Basic hand-kneaded Whole Wheat Bread

Makes 2 loaves, 16 slices each
Briony has been trying to get me to buy a second-hand bread maker for years, and I just haven't. Seriously, I like making bread by hand! I like feeling the dough and kneading it to perfection, and I guess it makes me feel connected with my grandmothers to do something I know they also did for their families. My favorite basic recipe is derived from the book that my Kitchen Aid Mixer came with. I altered the method a little (since I like to proof my dough) and add in a little Vital Wheat Gluten, which helps whole wheat loaves be more light and airy.


Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp sugar, divided (with sugar it is not "clean", you can use honey or sucanat instead)
• 2 cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
• 4 1/2 tsp (or 2 packages) active dry yeast
• 5 to 6 cups whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup dry milk powder
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup oil

ONE: "Proofing" yeast means to activate before adding it to the flour. So, add the 1 Tbsp of sugar to hot water and stir to dissolve. Whisk in the yeast and let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes.

The yeast mixture before and after. Note how much it has puffed up.

TWO: Measure 4 cups of flour into the bowl of your stand mixer (such as a Kitchen Aid). Add the powdered milk and salt. Use the dough hook and turn your machine on to mix the dry ingredients together. Slowly add the yeast mixture while the dough hook is spinning and make certain you get all the bubbles that cling to the side. Add the oil.

THREE: Allow the mixer to bring the dough together until all the flour has been incorporated. You may have to scrape the bowl a time or two and you may have to increase the speed a bit if the motor sounds like it's struggling. Add the remaining 2 cups of flour half a cup at a time. The dough should start to form a ball and the sides of the bowl should be relatively clean.

FOUR: Finish the kneading by hand. Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes. If the dough is sticking to your work surface, add another tablespoon or so of flour. Be careful to not add too much flour as this can dry out your dough. Remember that it is okay if the dough is sticky, you just don't want it to stick!

On the left is the dough just as I tipped it out of the bowl, and the right is
after I kneaded it for 8 minutes. Note how there isn't any flour
on my work surface after I kneaded.

FIVE: Let the dough rest while you wash your bowl, dry it well and grease it. Place the dough in the prepared bowl and cover it with a clean towel. Let it rise in a warm spot (the top of your running clothes dryer is a great location!). Let the dough rise for 1 hour.

The dough before and after the 60 minute rise.

SIX: During the last few minutes that the dough is rising and prepare your loaf pans by greasing them well. (Don't tell Briony but I started using shortening a while ago and I haven't had a loaf stick since. For me, it works better than olive oil spray, butter, parchment paper or any other thing I've tried. Briony would use coconut oil.)

SEVEN: Turn the dough out of the bowl and flatten it a bit to push out some of the air bubbles. Knead it for about 30 seconds and then shape it into a loaf. Drop the dough into your prepared loaf pan and let it sit for a few minutes. This short rest will allow the dough to relax so you can manipulate better. Push the dough down so it is flat and the edges touch the edges of the pan. Let the dough rise again for 45 minutes (or up to an hour if you need). During the last few minutes of rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

On the left is the shaped dough, and on the right you can see

I flattened it and pushed it towards the edges of the pan.

After the second rise

EIGHT: Bake the loaves for 30 minutes or until you can insert a toothpick and have it come out without any dough bits on it. Let the loaves rest in the pan for a few minutes and then remove them from the pans and let them finish cooling on a wire rack.

Posted by Barb! :)

NUTRITION INFO:

Per slice - 126 Calories (23 Calories from Fat), 2.5g Fat, 1mg Cholesterol, 172 mg Sodium, 21.5g Total Carbohydrates, 1g Dietary Fiber, 5g Sugars, 4g Protein, 0% DV Vitamin A, 0% DV Vitamin C, 6% DV Calcium, 6% DV Iron

:)

Clean Eating Healthy Homemade Granola Bars (No Bake)

These are amazing. I have one every afternoon and I look forward to it all day long :) I’m not kidding, every afternoon except maybe 5 for the past 2 1/2 years. Think I’m crazy? That’s cause you haven’t tried them yet. Matt will come home and I’ll be cranky and he’ll say, “We ran out of granola bars didn’t we?”… and he’s usually right.


This is definitely my signature recipe. The instructions might seem kind of long but there’s really a certain technique to getting them to stick together in firm bars verses crumbling into granola. In other words, if you don't do it EXACTLY as written or you skip some of the mixing, your bars WILL crumble. I’ve made them so many times now that I like to think I have it down to a science.


Don't get scared when you look at the calories. These are packed with protein, whole grains, and healthy fats. They are a great combo of complex carbs and protein and will keep you feeling full and satisfied, all in a neat little package you can throw into your purse. And the smidgen of chocolate is just enough that they taste like an indulgence. If you really want a lower calorie snack, you can always cut them into 20 bars instead of 16. They will still be more than satisfying.

Heaven in a bar :) :)

Ingredients:

• ½ cup dry roasted peanuts or other nuts
• ½ cup roasted unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1 2/3 cups raisins or other chopped dried fruit
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips
• 2 cups rolled or instant oats
• ¼ cup toasted wheat germ (optional)
• 2 cups toasted or puffed whole grain cereal (I use Arrowhead Mills Puffed Millet. You can use Rice Krispies in a pinch but they are not whole grain)
• ½ cup creamy natural peanut butter or other nut butter
• ½ cup honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

ONE: Coat a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray. Combine peanuts, sunflower seeds, raisins, chocolate chips, oats, cereal, and wheat germ in a large bowl. Mix well.

TWO: Combine peanut butter and honey in a large microwaveable bowl (tip: Use a 2 cup glass measuring cup. Pour the 1/2 cup of honey in first and then just drop plops of peanut butter in until the level reaches 1 cup. This saves you from measuring out the ½ cup of peanut butter and making another utensil dirty).

THREE: Microwave on High for 1 minute, stir well, and microwave for an additional minute or until bubbling. Add vanilla and stir until blended.

FOUR: Pour half of the peanut butter mixture over the dry ingredients and mix it for a good 5 minutes until it's almost completely coated. I've found that the best way to mix it is to use the side of a large stiff rubber spatula and cut through the mix over and over while rotating the bowl. That breaks up all the clumps of moistened ingredients so that any remaining dry ingredients can be incorporated (I’ve tried using my hands before but so much of the sticky stuff gets stuck to them that my bars end up crumbly).

FIVE: Once it's totally mixed, pour the other half of the peanut butter mixture in, scraping every last drop out of the measuring cup. Repeat the slicing and mixing again. The mixing is so important because anything that is not sticking together going into the pan will likely not stick to the bar coming out.

SIX: Once the mixture has formed into a fairly solid ball, transfer it to the prepared pan. Press down firmly (it helps to coat your fingers with cooking spray). Really put some muscle into it because the harder you press the mixture down, the firmer the granola bars will be (I actually stand on a little stool to make me higher above my counter so that I can put more of my body weight into it. I don’t mess around on the pressing part).

SEVEN: Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to harden (I always let mine stay in the fridge overnight) and once firm, cut into bars (works best if you cut them into 16 short, fat bars instead of long, skinny bars).

If making 2 batches at once, measure and mix the first batch separately, press into the pan, and then place a layer of wax paper over the top. You can then measure and mix the second batch and press it into the pan on top of the first.

Individually wrap the bars as soon as possible so they don’t dry out and crumble (Glad Press n’ Seal works really well) and keep in the fridge or at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Freeze wrapped granola bars in a freezer bag. I put a week's worth in the fridge at a time and keep the other individually wrapped batches in gallon ziploc bags in the freezer. Once the fridge stash is gone I transfer another week’s from the freezer to the fridge and they are thawed and ready to eat when I need them.

Tip: I recommend cutting and wrapping your granola bars when your kids are napping because, if they're anything like mine, they will have what we call G-Bar Radar. My boys can smell a batch of granola bars a mile away and will flock to the kitchen and stand there begging for bites :)

Is that Granola Bars I smell?!?!

I can alllllmost reach.....

Success!!

Totally worth the effort :)

NUTRITION INFO:

Per 1 bar serving (cut into 16 bars)- 293 Calories (95 Calories from Fat), 11g Fat, 2g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 5mg Sodium, 44g Total Carbohydrates, 5g Dietary Fiber, 22g Sugars, 9g Protein, 0% DV Vitamin A, 1% DV Vitamin C, 3% DV Calcium, 11% DV Iron

Per 1 bar serving (cut into 20 bars)- 234 Calories (76 Calories from Fat), 9g Fat, 2g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 4mg Sodium, 35g Total Carbohydrates, 4g Dietary Fiber, 17g Sugars, 7g Protein, 0% DV Vitamin A, 1% DV Vitamin C, 2% DV Calcium, 9% DV Iron
:)

Joan's Clean Eating Healthy Homemade Hummus

My family lives on this. In fact hummus was one of Colwynn’s first words… Dada, clock, hummus… not Mama, even though Mama was the one MAKING the hummus, but anyway :)


This recipe comes from another one of my great friends, Joan. She runs this amazing workout class for moms in Jacksonville called Stroller Strength and I’m proud to say I was one of the original members. If you live anywhere near Jacksonville, FL you should definitely check it out. When I was pregnant with Colwynn, I gained 34 lbs and could barely walk at the end. It took me almost 6 months to feel like myself again. I started Joan’s class when Col was a year old and got pregnant with Theron a few months later. Fast forward nine months and I gained 18 lbs, ran 2 miles the day before he was born, was only in labor for 2 hours (I’m not kidding, Theron was almost born in the car), and ran an 8 ½ minute mile 3 weeks later. Her class is that amazing.


So what does this have to do with hummus? Well this is Joan’s recipe and everything she touches is magic, that’s what :) I usually triple or quadruple it and make a huge batch. It’s a very sad day in our house when I reach into the freezer and find out that the hummus is all gone. This is also great to whip out for unexpected guests.

Ingredients:

• 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground cumin
• Pinch cayenne
• 3 Tbsp juice from 1-2 lemons
• ¼ cup water
• 6 Tbsp tahini, stirred well
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

ONE: Put chickpeas, garlic, salt, cumin, and cayenne in a food processor; process until fully ground. Scrape down sides with a spatula.

TWO: With the machine still running, slowly add the lemon juice and water and continue to process for one minute. Scrape down the sides with a spatula again.

THREE: In small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the tahini and 2 Tbsp oil. With the machine still running, add the oil-tahini mixture in a steady stream through the feed tube. Continue to process until smooth and creamy, scraping down sides as needed. Transfer to a bowl and, if desired, top with some reserved chick peas and drizzle with olive oil.

Freeze using the small portions method. 2 cubes equals one serving. Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds on full power, stir, and heat another 5-10 seconds. If it seems a little dry, just stir in a tiny bit of olive oil.

Clean Eating Healthy Homemade Baked Beans (OAMC)

Makes about 10 servings, ½ cup each
Matt LOVES baked beans but it’s just against my nature to buy the ones in the cans. Now I can make him a big pot every now and again and he can have them whenever he likes. The boys love these too but they call them candy beans. That’s fine with me as long as they eat them :) There are surprisingly no vegetables hidden in these… but if you put them on whole grain toast (a British tradition that Matt has happily adopted) the grains and beans together form a complete protein which makes for a very filling meal. This can easily be made into a vegetarian dish by using a non-meat product, like tofu bacon, in place of the meat

Ingredients:

• 3 cans navy beans, drained and rinsed (can substitute cannellini, white or kidney beans)
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• ½ cup sucanat (can use brown/turbinado sugar)
• ¼ cup molasses
• 1/3 cup ketchup (read the label! not all ketchups are created equal)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 ½ tsp dried mustard
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ½ pound of natural savory meat sliced or diced (I’ve used all natural chicken and apple sausages, tofu “bacon”, cooked Italian turkey sausage, and even all natural ham deli meat)

ONE: Throw everything into the crockpot, cover, and cook on low for about 6 hours or high for about 4 until the beans are softened but not falling apart. Stir well and serve over toast (Matt made me put that toast part in).

Freeze leftovers in ½ cup portions using the medium/large portion method to feed your freezer stash.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per ½ cup serving - 221 Calories (21 Calories from Fat), 2g Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 15mg Cholesterol, 905mg Sodium, 38g Total Carbohydrates, 6g Dietary Fiber, 9g Sugars, 13g Protein, 2% DV Vitamin A, 6% DV Vitamin C, 8% DV Calcium, 17% DV Iron

Homemade Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs

Bread crumbs are a really versatile ingredient. You can use them in meatloaf and meatballs, to bread meat and fish, and to sprinkle on top of baked veggies for an a gratin effect just to name a few. But finding whole wheat bread crumbs can be tricky. My store almost never has them and, when they do, they're ridiculously expensive. So I figured, why not just make my own.

What you'll need:

• 6-12 slices of whole grain bread, at least one day old (I save the ends from our sandwich bread in the freezer in a bag until I have a collection)
• Cookie sheet
• Food processor or blender
• Gallon-size freezer bag

ONE: Preheat the oven to 300. Lay the bread slices out in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes, turning over once in the middle, until the bread is dried out and crispy.

TWO: Break the slices of dried out bread into smaller pieces and throw them in your food processor or blender (if using a blender, you might want to only do one or two slices at a time depending on how good yours is). Grind until they reach the desired texture.

THREE: Store in an airtight freezer bag in your pantry. They last forever. If you go to use them and they seem a bit stale, just spread them on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven at 300 for a few minutes.

I usually grind mine until they are mostly fine bread crumbs with a few bigger chunks. If I need really fine bread crumbs, I will either regrind a small batch in my coffee grinder (we don't drink coffee so our coffee grinder is solely used for grinding nuts, seeds, and grains) or use my colander to separate out the big chunks. (I actually got the colander idea from my Mother-in-Law. She uses her colander to remove all the dust and crumbs from the last bit of cereal in the box, leaving just the bigger flakes. This prevents the big-bowl-o-mush effect. Isn't that a great idea?!)

You can also make whole grain "bread crumbs" by grinding whole grain cereal (we've done cheerios in the past) or whole grain crackers. Since they are already dry and crispy, just grind them and store them in freezer bags in the pantry.

Clean Eating Homemade Yogurt in the Crockpot (and Frozen Yogurt!!)

Makes 17 servings, 1/2 cup each
I got the original idea for making yogurt in the crockpot HERE. The first time I made it it was totally awesome... and I was FURIOUS. My kids have yogurt every single day for lunch which means I've been buying copious amounts of yogurt every week for 3 years now. When I first started feeding Colwynn solids, I saw several recipes to make homemade yogurt in my Super Baby Food book but they all seemed like so much work. I shudder at the thought of how much money I would have saved if I had known about the crockpot method sooner. Grrrr.


This is seriously the easiest thing in the world to do. It takes a while to make but 99% of the time is spent doing nothing so there’s almost no hands-on time. I’ve found that the best time to start it is 4:30 in the afternoon so that I’m doing the last hands-on step at 10PM before I go to bed. Then it makes itself while I’m sleeping. I’ve made the mistake of starting it too late before and have had to set my alarm clock to get up and add the starter at 1:00 AM. It was still totally worth it in the morning, though :)


UPDATE: Since posting this original recipe, I have played around with the measurements and I have actually gotten the best results using 2/3 cup milk powder and no gelatin. This gives me a thicker yogurt right out of the pot without the jello-like texture that the gelatin tends to make. This is just our family's preference so play around with it yourself and see what you like best :) Also, when you scoop it out of the crockpot into containers DO NOT STIR it first. The more you stir, the more liquidy it gets and it will not thicken up again unless you strain it.

UPDATE 2: Seriously, this is the easiest thing ever!! Don't be scared, just do it. I have changed the original post to have super simple instructions for all of my friends that say they need me to hold their hand through yogurt making (you know who you are). You can do it!! Then read the more detailed instructions if you want to get fancy with it. Now you have no excuse :)

Topped with nuts, drizzled with Agave nectar, and served with Homemade Granola Bars.
Can you say YUM?

Ingredients:

• Half gallon of milk (whole, 2%, 1%, whatever)
• ½ cup plain yogurt (I don't suggest using strained or Greek yogurt b/c when I've used them in the past, the resulting yogurt was kind of watery.)
• 1/3 - 2/3 cup nonfat dry milk (optional but really helps to thicken it, I use 2/3 cup)

Simple Instructions:

1. Dump milk into crockpot. Whisk in 2/3 cup milk powder (if using).

2. Turn crockpot on low, cover, set timer for 2 1/2 hours.

3. Turn crockpot off, keep covered, set timer for 3 hours.

4. Scoop out about 2 cups of the warm milk into a clean container. Gently stir in 1/2 cup plain yogurt. 

5. Dump the yogurt-milk mixture back into the crockpot, gently stir it once or twice.

6. Replace crockpot lid, wrap the whole crockpot in a thick bath towel, let it sit for about 8 hours.

7. Unwrap crockpot, take lid off, gently scoop yogurt into clean containers, store in fridge.

8. Do happy dance that you have an entire crockpot full of yogurt and it was the easiest thing you have ever made. (This step is optional but you know you'll do it anyway hehehe)

Fancy more detailed instructions: 

• For thicker yogurt, add 1 packet unflavored gelatin (details below)
• For sweetened yogurt, add in 4 Tbsp Agave nectar or honey (again, details below) 
• For Greek style yogurt, use the same recipe as regular yogurt and then strain it using the instructions below

ONE: Pour the entire half gallon of milk into the crockpot. Whisk in the nonfat milk powder and Agave/honey if using. Sprinkle the packet of gelatin on top. Let it sit 5 minutes to soften and then whisk it in.

Sprinkle the gelatin on top first so that it can soften

TWO: Cover and cook on low for 2 ½ hours (set a timer so you don’t forget about it).

THREE: Unplug the crockpot but don’t uncover it. Let it sit for 3 hours (again, set a timer... or your alarm clock hehehe)

FOUR: Scoop out about 2 cups of the milk into a bowl and whisk in the 1/2 cup of plain yogurt. Add the mixture back into the crockpot and stir well. Wrap the whole crockpot in a thick bath towel and let it sit for 8 hours or overnight.

I like to think of it as the crockpot being swaddled, hehehe :)

In the morning the milk will have miraculously become yogurt. It is the coolest thing ever. I promise you that you’ll get a little rush of excitement when you go to dip the spoon in and it’s thickened. Scoop it out of the container WITHOUT STIRRING IT FIRST and store it in plastic container(s) in the fridge. I use cleaned out 32oz yogurt containers… you know, from back when I actually paid for yogurt (again, grrrrr). I’ll admit I get a smug little grin every time I scoop my way cheaper homemade yogurt out of it. Save 1/2 cup as a starter to make a new batch.

The first scrape with the spoon the next morning...
It's probably a little weird how excited I get at this moment, LOL

Breakfast :)

Straining instructions for Greek style yogurt:
The milk powder (and gelatin if you used it) will help to make the yogurt thicker but, if you would prefer Greek style yogurt, place several coffee filters into a colander and place it in a bowl. Spoon some of the yogurt into the coffee filters and let it drain overnight. Scrape the newly thickened yogurt off the coffee filters and back into a container. Enjoy :)

TO FREEZE: You can DEFINITELY freeze this and make frozen yogurt with it. We have an ice cream maker so I usually add a particularly sweet fruit, like pureed peaches or pears, in with the yogurt and follow the instructions for my model. However, Clean Eating has a great frozen yogurt recipe that doesn't use an ice cream maker HERE. (Update: this link is no longer working. I'll post the instructions soon.)

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving using 1% (low fat) milk (unsweetened but made with gelatin and milk powder) - 59 Calories (11 Calories from Fat), 1g Total Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 6mg Cholesterol, 64mg Sodium, 7g Total Carbohydrates, 0d Dietary Fiber, 7g Sugars, 5g Protein, 5% Vitamin A, 0% Vitamin C, 17% Calcium, 0% Iron

Clean Eating Homemade "Stove Top" Stuffing

Makes about 15 servings, 1/2 cup prepared
I love the convenience of Stove Top stuffing but I’ve never had much luck finding a whole grain variety without a bunch of added junk. Now I can easily make it myself and I know exactly what’s in it. This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to make a bigger batch. Especially good if there’s a great sale on whole wheat bread.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups cubed bread (about 12 slices bread, make the cubes pretty small like they are in the store bought Stove Top)
• 1 tablespoon parsley flakes
• 1/2 cup dried minced onion
• 2 Tbsp dried minced celery
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sage
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

ONE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread bread cubes on a baking sheet and bake 12 to 15 minutes until dried out and crispy like croutons.

TWO: In a large bowl combine the baked bread cubes with the seasonings and toss well to coat. Store 2 cups each in quart-size freezer bags. If kept airtight, this can be stored about 3 months in the pantry or 12 months in the freezer.

TO PREPARE: Combine ½ a cup of chicken broth with 2 Tbsp olive oil in a small saucepan. (If I have some celery I'll put the 2 Tbsp of olive oil in first and saute about 1/2 cup finely diced celery for about 5 minutes before adding the chicken broth.) Bring to a boil and stir in 2 cups of bread cube mixture. Cover, remove from heat, and let sit 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving. 2 cups of dry mix makes 4-5 servings, ½ cup each.

Freeze prepared 1/2 cup portions using the medium/large portions method.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per Serving (1/2 cup prepared) - 123 Calories (57 Calories from Fat), 6g Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 229mg Sodium, 13g Total Carbohydrates, 3g Dietary Fiber, 2g Sugars, 4g Protein, 1% DV Vitamin A, 4% DV Vitamin C, 4% DV Calcium, 6% DV Iron

Homemade Chocolate Soy Yogurt

UPDATE: This was a TOTAL failure!! I am doing some research and I'll try it again. If I have success I'll let you know. DON'T WASTE YOUR SILK!! Instead make regular yogurt likeTHIS and just drink the silk :)...

UPDATE AGAIN: Okay, maybe not a total failure. The yogurt looked really gross and separated in the crockpot the next morning. I stuck it in the fridge on the off chance that maybe it would fix it. A few hours later it still looked pretty gross but, when I went to spoon it out to dump it in the sink, I noticed that there was actually thickened yogurt-type stuff amongst all the liquid. I strained all of it using colanders and coffee strainers over night and, lo and behold, this morning there was actually one 32oz container worth of edible chocolate yogurt. Woo hoo!! I still did some more reasearch anyway and I've modified the original recipe so maybe you'll get better results.

Makes about 16 servings, 1/2 cup each
I got the original idea for making yogurt in the crockpot HERE. I’ve made it a bunch of times now with regular milk and each time it’s perfect so I figured I’d give soy milk a try. I’m using cow’s milk yogurt as a starter so this won’t be completely dairy free. If you’d like to make allergen free yogurt, check out this post HERE.

This takes a while to make but 99% of the time is spent doing nothing so there’s almost no hands-on time. I’ve found that the best time to start it is 4:30 in the afternoon so that I’m doing the last hands-on step at 10PM before I go to bed. Then it makes itself while I’m sleeping. I’ve made the mistake of starting it too late before and have had to set my alarm clock to get up and add the starter at 1:00 AM. It was still totally worth it in the morning, though :)

Ingredients:

• Half gallon of chocolate soy milk (NOT reduced fat)
• ½ cup plain yogurt with live active cultures
• 1 packet unflavored gelatin OR 1/12 tsp powdered agar agar(optional)
• 1/2 cup tapioca starch (optional)
• Thick bath towel

ONE: Pour the entire half gallon of soy milk into the crockpot. Whisk in the tapioca starch and sprinkle the packet of gelatin or agar agar on top (if using). Let it sit 5 minutes to soften and then whisk it in REALLY well.

TWO: Cover and cook on low for 2 ½ hours (set a timer so you don’t forget about it).

THREE: Unplug the crockpot but don’t uncover it. Let it sit for 3 hours (again, set a timer...or your alarm clock LOL).

FOUR: Scoop out 2 cups of the warmish milk and put it in a bowl. Whisk in 1/2 cup of store-bought plain yogurt (again REALLY well) and then add it back into the crockpot. Stir well and wrap the crock in a thick bath towel. Let it sit for 8 hours or overnight.

In the morning the milk will have miraculously become yogurt. It is the coolest thing ever. I promise you that you’ll get a little rush of excitement when you go to dip the spoon in and it’s thickened. Chill in plastic container(s) in the fridge. I use cleaned out 32oz yogurt containers… you know, from back when I actually paid for yogurt. I’ll admit I get a smug little grin every time I scoop my way cheaper homemade yogurt out of it. Save 1/2 cup as a starter to make the next batch.

Soy yogurt is generally thinner than dairy yogurt. The tapioca starch and gelatin will help to make the yogurt thicker but, if you would prefer Greek style yogurt, place a colander into a bowl and line it with several coffee filters. Spoon some of the yogurt onto the coffee filters and let it drain overnight. Scrape the newly thickened yogurt off the coffee filters and back into a container. Enjoy :)

NUTRITION INFO:
Per 1/2 cup serving - 60 Calories (8 Calories from Fat), 1g Fat, 0g Saturated Fat, 1mg Cholesterol, 60mg Sodium, 9g Total Carbohydrates, 1g Dietary Fiber, 8g Sugars, 3g Protein, 6% DV Vitamin A, 0% DV Vitamin C, 20% DV Calcium, 5% DV Iron