? Greek yogurt
Unflavored greek yogurt straight from the container tastes like sour cream - so it is great with salsa, salads, in dips, etc.
Most of us like sweet yogurt - add your sweetner of choice, fruit, sugar free jello or pudding, sugar free pie filling, sugar free jelly, peanut butter or powdered peanut flour (Trader Joes or PB2), I love pumpkin puree in it - it is limitless what you can try.
I usually add a scoop of whey isolate protein powder and sugar free Torani or Davinci syrup to match or compliment the flavor I'm going for.
You can also add greek yogurt with protein powder and fruit for a smoothie.
0% Fage is my favorite.
Go to www.bariatricfoodie.blogspot.com or www.theworldaccordingtoeggface for great bariatric recipes.
Best wishes.
Penny Highest Weight 255 * Wt loss includes 19 lb lost before surgery
Hi Ladies,
I make yogurt all the time, and you should know that greek yogurt is nothing more than regular yogurt that has been drained/strained through cheescloth. So it's thicker and not as bitter because it's not sitting in the liquid or the "whey," which is good for you too.
When I make yogurt I use a mesh strainer to drain off the whey and use it for gravies and such.
Depending on how long I strain it I can have what the stores call,
1. "greek yogurt," or
2. I strain it a little longer and by the end of the day I have a yogurt cream cheese that's fresher and tastier than any thing you can buy from the store (But I still love REAL PhillY cream cheese. I just don't buy their diet one. I'll use mine, thanks.).
3. I'll strain it longer and when it's dry I'll run water over it to make cottage cheese.
Now I don't expect everyone to do this. I do it because it's easy and I enjoy the real fresh taste. I just wanted to let you know there is no "magic" or special ingredient to greek yogurt. In fact, if anything it's what they take out that makes it "greek."
Johanna
I make yogurt all the time, and you should know that greek yogurt is nothing more than regular yogurt that has been drained/strained through cheescloth. So it's thicker and not as bitter because it's not sitting in the liquid or the "whey," which is good for you too.
When I make yogurt I use a mesh strainer to drain off the whey and use it for gravies and such.
Depending on how long I strain it I can have what the stores call,
1. "greek yogurt," or
2. I strain it a little longer and by the end of the day I have a yogurt cream cheese that's fresher and tastier than any thing you can buy from the store (But I still love REAL PhillY cream cheese. I just don't buy their diet one. I'll use mine, thanks.).
3. I'll strain it longer and when it's dry I'll run water over it to make cottage cheese.
Now I don't expect everyone to do this. I do it because it's easy and I enjoy the real fresh taste. I just wanted to let you know there is no "magic" or special ingredient to greek yogurt. In fact, if anything it's what they take out that makes it "greek."
Johanna
My sister has just recently started making her own yogurt also. She keeps "oohing and aahing" about the freshness compared to store bought. I am going to have to try it tomorrow. It's reeaaallly easy and so much cheaper than buying greek yogurt at the store. Gotta get the crock pot down and prepare!!!
Hi!
It's so simple that once you do it, you'll want to do it again and again. here's a real simple recipe that you can do using your microwave.
http://www.ehow.com/how_4894171_make-yogurt-microwave.html
Now you don't have to add the powdered milk. Don't worry about it. It just adds more calcium and gives the yogurt a little more texture. You can do that the next batch. You'll need to purchase a small carton of plain yogurt. Don't go looking for some fancy name yogurt. All you need is a starter, and any plain yogurt will do that. You're gonna read this and go..what?, but let me break down more simple:
4 cups of milk in a 2qt pan. heat just til it starts to boil (don't boil it! When you see the bubbles forming across the milk get ready to turn it off). If you have a candy thermometer, turn off the heat when the thermometer reaches 175 degrees. Stir the mil****asionally to prevent a skin from forming. Once you turn the heat off, place a cover or lid half way over the pot, keep the thermometer in the milk and let it sit till it gets between100 and 110. No lower or higher. I know some will tell you a degree won't make a difference, but that's not true. It can make a difference.
Once it gets to that temperature, take two or three tablespoons of the plain yogurt, put it in a cup, and then take four tablesp of milk and stir it in the cup. Once that's mixed well, pour it back into the pot of milk, stirring it into the milk.
Once you do that you can pour the milk into a bowl or container and then follow the directions on the link. I have a yogurt maker that makes up to 1/2 gal at a time, but this method is easy and good way to figure out if you want to keep doing it, plus it's alot faster than the 12-14 hour that most people (including myself) use. I've done both but I like the old fashioned way when I have the time.
I don't put fruit in my yogurt until after it's "made." Anything before opens the door to possible problems, like the yogurt doesn't fully set. After the yogurt is set (lightly press your finger on the top of the yogurt. It should leave an imprint and coat your finger a bit), place in fridge. Now don't panic if you see liquid on the top. That's whey and it's good for you. Don't stir it in. Just leave it alone and wait until the yogurt is fully cooled in the fridge. Then you after you can decide.
I promise you, if you do every thing here, the yogurt will be light and not tart at all, with an ever so slight sweetness to it. I could never eat plain yogurt from the store. when I make at home, every one can it plain.
Also: suppose it doesn't set, and after sitting in the fridge it's all semi watery, like a creamy milk? Well, guess what? It's still yogurt. Keep it in the fridge and make smoothies with it. Pour over some fruit and sprinkle some Splenda or honey. Make a nice sauce/gravy and pour it over chicken. Or you can warm it up, add another two or three teaspons of starter (go back to the directions on mixing the starter and pouring into the batch), and try again - but only one do over.
It sounds lengthy, but you do it one time and it will be a piece of cake afterwards. Give me aholler if you decide to do it!
Oh, btw, here's the link to make it "Greek."
http://www.ehow.com/how_8209223_make-style-yogurt-plain-yogu rt.html
It's so simple that once you do it, you'll want to do it again and again. here's a real simple recipe that you can do using your microwave.
http://www.ehow.com/how_4894171_make-yogurt-microwave.html
Now you don't have to add the powdered milk. Don't worry about it. It just adds more calcium and gives the yogurt a little more texture. You can do that the next batch. You'll need to purchase a small carton of plain yogurt. Don't go looking for some fancy name yogurt. All you need is a starter, and any plain yogurt will do that. You're gonna read this and go..what?, but let me break down more simple:
4 cups of milk in a 2qt pan. heat just til it starts to boil (don't boil it! When you see the bubbles forming across the milk get ready to turn it off). If you have a candy thermometer, turn off the heat when the thermometer reaches 175 degrees. Stir the mil****asionally to prevent a skin from forming. Once you turn the heat off, place a cover or lid half way over the pot, keep the thermometer in the milk and let it sit till it gets between100 and 110. No lower or higher. I know some will tell you a degree won't make a difference, but that's not true. It can make a difference.
Once it gets to that temperature, take two or three tablespoons of the plain yogurt, put it in a cup, and then take four tablesp of milk and stir it in the cup. Once that's mixed well, pour it back into the pot of milk, stirring it into the milk.
Once you do that you can pour the milk into a bowl or container and then follow the directions on the link. I have a yogurt maker that makes up to 1/2 gal at a time, but this method is easy and good way to figure out if you want to keep doing it, plus it's alot faster than the 12-14 hour that most people (including myself) use. I've done both but I like the old fashioned way when I have the time.
I don't put fruit in my yogurt until after it's "made." Anything before opens the door to possible problems, like the yogurt doesn't fully set. After the yogurt is set (lightly press your finger on the top of the yogurt. It should leave an imprint and coat your finger a bit), place in fridge. Now don't panic if you see liquid on the top. That's whey and it's good for you. Don't stir it in. Just leave it alone and wait until the yogurt is fully cooled in the fridge. Then you after you can decide.
I promise you, if you do every thing here, the yogurt will be light and not tart at all, with an ever so slight sweetness to it. I could never eat plain yogurt from the store. when I make at home, every one can it plain.
Also: suppose it doesn't set, and after sitting in the fridge it's all semi watery, like a creamy milk? Well, guess what? It's still yogurt. Keep it in the fridge and make smoothies with it. Pour over some fruit and sprinkle some Splenda or honey. Make a nice sauce/gravy and pour it over chicken. Or you can warm it up, add another two or three teaspons of starter (go back to the directions on mixing the starter and pouring into the batch), and try again - but only one do over.
It sounds lengthy, but you do it one time and it will be a piece of cake afterwards. Give me aholler if you decide to do it!
Oh, btw, here's the link to make it "Greek."
http://www.ehow.com/how_8209223_make-style-yogurt-plain-yogu rt.html
Uhh, yes. LOL! Even if you bought fresh strawberries, sprinkled some splenda on it, let it sit in the fridge and mixed that in the yogurt it would better than the fruit flavors. I've sprinkled splenda in yogurt, added a spoonful of jam from time to time, but that's rare. Fruit flavors can definitely stall you if you have it too much.
I like the Chobani fruit flavors as well. I don't stress over using them vs. flavoring my own -- it usually only saves about 25 calories or so and it's a lot easier to take the ready-to-eat cups to work. I have a little fridge in my office that I keep stocked with water, low-fat cheese, ready-to-drink protein shakes, and greek yogurt.
I do use the unflavored greek yogurt a lot -- as a substitute for sour cream. You can make great ranch dressing with it. I even made onion dip for my husband with it and he didn't know the difference until I told him. Because it's somewhat thicker in consistency than sour cream, I usually thin it down with a little nonfat milk for dressings and sauces.
I do use the unflavored greek yogurt a lot -- as a substitute for sour cream. You can make great ranch dressing with it. I even made onion dip for my husband with it and he didn't know the difference until I told him. Because it's somewhat thicker in consistency than sour cream, I usually thin it down with a little nonfat milk for dressings and sauces.
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