Yogurt Cheese

This post is long overdue but here it is.

I have been attempting weight-loss but trying to go about it in a healthy way and not anorexic or some crazy fad diet. I have been wanting to incorporate more fresh produce, wheat instead of bleached, gross white flour, fat free dairy products, and nixes as much sugar and processed foods as possible, or as much as Hunny will allow. In my endevours for this healthier lifestyle, I have come across health benefiting foods and alternatives. Besides using bananas, flax seed, or even white bean puree for added fiber and protein, for butter in my cookies, or half wheat germ for flour, I have also come across this magical food called yogurt cheese. It sounds weird but it is, or was supposed to be, quite simple. All you do is strain yogurt through either cheese cloth, a t-shirt, paper towels, coffee filters, or some loosely woven material and what is left is thick, concentrated yogurt. Why would you want this anyway? Because! At only 17-23 cal, depending on your starting yogurt, a tablespoon that is packed with calcium and some protein, you can mix it with peanut butter, ice cream, and even mayo to reduce fat and make your indulgence more healthified. Yogurt in my peanut butter?! Gross! No, not really, the yogurt takes on the flavor of whatever it is mixed with. Many people or articles I've read mix it with olive oil and tasty herbs and flavors for dip. A ranch packet for veggie dip. Fruit for a tasty spread. Replace it for cream cheese or sour cream in baking. Make that cheese cake and don't feel guilty eating every tasty bite. Are you beginning to see why I wanted it so bad?

In order for me to acquire this amazing food, I had to get the right yogurt. Despite most articles, generic store bought yogurt won't work because it is held together with a starch or gelatin. Unless you get organic which I did a test run on. Worked out great. But... it can get expensive. So I did some more digging and found that you can in fact make yogurt using powdered milk. Perfect, since in looking up this information I also found all sorts of uses for powdered milk. Food Storage begin to run through my mind and justified me getting a #10 can of powdered milk.

My first attempt at making yogurt was a bust. Very disappointing. I ended up with merely sour tasting milk. Yuck! But after further reading and studying I learned my mistake and took advise from a friend and was able to produce yogurt that looked and tasted exactly like plain store bought yogurt. I was so proud. YES! But that was merely step one in the process. Now the other fun part. Time to strain it. I cut up one of Hunny's old, but clean, shirts and covered a small container with it, rubberband to hold in place and scooped on the yogurt. Immediately the whey began to drip.

Now, a short note on this smelly liquid dripping out of bacteria growing cream, this is good stuff. This is practically pure protein. People spend good money on this stuff. You can make whey/protein shakes. Or you can, like I did, pour it into ice trays and when ever you are making shakes, instead of ice, grab the frozen whey and make your own protein shake. Also, it can be used instead of milk in baking just fine. Some people can drink it straight. It wasn't too bad but I don't know about gulping it. Whatever you do, do not throw it away. It is nutrient packed.

So finally... Success!!! How satisfying to go through the whole process of learning, attempting, creating, and achieving yogurt cheese. It turned out delightful. I mixed blended strawberries in some. Some went into some ice cream and a lot is now mixed into our peanut butter and, oh, it is so creamy and tasty. Not as nutty but almost like a peanut butter ice cream. I think I am going to enjoy some now. Yum!