Greek Yogurt

Once every week or two, I make Greek yogurt. We keep it in little covered bowls in the 'fridge, for a healthy snack or breakfast. My husband came up with the idea of flavoring it with frozen fruit juice concentrate, which gives it an intense flavor without adding a bunch of sugar. I like to add blackstrap molasses for an unusual flavor and some great nutrients.

GREEK YOGURT 32 oz. plain yogurt 1/2 cup frozen juice concentrate     (optional flavoring)     OR 1/4 cup blackstrap molasses ----------- Set a large strainer on top of a large bowl. Rinse a clean dishcloth well, and wring it out. Lay it in the strainer. Place yogurt in the cloth-lined strainer. Cover and refrigerate for 6-24 hours. Save the drained liquid whey in your refrigerator for other uses, or discard.

If you're adding ingredients, place the remaining yogurt (about 2 cups) back in the emptied bowl, and stir in the juice concentrate or molasses.  Put 1/3 cup yogurt in each serving container, such as a small jar or bowl with an airtight lid.

Cover and store in refrigerator.

Makes six to seven 1/3-cup flavored servings.

Notes

1. Apple juice-based fruit juice concentrates tend to make the yogurt a bit lumpy but it still tastes good. Citrus, pineapple, etc. work better.

2. To prevent drips in the refrigerator, lay the dishcloth corners up on top of the lid or plate covering the yogurt.

3. The longer you drain, the thicker it will be.  24 hours gives a nice, thick yogurt even after adding flavoring.  It also removes more whey, which some people have a sensitivity to.

4. The left-over whey can be used in place of milk for baking, as a starter for lacto-fermenting pickles or making vinegar, or you can water plants with it to add nutrients. My friend Absinthia, who bakes a lot of bread, says that she uses whey successfully in place of milk... but when I have tried it, the bread didn't turn out well--no idea why.

You can find more information here.