is nothing unneeded like colors, dyes, sugar, or flavorings in it, plus it is a lot less expensive. We love to make our own flavors with things like honey, vanilla, maple syrup, fruit preserves or homemade syrups. The kids love it with just a bit of honey but if you name the flavor we will come up with a way to make it. 

Recently though I started reading about making my own yogurt. This week I finally tried it and I was shocked at how easy it was and how much money I will save. I can make organic yogurt for 1/4 the cost of buying it!

Here is one of the best sites I found for detailed information on yogurt making.

Note: After 4 years of yogurt making I have added some extra notes and changes to this post from 2011. 

Yogurt

1/2 gallon whole milk*

2 tbs yogurt*

Crockpot Method:

Place the milk in a crock pot on low for 2 hours. You want the milk to reach 180-190º if you have a thermometer check the temperature. Unplug the crock pot and let cool slowly till 110º about 3 hrs. Again checking the temp is a good idea too hot and the cultures will die, too cold and they will not grow. 

Remove 1/2 cup of the milk and mix well with the yogurt. Then stir the milk yogurt mixture into the crockpot of milk, whisking helps to mix it in thoroughly. Wrap the crock pot insert in a thick towel and place in the oven with just the light on. The slight warmth from the light is suppose to help to keep the yogurt warm. Let the pot sit in the oven for about 8 hours (overnight is best).

Stove/Dehydrator Method:
Heat the yogurt on the stove using a thermometer to measure heat. Remove the milk from the stove when it reaches 180º. Let the milk cool until it reaches 110º. Be sure to use a thermometer to check the temp if it is too hot the cultures will die. Whisk the yogurt into the milk. Be sure to mix it well. 

Poor the milk into glass containers, quart size canning jars work well for this. Place lids on the jars and put them in a dehydrator set at 100-110º. Let it sit in the dehydrator for 12-24 hrs. 


When Finished the yogurt should be warm and thick. Eat it warm or pour into containers and refrigerate. It will keep for about 1-2 weeks in the fridge. I found it to be exactly the same as the store bought yogurt but some have said it seems slightly thinner. Be sure to save 2 tbs for your next batch. 
Over the years I have used many different yogurt starters and a few different types of milk. Both can make a difference in your final product. Using a really good pasture raised milk produces a better yogurt. You may need to experiment to find what you like best. 

I also froze some to see how it would defrost I will update with results when I defrost it. 
Update- It did not defrost well. The yogurt seemed to separate and was no longer creamy. I strained it through a cheese cloth though and made yogurt cheese which was very tangy and yummy!


* Be sure to use only milk that is not ultra-pasteurized and yogurt that contains live and active cultures.  If you are using Raw milk (the best) there is no need to preheat it. I find you get a thicker yogurt though if you heat raw milk to 110º before adding the yogurt culture. 


For a thicker yogurt
You can place the yogurt in a colander lined with cheese cloth to drain out some of the liquid for a thicker yogurt. Or drain out almost all of the liquid for a creamy yogurt cheese. 
Alternativly you can add extra cream to your milk when you are heating it for a thicker yogurt without straining.

Mayonnaise

Last week I got together with my friend Steph and together we whipped up some homemade mayonnaise. I was surprised at how easy it was and how delicious it tasted. My family loved it which made me so happy since we are picky about our mayonnaise. We love mayonnaise (especially Best Foods/Hellmann's) but I have not found any store bought ones we like that are not filled with GMO's or other nasty ingredients. I used my immersion blender and a wide mouth canning jar which worked perfectly!

Mayonnaise
2 egg yolks or one whole egg* 
1 tbs lemon juice
1 teaspoon white vinegar (optional)
1/4- 1/2 tsp salt
pinch ground pepper
1 tsp mustard seed (optional)
1 cup vegetable oil*

Place the egg yolks in the bottom of a wide mouth canning jar. Add the lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Place the immersion blender in the jar and  begin to mix. Slowly pour in the oil a small amount at a time. Taking at least 1-2 min to add all the oil to the jar. As you put in the oil the mixture will start to thicken and become white and mayonnaise like. After adding all the oil if it seems thick add a teaspoon or two of water and blend. The mixture will thicken a bit in the fridge but not a lot so be sure to have it at about the right constancy. It will last for 1-2 weeks in the fridge.

Experiment with making it just the way you like it. A lot of recipes call for a small amount of mustard in it up to 1 tsp. Replace the vinegar with more lemon juice or add a clove of garlic for garlic mayonnaise. The best part of making your own is that you can create the right recipe for you.


*Be sure you are using only fresh clean eggs. I buy mine from the farmer and feel confident after talking with them that the eggs I use are safe for eating raw this way.

*We tried flax seed and grape seed and definitely liked the grape seed better. You want to use a flavorless oil. Olive oil has a lot of flavor and is good in combination with other less strong oils. Mixing 2 different oils can make for a good mayonnaise. Our favorite is half walnut oil half sunflower seed oil. Again it is up to you and your tastes. Try some different combinations and see what you like.

Red Lentils and Veggies

I am working more lentils and beans into our diet. I made this the other day with our Grilled Veggie Sandwiches. I worked great and will be added to our rotation.

Red Lentils and Veggies
1 1/4 cups red lentils
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
2 cups chopped veggies (eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, carrots)
2 tbs butter
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp dried thyme
pepper
salt

 Boil the lentils in enough water to cover them for 10 min. Drain and set aside.
Chop the onion, garlic, and other veggies. Heat butter in a pot. Gently saute the onions, garlic, and veggies.  Add the lentils, thyme, pepper, and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil. Cover reduce heat and simmer for 20 min. Salt to taste.

Soaked Baked Oatmeal

This weekend I made a yummy oatmeal breakfast. My father said it tasted like an oatmeal cookie, like I said Yummy! The original recipe came from here. I liked the idea of the baked oatmeal but since reading the book Real Foods by Nina Planck I wanted something without refined sugar and vegetable oil so I tweaked it a bit. Here is my version of soaked baked oatmeal.

Soaked Baked Oatmeal

2 cups oatmeal

1 tbs whole wheat flour
1 cup yogurt
½ cup water

2 eggs
6 tbs maple syrup
1/3 cup melted butter or applesauce
1 ½ tsp vanilla
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1/3 cup milk

add in options

raisins

small pieces of apple

berries

chocolate chips

coconut flakes

Mix the oatmeal, flour, yogurt, and milk in an 8x8 pan. Cover and sit on the counter, allow the oats to soak for 12-24 hours.

Preheat oven o 350º. Mix the eggs and all the rest of the ingredients together in a separate bowl. Add the egg mixture to the soaked oats and mix well. Mix in any optional add ins. Bake for 40 minutes. Serve warm. 

Soaked Waffles

We are embracing the soaking method around here. First after a ton of reading I have found that grains that have been soaked are much easier for our bodies to digest plus we absorb more of the vitamin and minerals our bodies need when we are eating soaked grains. Second it is so nice to already have half the recipe done when I go to make something (especially in the morning). So in continuing to improve our morning breakfast I made soaked waffles. Yum! 

Soaked Waffles

2 cups wheat flour

2 cups buttermilk

2 eggs

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

⅓ cup melted butter

Soak flour in buttermilk for 12 to 24 hours.

Heat waffle maker. Add the rest of the ingredients to the flour mixture and stir till combined. Follow your waffle manufactures directions for cooking the waffles. Soaked waffles may tend to be slightly softer then non soaked. Placing them in a warm oven about 200º while making the rest of the waffles will make them a bit more crunchy.

Any leftovers can be stacked in a freezer container separated by wax paper and frozen for later.
Warm up frozen waffles in a toaster oven or oven set at 350º for 5 min.

*For fluffier waffles separate whites and yolks of the eggs. With an electric mixer in a clean bowl beat the whites till stiff and set aside. Add the yolks with the rest of the ingredients, mix well then fold in the egg whites. 

Some of our favorite waffle toppings include

Fresh or frozen fruit

Chocolate chips

Finely chopped nuts

Syrup
Homemade fruit syrups

Butter

Whip cream

Honey

Cream Cheese

Soaked Porridge

I have been on a mission to revamp our morning eating. Most days we eat a bowl of cereal, milk, and a cup of juice. It is easy and predictable plus it is immediate, my kids have never been ones to wait for food in the morning. Although we always have organic cereal it is not the most nutritious meal and is often times filled with sugar. So now I am starting the process of creating more go to easy breakfasts for our family.
This porridge recipe comes from the book Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon although I adapted it slightly. She has many variations in her book but this is or favorite!


Soaked Porridge
1 cup oats, rolled or cracked (we use a 5 grain cereal)
1 cup warm milk
2 tbsp plain whole milk yogurt
1 cup water
Butter
Milk
honey, maple syrup, or turbino sugar

In a bowl with lid mix the warm water and yogurt then add the oats. Cover and let sit overnight or up to 24 hours.
In a saucepan bring 1 cup of water to a boil with an optional dash of salt. Add the soaked oats, cover and reduce heat to medium low. Let simmer for 3-5 min.
When at desired consistency spoon out into bowls and top with butter, milk, and natural sweetener of your choice.

We have been adding berries, bananas, and or stone fruits to our porridge which makes it even better. Some almond slices or ground flax seeds are delicious as well.

*Afraid of using too much butter and or milk stop listening to the media and start researching for yourself. The right kinds of dairy organic, pasture raised, and full fat is actually incredibly good for you. Start your research with the book Real Food by Nina Planck and find out for yourself.

Nut Butter Drops

We make lots of drops around here. They are perfectly sized for snacks, freeze great, and travel well plus the kids love them. I have made these with almond butter, cashew butter, peanut butter and sunflower butter.

Nut Butter Drops

¼ cup butter 

¾ cup rapadura sugar or brown sugar

½ cup nut butter
2 eggs 
1 tsp vanilla

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

½ cup all purpose flour  

¾ cup whole wheat flour 

2 tsp baking powder  

2 cups rolled oats

Optional Additions

½ cup chocolate chips

½ cup coconut flakes

½ cup dried fruit

Preheat oven 375°. In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar with a stand or hand mixer. Add nut butter mix until well blended. Beat in eggs one at a time then add the vanilla and applesauce. Mix together the flours and baking powder in a separate bowl and then slowly add to the butter mixture. Stir in oats and any desired additions. Scoop tablespoon size drops onto baking sheet or stone. Bake at 375° for 10-12 min. until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack, serve slightly warm, store in an airtight container for 3-5 days, or freeze for later use.