My Big Fat Greek Yogurt
Happy weekend everyone!
I took some pictures last night to demonstrate how I strain regular yogurt to make it “greek”. This makes it thick, delicious, and higher in protein!
I start with one of my “favorite things”, Stonyfield yogurt! I typically use two quarts, one fat free plain and the other low fat plain, but it really depends on what the store has.
First, you’ll need to set up a strainer in a big bowl, deep enough so that the bottom of the strainer doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl. Then, line it with some cheesecloth, I found a great reusable brand at Whole Foods.
Then it’s time to scoop the yogurt into the contraption…
Wait, save that lid! Stonyfield has a great rewards program, so save the lid and enter the code! (tip: the quarts’ lids are worth 4 points, the singles are only worth 1!)
(don’t bother using this code, I already did 
)
after one quart…
all full! I recommend you fold up the edges of the cheesecloth before placing it in the fridge so there’s no mess made in the fridge
After several hours, you’ll find:
Whey! No way! I usually just dump it out…I don’t know of other uses?
I usually let it “greekify” overnight and part of the day, but you may strain it as long or as little as you like. It’ll end up like this:
Yes, it’s that thick!
Then I divide it into 4 8-ounce portions, usually one is more or less, depending on how long I strained.
(I don’t mind that some of the containers are for the wrong season 
)
Then I break out my trusty food processor to start adding the fruit!
First up is apple…
Two small organic gala apples…bye bye!
I’m not surprised it ended up being too big for the container…easy fix!
Next up is another attempt to use up the remaining blueberries from our 5-pound box!
Next up is a juicy peach and some defrosted cherries!
And finally an orange!
Frothy!
Well there you have it, folks! I always make an apple yogurt and an orange yogurt, but the other flavors just come with whatever fruit we have fresh. Please feel free to ask questions and soon I’ll feature my yogurt’s best friend, GRANOLA!
July 24, 2010 at 10:26 pm
This is really nifty stuff. I want to eat organic dairy, but I don’t like Oikos. Now, if my parents ever give me permission, I’ll buy a big Stonyfield Plain quart and strain it. Thanks for posting!
July 27, 2010 at 6:14 pm
OMG – DO NOT throw the whey out! That’s the good part of the yogurt!! It has tons of probiotics and protein. Save it in a jar in the fridge and use it to soak oats and also pour it into smoothies!
Look here :
http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2009/05/ways-to-use-whey-from-jen-allbritton-in-wise-traditions.html
July 29, 2010 at 5:49 pm
Those little containers are too cute!
August 2, 2010 at 8:49 am
LOL at the title! I love puns.
And thanks for the step-by-step photos of greek yogurt making. It’s probably a lot cheaper than buying it at the store.
Also, by the way, what kind of rewards does Stonyfield give? Free yogurt?
August 2, 2010 at 1:31 pm
They have a lot of different rewards, I recommend checking out the website catalog. My favorite is a free Nature’s Path product, I can buy a $5 box of delicious organic poptarts or cereal for free! In the past, I’ve also received a “chef’s kit”, it had a Stonyfield Reusable bag, oven mit, rubber spatula, liquid measuring cup, tablespoon/teaspoon measure, and a little cookbook. Definitely worth saving the lids and straining your eyes to type in the codes!