Probiotic & Homemade

 

I was recently asked which yogurt do I consume regularly and my answer was I make my own yogurt at home. This kept me thinking that making yogurt at home is not considered as trivial as I thought... duh! So here is my attempt to provide you a recipe of making your own yogurt and you would probably never go back to the store bought.

Ingredients:
4 cups of whole or 2% milk
2 TBSP live culture (Trader Joe organic greek style yogurt)


Steps:
Makes 4 cups

1. Boil about 4 cups of milk until it rises (about 185 F). You could choose to use 2% or whole organic milk.

2. Let the milk sit on the kitchen counter top for 15-20 minutes until the milk becomes lukewarm about 110 F. If you do not have a thermometer, you can check by placing a couple of drops of the milk on your index finger. It should be lukewarm to touch.

3. Stir in the culture and mix well and keep in a dry warm place for 6-8 hours (e.g. Oven or Microwave turned off)
Tip: In winter, warm oven at 170F for 3 minutes and turn it off before placing the mixture

4. Use a live culture to cultivate the milk into yogurt
I find the "Trader Joe - Organic Greek Style Yogurt" (see below) as a good culture to use for your first batch. If you do not have a trader joe near your place, you can try a greek yogurt available at your supermarket. Check the ingredients to ensure it contains live culture (e.g. Lactobacillus)

The best part is that once you make the first batch of yogurt, you can save 2-3 tablespoons of this yogurt for your next batch. The saved culture as the yogurt stays well in the refrigerator for 4-5 days although you will be tempted to finish it way before that.

5. After 6-8 hours, check if the yogurt is done by shaking gently horizontally - The yogurt is done if it is set and does not move.

Tip: Add honey/agave syrup and your favorite fruits blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, bananas as per your taste for a great snack
OR
Add grated cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, grapes and cilantro with some salt/crushed pepper as a great side to a meal.

Let me know how it turns out. I would love to hear from you on how you like your yogurt!

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Quinoa with dried cranberries

We may not admit it but we all have been xenophobic at least once in our lifetime esp. when we have taken the walk down the aisle of a supermarkets international food selection. Strangers looking down upon us sitting on the stocked shelves with their friends ... some are friendly with a warm smile and others scream war with our intestines. Here I wanted to introduce you to one stranger that I have come to befriend while walking down a foodmarket aisle .....

Quinoa (pronounced kinwa) is a grain native to South America. It has a light fluffy texture when cooked and a mild slightly nutty flavor. It works as a great alternative to white rice or couscous.
It not only has a high content of protein but is considered to supply a complete protein since it contains all the 9 essential amino acids. It also contains a good amount of manganese and magnesium and may esp. be valuable for people with migraine headaches since magnesium helps relax blood vessels and those with diabetes. Quinoa can be found in stores such as Wegmans or Whole Foods.

I really like quinoa because it is a very light grain unlike rice and wheat and very versatile since you can incorporate it as a breakfast cereal, in salads for lunch or as a side with a soup for dinner. In ayurveda, it is great to include in meal plans for the k-types (Kapha pacifying).

I have included a quinoa recipe below with dried cranberries. It can be substituted with Couscous and cranberries with fresh apricots or pomegranate. Do send your quinoa recipes to share?

4 Servings

3 TBSP grapeseed oil
1 pinch hing (asafoetida)
3/4 cup chopped fennel
1 cup white quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp cardamom powder

1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries


1/3 cup toasted blanched almonds for garnishing
Tip: Toast the thinly sliced almonds at 350F for 10 minutes

Steps -
1. Rinse the quinoa with water to remove any impurities and saponins (bitter tasting coating).
2. Add quinoa, water and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil
3. Lower the heat and let it cook with a covered lid for about 10-15 minutes until all water is absorbed and quinoa is soft to touch
4. Heat the oil in a saucepan or medium skillet. Add hing and saute until fragrant for up to 30 seconds.
5. Add fennel (or celery) and saute over medium heat for 5 minutes
6. Add the cooked quinoa to the skillet and stir in the cinnamon, cardamom and dried cranberries.
7. Add a little water if the quinoa looks dry
8. Cover and let the flavors merge for 5 minutes on medium heat.
9. Garnish with toasted almonds and serve

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