Homemade Yogurt and Granola

One of my favorite gifts from our wedding registry is my automated yogurt maker from William-Sonoma. If you love yogurt and enjoy using fun gadgets I highly recommend a yogurt maker. Our’s is super easy to run, does not require much manual work AND is a big money saver. As much as I love it, there are some downsides to consider. First, you have to wait overnight for the yogurt to ferment and this model doesn’t produce as much as we’d like. I have done some research lately and found there is a 2 quart version available. I recommend this over the William-Sonoma one (if you’re not putting it on a registry) because you do not get a lot for the amount of time that you have to wait. 

The second downside is really just a personal preference. The William-Sonoma model produces a plain yogurt consistency, while I have become a big fan of Greek yogurt. Food & Wine was my savior this month as their article on homemade yogurt (this month’s edition) described how to strain the yogurt to get more of a Greek yogurt consistency. 

This is how is will look if you do not strain it

To strain just place your cheese cloth in a strainer over a glass bowl

Making yogurt is actually pretty simple. You need the live culture to transform the milk to yogurt and then keep that cultured milk at a specific temperature. The yogurt makers keep that yogurt at the right temperature for you, but Food and Wine says you can actually just do this right in your oven (If you do I would recommend you get a thermometer to make sure your oven is between 105-110 degrees F) . I have not tried this method so let me know how it goes! 

I love granola with my yogurt, but I hate when that granola is soaked with oil. I lightened up a granola recipe for you by using some apple juice :) (The apple cooks off so you won’t taste it) Enjoy! 

Yogurt with cherries honey and homemade granola to go!

Homemade Yogurt

42 oz 1% of 2% yogurt (I have done it with skim too!)

1/2 cup plain yogurt containing active yogurt cultures OR Yogurt Starter

Need: Thermometer, Double Boiler and Yogurt Maker or Oven

1. Place a glass bowl over a pot of boiling water and pour the milk into the bowl.
2. Heat until the milk reaches 180 degrees (this will take awhile, about a 1/2 hour to 45 mins).
3. Once it has reached 180 degrees take the bowl off of the double boiler and cool to 110 degrees (will take about another 1/2 hour).
4. Once cooled whisk in the yogurt or starter, whisk for 3 minutes and then pour into glass jars. 
5. Put the jars in the yogurt maker (I have done it with and without the lids and it does not seem to make a difference) or oven if you do not have a yogurt maker.
6. It will then take between 6 and 7 hours to be ready.  It is ready when it is thick and surrounded by a clear liquid (whey).  
7. Refrigerate until chilled.
8. It can then be eaten just like this and you will have 42 oz of Yogurt. 
9. If you like thicker yogurt, line a strainer with cheesecloth (this can be found at any local grocery store).
10. Let strain for an hour.  Make sure there are no spaces and then squeeze the remaining liquid out.  You will have 2 cups of liquid.  When you strain the whey out you will be only left with about 20oz of yogurt.  

Low fat Walnut and Dried Cranberry Granola

2 1/2 cups Oats

1/3 cup Bran

1 cup chopped Walnuts

1/2 Honey

1/3 cup Apple Juice

1 tbs Oil

1 tsp Vanilla

1 tsp Cinnamon

1 cup Dried Cranberries

2 tbs Flax Seeds

2 tbs Pumpkin Seeds

325

1. Spread nuts and oats on a baking sheet and toast for 12-15 mins
2. While toasting whisk together oil, honey, salt and cinnamon
3. Remove oats and nuts from oven and immediately pour it into the wet mixture
4. Fold ingredients together and make sure all dry ingredients are covered
5. Spread mixture in an even layer on a baking sheet
6. Bake for 20 minutes (rotate halfway in-between)
7. Toss Fruit in when it comes out of the oven

Note: Granola is a very flexible recipe if you want the full fat version you can use 1/3 cup of oil.  You want to add more/different nuts go for it, it is personal preference.  I prefer mixing regular fruit into my yogurt and having less dried fruit in my granola. When I add almonds I like replacing the vanilla extract with almond extract and using dried apricots.  When I use pecans I love to replace the honey with maple syrup.  You can make a tropical granola with toasted flaked coconut, macadamia nuts, and dried pineapple.