Making Your Own Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is commonly used in Indian and Mediterranean cuisines. Thick and creamy, cool and refreshing, it is wonderful as a snack with fresh fruit and honey. However, the cost is generally higher than regular yogurt. Never fear, home cooks! You can use regular plain yogurt to make your own Greek-style yogurt. Just follow these steps!

Start with a colander, preferably one with smaller holes such as this mesh one.

Next, line the colander with clean cheesecloth, a dish towel (make sure there's no funny scent from detergents first), or even strong, durable paper towels.
Get your plain (cheap) yogurt ready (I used a low-fat organic brand).

Place the colander over a slightly larger bowl, so that the colander sits suspended over the top of the bowl. The bowl will be catching the liquid as it drips out of the yogurt. Use a spoon to transfer the desired amount of yogurt into the colander. Return to the refrigerator and let the yogurt drain until the yogurt has reached the consistency you want it to be.

For this amount of yogurt, I let it drain for roughly 24 hours. Here is what the yogurt looks like after I take it back out of the refrigerator - it's much thicker. Next, remove the colander and place it over paper towels (in case of dripping).

The bowl will have some semi-clear yellowish liquid (whey) in the bottom of it. You can discard it, unless you know a clever use for whey. As for me, Little Miss Muffet is the only one I know of who eats the stuff, so I toss mine.

Finally, spoon your yogurt out of the cheesecloth/dish towel/whatever and into a bowl. It's going to be silky smooth and thick and perfect! Voila, your Greek-style yogurt!

Happy yogurt making!

Nuggets of Goodness

I blogged about a few W-S products I like last time, but we’re all cutting back these days (whether in money or in calories), so here are a few of my favorite healthy grocery store finds. All can be found at the Nugget market, and many can be found elsewhere as well.

Kashi Raspberry Chocolate Bars: These taste indulgent but offer 4g of fiber and make a tasty afternoon pick-me-up.

Sabra Roasted Red Pepper Hummus: Addictive, smooth, creamy, delicious. Fanastic with crackers or vegetables.

Figueroa Olive Oil: Produced at an LA-area farm, this extra-virgin olive oil has got me hooked with its delectable fruity notes. I use it in salad dressings, marinades, baked goods, etc. Nothing like the bland, flavorless brands you usually find at the grocery store. Wallaby Organic yogurt: The Strawberries and Cream tastes like just that - mild, creamy yogurt mixed with chunky, real fruit. I feel like I’m eating dessert at snacktime!