Inspired by vibrant Mediterranean flavors, this savory yogurt bowl pulls together a lemon-garlic infused yogurt, chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumbers and herbs. Best of all? It's packed with protein, fiber and probiotics and you only need 10 minutes to make it.

Most mornings? We have yogurt for breakfast. It's simple, nourishing and fast to put together. And, most of the time, that yogurt leans sweet: berries in the summer, citrus and cacao for our winter yogurt bowls, maybe a smidge of honey or a spot of jam.

But my favorite? A savory version of the yogurt bowl. We opt for a lemon- and garlic-infused yogurt topped with chopped seasonal vegetables and fresh herbs touched with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice.

I usually serve it with hunks of whole-grain bread - whatever we have on hand. Often that's sourdough, focaccia, or even naan. The bread helps to sop up all the yogurt and vegetables.

Ingredients + Substitutions

Yogurt is the foundation of this breakfast bowl. I favor homemade yogurt, but store bought yogurt is fine. Look for plain, full-fat yogurt with out additives. Greek yogurt is a nice option, if you prefer a thicker base.

Lemon, garlic and sea salt give the yogurt its savory edge. Sometimes, I'll also add spices such as ground cumin, sumac or coarsely ground black pepper.

Vegetables provide the real bulk of the recipe. My favorites for this recipe include cherry tomatoes and little Persian cucumbers. That's fine for summertime, when they're in season.

Leftover roasted vegetables are also a nice substitute for the fresh tomatoes and cucumbers. In winter, I usually add roasted butternut squash, beets and Brussels sprouts to the bowls along with thinly sliced greens such as Tuscan kale or radicchio.

Pulses add fiber and protein, while helping to bulk out the yogurt bowls so they're little more satiating. Most of the time, I use chickpeas, but any type of pulse works. Lentils, kidney beans, cannellini beans. You name it.

Herbs bring the breakfast bowls to life. Flat-leaf parsley, dill and mint are the herbs I use most often. But it also changes from season to season.

In winter, fresh thyme is a nice choice. And summer practically begs for the addition of basil. In essence: Use what is fresh and what you like the most.

Roasted, Salted Nuts and Feta Cheese add a pleasant finish. They both add a punch of salt and a little texture: creaminess from the feta and crunch from the nuts. Sometimes a few briny olives make a good addition, too.

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Savory Yogurt Bowl Recipe

Immensely satisfying, this yogurt bowl is a go-to when you don't want a sweet breakfast. Instead, it's packed with Mediterranean-inspired flavors for a simple, nourishing start to the day.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American, Mediterranean

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 2 servings

Author Jenny

Ingredients

For the Lemon-Garlic Yogurt

• 1 ½ cups yogurt (plain, full-fat)
• 2 cloves garlic (finely grated)
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• fine sea salt (as needed)

For the Toppings

• 1 cup chickpeas (cooked)
• 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 4 Persian cucumbers (peeled and sliced thin)
• ¼ cup finely chopped mixed herbs (such as dill, mint, parsley, and oregano)
• ¼ cup chopped roasted nuts (such as almonds or hazelnuts)
• ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

To Serve

• extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
• lemon wedges
• whole-grain bread

Instructions

Make the Lemon-Garlic Yogurt

• Stir the yogurt, garlic, and lemon zest together in a small bowl. Season to taste with fine sea salt, and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes so the flavors can marry.

Assemble the Bowls

• Spoon the yogurt into bowls, then top with chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, roasted nuts and feta cheese.
• Drizzle with olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon. Serve with whole-grain bread.

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With its mild tart flavor and smooth, creamy texture, filmjölk is a fermented milk product from Sweden that's quickly becoming popular worldwide. Fortunately, it's also easy to make.

What is filmjölk?

Swedish filmjölk is a cultured dairy product that dates to the Viking age. Simply translated, it means "sour milk," but it's much more than that. Rather, it's a room-temperature yogurt with a smooth, buttery flavor and mild sour taste. 

It is made by fermenting cow's milk with a starter culture that contains specific strains of lactic acid bacteria. These beneficial bacteria also give it a slightly tart and thickened consistency. Consider it a traditional drinkable yogurt.

Despite dating back centuries, it's still popular in Nordic countries today, where it's often eaten for breakfast. It's a great alternative to traditional homemade yogurt because it's easy to make and requires no expensive equipment. You just mix the milk with a starter in your jar and wait.

What's in it?

To make filmjolk, you only need a few simple ingredients: a quart of milk and a starter. That's it.

• Fresh milk is the foundation for any cultured dairy food. Filmjolk is traditionally made with cow's milk, though you can make it with goat milk, too. Pasteurized milk and UHT milk work particularly. The pasteurization process denatures milk proteins, and as a result, it thickens more easily when cultured. If you use raw milk, you will need to scald it first.
• Filmjölk culture inoculates the milk with various strains of beneficial bacteria such as Leuconostoc mesenteroides cremoris and Lactococcus lactis. This special culture gives filmjölk its characteristic tangy flavor and custard-like texture. You need to purchase a filmjölk culture and then save a little from a previous batch for a new batch.

Recipe Tips

• Heat your milk and let it cool to room temperature. While you can certainly mix the starter culture into fresh milk and wait, you'll find more consistent results when you heat your milk to 180 F and let it cool to room temperature before adding the starter. It helps to reorganize the milk's protein structure so that it thickens more easily when cultured. Also, it'll kill off any stray microbes that might 
• Whole milk gives the best flavor and texture. All the healthy fats in whole milk contribute flavor and a thickened texture to the final product.
• Add the starter to the milk only when it reaches room temperature. Otherwise, you might kill off the good bacteria.
• Mind the temperature in your home. Mesophilic yogurts culture best at about 70 to 77 F (21 to 25 C). Cooler temperatures will slow down the fermentation process or stop it altogether. Higher temperatures may speed up fermentation but result in sharper flavor and an off-putting, curdled texture.
• Have patience. Sometimes, it takes a few batches for your starter to establish itself.
• It's finished in about 24 hours, or until the filmjolk separates cleanly from the sides of the jar when you tilt it.

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How to Make Filmjölk

Filmjölk is a mildly tart yogurt that cultures at room temperature, so there's no need for fancy yogurt makers or other equipment.

It’s a good idea to heat your milk until steaming and then let it cool to room temperature, as this helps to reorganize the milk protein so that the filmjölk thickens more easily. It also helps eliminate any competing microbes in the milk that may change the final product's flavor or texture.

To make future batches of filmjölk, reserve ¼ cup from one batch and store it in the fridge for up to 1 week. Then, use it as your starter for the next batch.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Swedish

Keyword milk, yogurt

Servings 8 servings (1 quart)

Author Jenny

Equipment

• Medium Saucepan
• Whisk
• Quart-sized Jar

Ingredients

• 4 cups milk
• ¼ cup filmjölk starter

Instructions

• Bring the milk to a simmer over medium-high heat. When it starts to steam, reaching a temperature of 180F, turn off the heat and allow the milk to cool to room temperature.
• Whisk the filmjölk starter into the room-temperature milk and then pour it into a 1-quart mason jar. Cover it tightly, and let the milk culture at room temperature for 24 hours or until the thickened slightly. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Love filmjölk? Try these recipes next.

Recipe Questions

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Citrus and yogurt may seem like an odd partnership, but they work beautifully together in this winter breakfast bowl. As you spoon through it, bright fruit cuts through the creaminess, while bitter cacao and toasted nuts bring texture and balance.

Most mornings, I begin the day with yogurt, fruit and nuts. It's a simple and satisfying breakfast - light and steady.

Here, bright citrus folds into creamy yogurt, with bitter-edged cacao and toasted nuts adding depth and crunch. The result is a satisfying, fiber-forward breakfast that comes together quickly, but somehow feels luxuriant.

Key Ingredients + Substitutions

Yogurt forms the base of the bowl. Full-fat plain yogurt works best. I often use homemade yogurt; heirloom styles like matsoni or filmjölk are especially good here.

Citrus is at its best in winter, when it's both abundant and affordable. Oranges and grapefruit are my usual choice, though mandarins, clementines, or blood oranges all work nicely.

Lemon curd adds gentle sweetness and sharpens the citrus notes. I use a honey-sweetened curd, but store-bought is fine. In a pinch, a spoonful of honey works well. If you're feeling particularly ambitious, you might try drizzling bergamot syrup over the yogurt, too.

Raw cacao nibs bring a pleasant bitterness and crunch, balancing the sweet-tart flavors of the fruit and yogurt.

Toasted nuts add richness and texture. Hazelnuts are my favorite, but almonds, pecans, walnuts, or pine nuts are all good options.

Fresh mint adds color and a clean, bright finish. Very thinly sliced lemongrass or makrut lime leaves deepen the citrus notes, though their texture is notably more fibrous.

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Winter Yogurt Bowl Recipe

In the heart of winter, citrus takes the lead. Ir works beautifully in this simple breakfast bowl, finished with a swirl of lemon curd, fresh mint, and a scattering of nuts and cacao.

This recipe makes enough for six, but it scales easily for one or two.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword citrus, fruit, yogurt

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Jenny

Ingredients

• 2 medium oranges
• 1 medium grapefruit
• 1 quart yogurt (full-fat, plain)
• ½ cup honey lemon curd
• ½ cup cacao nibs
• ½ cup toasted nuts (hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, almonds, etc)
• 1 cup fresh mint (loosely packed)

Instructions

Preparing the citrus fruit

• Finely grate the orange and grapefruit zest, taking care to avoid the bitter white pith. Place the zest into a small bowl and set it aside.
• Using a sharp knife, slice off the top and bottom of the fruit so it sits flat on the cutting board. Cut downward to remove the remaining peel and white pith, following the curve of the fruit.
• Holding the peeled fruit over a bowl, cut along each side of the thin membranes to free the citrus segments, letting them fall into the bowl.

Finishing the bowls

• Stir the reserved citrus zest into the yogurt. Spoon the yogurt into each of six bowls. Drizzle the lemon curd over the bowls of yogurt, and then arrange the reserved citrus segments onto the yogurt.
• Sprinkle the cacao nibs and toasted nuts over the yogurt and fruit, then garnish with the bowls with plenty of fresh mint. Serve immediately.

Other citrus-forward recipes for winter

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Labneh - a yogurt cheese from Lebanon - is remarkably versatile and very easy to make at home. Preparing this labneh recipe at home requires little more than fresh yogurt and a swath of cheesecloth.   If cheese-making piques your interest, labneh is a very good cheese for beginners due to the little amount of expertise it requires, its minimal effort, and its very high rate of success.

Labneh is versatile in its application in the kitchen.   In our home we often substitute labneh for regular cream cheese or for neufchâtel or even sour cream when none is available.   Mixing labneh with olive oil and fresh herbs such as parsley, dill or marjoram makes a dip for vegetables and breads that is charming and elegant in its simplicity.   Simple food is often the best food.

For your labneh, you'll want to choose a good fresh yogurt.   In preparing my labneh, I prefer a raw milk yogurt.  Matsoni (pronounced madzoon) is room temperature or mesophilic yogurt culture that is particularly well-suited to making labneh.   Its flavor is mildly sour and quite pleasant.

Labneh, like all cultured dairy foods is rich in beneficial bacteria.   As a probiotic food, labneh carries with it all the benefits of yogurt.   Foods rich in beneficial bacteria support proper immune system function, and the process of lactic acid fermentation increases the vitamin content of many foods.  

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Labneh Recipe

Each quart of yogurt will produce about 6 ounces of labneh, give or take, plus plenty of whey to use in other recipes.  After you strain the yogurt, you can roll the labneh into balls, cover them with olive oil and store them in a jar with rosemary.  Other herbs in the mint family like marjoram work well, too.

Course Condiment

Cuisine Lebanese

Keyword herbs, olive oil, yogurt

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Hanging Time: 12 hours hours

Servings 12 servings

Calories 99kcal

Author Jenny

Ingredients

• 8 cups yogurt
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• extra virgin olive oil to cover
• chopped fresh rosemary to serve

Instructions

• Set a sieve above your bowl. Fold a cheesecloth into quarters and set it inside a sieve.
• In a large mixing bowl, stir the yogurt and salt together. Pour the yogurt and salt mixture into the sieve lined with cheesecloth. Allow the yogurt to drain freely about 15 minute or until the whey stops flowing freely and begins to drip.
• Gradually and carefully fold the ends of the cheesecloth in toward the center and twist them gently into a nice, tight package of yogurt that can easily hang from a hook.  Tie the cheesecloth together with cooking twine or bind it with a rubber band and hang it from a hook or faucet over a bowl to catch the dripping whey.
• Hang your yogurt for at least 12 hours and up to 24 for a very thick yogurt cheese. The longer you hang the yogurt, the thicker your labneh will be.
• After hanging, remove the labneh from the hook and gently take off the cheesecloth. You'll find that the yogurt is smooth and thick like cream cheese.
• Take two tablespoons of the labneh and roll into into your hands to form a ball.  Place these balls in a jar, add the rosemary and cover them with olive oil.  Store in the fridge up to 4 weeks.

Nutrition

Calories: 99kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 462mg | Potassium: 253mg | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 160IU | Vitamin C: 0.8mg | Calcium: 198mg | Iron: 0.1mg

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Milk kefir is, to put it lightly, an acquired taste.   Sour and pungent, milk kefir is a cultured dairy food originally from the Caucuses - the region where Europe meets Asia.   There it has been traditionally heralded as an elixir of long life and health.  

It seems that there's wisdom in this tradition: milk kefir is rich in beneficial bacteria, phosphorus, vitamin K, biotin, and folate - nutrients that are essential to health and well-being.   A single component of milk kefir - kefiran - may prove particularly beneficial as it successfully protects beneficial bacteria from damage in the hostile environment of the digestive tract.

Benefits of Milk Kefir and Kefirans

Milk kefir is strongly anti-inflammatory² and may prove helpful in combating   gastrointestinal distress caused by infections from bacillus cereus³, salmonella, e coli and helictobacter pylori⁴.   Milk kefir is also particularly important in recovering from clostridium difficile infection and associated gastrointestinal discomfort and diarrhea which often accompanies use of antibiotics⁵.   Despite the fact that milk kefir is, itself, a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeasts (or SCOBY), milk kefir also acts as a powerful antimicrobial food - helping to limit the growth of pathogens while encouraging the proliferation of beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract.

Milk kefir, like other cultured dairy foods,   may also play a role in the prevention of cancer as it exhibits antitumoural effects⁶.   Cultured dairy foods, including milk kefir, have been found to play a role in the prevention and treatment of bladder cancer⁷, breast cancer⁸ and colon cancer⁹.   Indeed, some researchers have concluded that milk kefir may be one of the most promising foods when it comes to cancer prevention¹⁰.

How to Make Milk Kefir

Milk kefir is cultured from a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeasts (SCOBY) that is coloquially referred to as kefir grains.   The appearance of these small colonies of bacteria and yeast vaguely resembles that of cottage cheese or even cauliflower.   Milk kefir grains are white, lumpy and gelatinous and are comprised primarily of lactic acid producing bacteria including lactobacillus brevis, streptococcus thermophillus, lactobacillus casei, lactobacillus helveticus, lactobacillus delbrueckii as well as yeasts that include candida maris, candida inconspicua and saccharomyces cerevisiae¹¹.   Though, of course, strains of bacteria present may differ from one culture of grains to another.

Obscure and exotic as it may seem, milk kefir is neither difficult to acquire nor difficult to prepare.   As with many traditional foods, its beauty lies in its simplicity.   It's easy to begin preparing kefir and incorporating it into your family's dietary rotation.   Once you've acquired a kefir grains, simply mix them in with milk - preferably   raw - and allow it to culture at room   temperature for 24 - 48 hours.   As it cultures at room temperature, the beneficial strains of bacteria and benign natural yeasts will proliferate, metabolize the milk's lactose and create a sour, thick beverage replete with vitamins, probiotics, kefiran and other nourishing components.   The longer milk kefir cultures the more sour and folate-rich it becomes, but take care not to culture it too long lest it become unpalatable.

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Milk Kefir Recipe

Preparing milk kefir at home is remarkably easy and quite affordable. It takes considerably less effort than homemade yogurt and homemade yogurt requires very little effort, indeed.

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 day day

Servings 1 quart

Author Jenny

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon milk kefir grains
• 4 cups whole milk (preferably raw)

Instructions

• Place milk kefir grains in the bottom of a clean mason jar. Cover with 1 quart fresh milk.
• Very loosely, place the lid and band on the mason jar. You do not want to tighten it because, as with all fermentation, carbon dioxide is created and needs to escape. Culture for 24 â€" 48 hours at room temperature. For a for a thin, mild kefir you can culture for 12 hours.
• Once culturing is complete, strain milk kefir into a new mason jar, cap and refrigerate. Begin reculturing a new batch of kefir, if desired or allow your kefir grains to rest in water in the refrigerator for a few days until you're ready to make kefir again.

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Want an easy homemade yogurt? It doesn't get easier than matsoni or the many other traditional yogurts that culture best at room temperature.  Even if you're so clumsy in the kitchen that you manage to burn water, you can make this simple, easy yogurt.  Just whisk starter culture with milk, set it on a warm spot in your kitchen, come back in one to two days, and it's done.  You've made matsoni.

Easy Homemade Yogurt Basics

room temperature for easy yogurt

Matsoni is a cultured dairy product like traditional Greek and Bulgarian yogurts.  Unlike Greek and Bulgarian yogurts, matsoni's unique complement of beneficial bacteria (which include lactobacillus delbruekii, streptococcus thermophilus, acetobacter orientalis and other friendly microorganisms) culture best at room temperature - about 68 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (20 to 26 degrees celsius).  Greek and Bulgarian yogurts, by contrast, culture best at an elevated temperature of 108 to 112 degrees Fahrenheit (42 to 44 degrees celsius).

long and slow fermentation for easy yogurt

Matsoni and other easy, room temperature yogurts require a longer period of fermentation.  Where Greek, Bulgarian and other thermophilic yogurts require only eight to twelve hours to culture properly (you can culture them up to 24 hours, if you like), matsoni should be cultured for about 24 hours and up to 48 hours.  After 24 to 48 hours, the beneficial bacteria present in the matsoni starter will cause the milk to transform from liquid to a syrupy, semisolid mass and that, dearest real food lovers, is the easiest yogurt you'll ever make.

what?!? you expect me to leave milk on my counter for two days?

Well, yes, I do.  In a time when everything is pasteurized, purified and chilled to preserve freshness, it's easy to forget that, yes, there was a time before refrigeration.  And it wasn't that long ago.  Simple techniques like culturing milk into yogurt helped to preserve foods for long-term storage.

The bacteria naturally present in matsoni will prevent spoilage as they do their magic turning milk into yogurt.  Remember, these are lactic acid bacteria; that is, they turn sugar into acid.   That acidic environment preserves the milk, is responsible for yogurt's characteristic tartness, and that prevents spoilage by opportunistic or pathogenic microorganisms.

Have a little faith in tradition.

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Matsoni Recipe

Matsoni is a traditional yogurt popular in the Caucusus and Armenia in particular. It is mildly tart and creamy with a semi-solid, syrupy consistency. It requires only two ingredients: starter culture and milk.

Course Ferment

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 quart

Ingredients

• ¼ cup matsoni starter culture
• 1 quart whole milk (preferably raw)

Instructions

• Whisk matsoni starter culture with whole milk in a medium bowl, and pour into a quart-sized jar. Cover loosely and place it in a warm spot in your kitchen where it will culture for 24 to 48 hours.
• When the milk forms a semi-solid mass and pulls away from the sides of the jar when you tilt it, the matsoni is ready. Transfer it to the refrigerator to halt fermentation. Serve as you would any other yogurt. Reserve ¼ cup to culture another batch.

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So, I've paired cheddar and cream and bacon together with caramelized shallots and sherry for one of my favorite dishes: Potted Cheddar with Bacon and Shallots.  It's extraordinary, filling and rich - something you make to share.  And, when made with good-quality ingredients from pasture-raised animals, it likewise offers not only rich flavor, but also a plethora of wholesome fats and fat-soluble vitamins.

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Potted Cheddar with Bacon and Shallots

The combination of bacon, heritage organic, grass-fed cheddar and caramelized shallots blends together beautifully for a satisfying potted cheese spread.   It assembles in about a half hour. I spread it against homemade crackers or toasted sourdough bread, or take it along to potlucks and holiday parties.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American, English

Keyword bacon, cheese, shallots

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 16 servings (1 pint)

Calories 214kcal

Author Jenny

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons ghee
• 8 ounces bacon
• 2 medium shallots sliced paper thin
• 12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry

Instructions

• Melt ghee in a pan and fry bacon over medium-high heat until cooked through and crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan, and set the strips on a pan to cool slightly. Drain the bacon fat, and reserve two tablespoons in the pan.
• Decrease the heat to medium-low. Toss the shallots into the hot fat, and saute them until deeply fragrant and browned, about 15 minutes.
• Combine bacon and cheddar in a food processor and pulse until well-blended. Add the cream, shallots, and sherry to the bacon and cheddar, and continue to process them together until they form a smooth, spreadable paste.
• Spoon the cheese spread into a jar or into ramekins, and either serve right away or store, carefully covered, in the fridge for up to a month. Remember to bring the potted cheddar to room temperature before serving, and spread over crackers or bread as an appetizer or starter.

Nutrition

Calories: 214kcal | Protein: 7g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 231mg | Potassium: 60mg | Vitamin A: 435IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 164mg | Iron: 0.2mg

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Each week, from April through November, we pick up 4 gallons of fresh, raw milk from our local dairy. We like to visit the farm that houses our milk cows - all doe-eyed guernseys and jerseys with their pale tan-colored coats and their soft muzzles. Like many traditional foods enthusiasts, my family belongs to a herd share; that is, we collectively own an interest in a small herd of grass-fed cows, and as the owners of the cows, we're entitled to their milk.

It started slow - a small share that provided about a half gallon a week, then progressed to 1 gallon, then to 2 and now to 4. Dutifully, each week, I skim the cream off of two gallons of milk, leaving the other two whole. I use the cream for desserts and to serve with fruit, while using the skimmed milk for homemade raw milk yogurt or for simple homemade farm cheese - sometimes seasoning it with fresh herbs, and sometimes leaving it plain as I do below.

Making Cheese at Home

While making cheese often involves purchasing both starter culture and rennet, you can also make cheese very simply with only heat and something acidic like lemon juice or vinegar, the combination of which will cause the cheese curds to separate from the whey. The resulting cheese doesn't offer up the complexity of an aged cheese, but, rather, tastes milky, sweet and mild.

This cheese, a simple and easy farm-style cheese, comes together quickly and is an excellent way of using up excess milk.  We always seem to have more milk than we need now that we buy extra to provide for our cream and butter needs.    Paneer, a classic Indian cheese, is made the same way - though often substituting lemon juice in place of vinegar.  You can use this cheese for snacks, in place of mozzarella, or in casseroles.  Children, who can often find aged and complex cheeses too overwhelming for their tastebuds, typically like this simple, homemade farm cheese.

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Simple Farm Cheese

This simple farm cheese can come together quickly. It tastes mild and sweet, and doesn't require rennet, making an excellent cheese for beginners.

Cook Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Author Jenny

Ingredients

• 1 gallon whole milk not ultrapasteurized
• ½ cup white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt

Instructions

• Line a colander with a double layer of cheesecloth or a single layer of butter muslin.
• Pour the milk into a large, heavy-bottomed kettle, and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Stir it frequently to keep the milk from scorching. When it comes to a boil, immediately reduce the heat to low, and stir in the vinegar. The milk should immediately separate into curds and whey. If it does not separate, add a bit more vinegar one tablespoon at a time until you see the milk solids coagulate into curds swimming within the thin greenish blue whey.
• Pour the curds and whey into the lined colander. Rinse them gently with cool water, and sprinkle the curds with salt. Tie up the cheesecloth, and press it a bit with your hands to remove excess whey. Let the cheesecloth hang for 1 to 2 hours, then open it up and chop it coarsely. Store in the fridge for up to a week.

Notes

You may set the lined colander over a bucket or crock to catch they whey rather than discarding it; however, keep in mind that it is not a cultured food, and if you are accustomed to using whey as a starter culture for fermented vegetables, it will not work as it doesn't contain live active bacteria. It can, however, be reserved for feeding pigs and chickens, or for soaking grains and flour.

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While store-bought yogurt is convenient, it just can't compare to what you can make at home. Homemade yogurt can range from mild and creamy to mouth-puckeringly tart, depending on your preference. It's also super easy to make, and you can save a ton compared to the storebought version.

What is it?

Yogurt is a cultured dairy food made by fermenting milk until sour and thickened. You'll find versions of yogurt in almost every dairying society across the world. Some culinary traditions use cow's milk. Others use sheep, goat, or even mare's milk.

Yogurt relies on a starter culture that is rich in beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. These bacteria inoculate the milk and then metabolize the milk's naturally occurring sugar: lactose. As the bacteria proliferate, the milk thickens and turns tart. And in a matter of a few hours, you'll have homemade yogurt.

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Homemade Yogurt Recipe

Rich, creamy and decidedly tart, this homemade yogurt recipe is straightforward and easy to make. Straining thickens the yogurt, while whipping it gives a fantastic light, creamy texture.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword milk

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Fermentation 6 hours hours

Total Time 6 hours hours 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings (1 quart)

Calories 149kcal

Author Jenny

Equipment

• Yogurt Maker
• Yogurt Strainer

Ingredients

• 6 cups milk
• ¼ cup yogurt starter

Instructions

• Bring the milk to a simmer over medium-high heat.  When it starts to steam, reaching a temperature of 180F, turn off the heat and allow the milk to cool to 110 F.
• Whisk the yogurt starter into the warm milk, and transfer it to your yogurt maker. If you don't have a yogurt maker, transfer it to a glass jar and culture it in a place with a steady, even temperature of 110 F. Culture the yogurt for at least 6 and up to 12 hours. The longer it cultures, the sourer it will taste.
• When the yogurt is finished culturing, transfer it to a yogurt strainer. Allow the yogurt to strain for 1 hour and then discard or repurpose the whey. Transfer the yogurt to a large bowl or to the basin or a stand mixer, and then whisk until lightened and airy - about 5 minutes. Store in the fridge, and use within 2 weeks

Nutrition

Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 112mg | Potassium: 379mg | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 240IU | Vitamin C: 1.2mg | Calcium: 296mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Recipes Questions

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This kefir ranch dressing recipe is an easy take on an American classic. With a creamy, tart edge and plenty of herbs, this dressing is just as delicious as a dip as it is drizzled over your favorite salad. It's also a great way to incorporate probiotic foods into your family's diet.

What is it?

Ranch dressing was developed in the 1940s by Steve Henson. By the late 1950s, the dressing had become commercially available and popular. The original dressing combines buttermilk, mayonnaise, and herbs such as parsley, dill, garlic, and chives with onion, mustard, and black pepper.

In this version, kefir replaces the buttermilk. Like buttermilk, kefir tastes creamy with a slightly tart edge.  It's also a great source of live cultures and beneficial bacteria.

Key Ingredients

Naturally, kefir is the foundation of the recipe, replacing the buttermilk called for in the original version. In addition to kefir, you'll also find dried herbs, olive oil, vinegar, and mayonnaise.

• Kefir gives homemade ranch dressing a creamy quality and a pleasant, slightly sour flavor. It's also loaded with good-for-your-gut probiotics.
• Mayonnaise helps to keep the dressing emulsified and gives it body. You can use a store-bought mayonnaise or make your own homemade avocado oil mayo instead.
• Alliums are members of the onion family, and they give kefir ranch dressing a savory quality. Chives, onion, and garlic are essential ingredients.
• Herbs typically include parsley and dill in addition to chives.
• Olive oil and vinegar help to balance the flavor and thin the dressing a touch so that it's easier to pour.

Tips for Making Ranch Dressing

Making kefir ranch dressing is easy.  You assemble the ingredients in a single bowl and whisk them until the dressing is combined. But there are a few extra tips you'll want to remember as you make this recipe.

• Store-bought mayonnaise allows the dressing to last longer. Homemade mayonnaise has a short shelf life.
• An immersion blender or upright blender will combine all the ingredients easily, but whisking them works just as well.
• Fresh kefir works best in this recipe, and kefir that has started to separate will give your dressing an unpleasant cheesy flavor that can border on too sour.
• If you prefer fresh herbs to dried herbs, triple the volume called for in the recipe.

Print

Kefir Ranch Dressing Recipe

Creamy and tart with plenty of herbs this take on classic Ranch Dressing gets a boost of probiotic goodness thanks to the inclusion of milk kefir.

Course Salad Dressing

Cuisine American

Keyword herbs, kefir

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings (about 1 ½ cups)

Calories 59kcal

Author Jenny

Equipment

• Whisk
• medium mixing bowl

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk kefir
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 teaspoons dried chives
• ½ teaspoon dried parsley
• ¼ teaspoon dried dill
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

• Spoon the mayonnaise into a mixing bowl, and then whisk in the kefir, olive oil, and vinegar until uniformly combined. Next, whisk in the onion and garlic powders, salt, chives, parsley, dill, and black pepper. Taste it, and adjust seasoning as necessary to suit your preferences.

Nutrition

Calories: 59kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 235mg | Potassium: 33mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 607IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 0.2mg

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Recipe Questions

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