Growing up my mom made homemade yogurt as a way to save money. My large family ate it everyday. I was never a big fan of the homemade yogurt when I was young. It was a treat when it was store bought yogurt and that was only purchased when the homemade yogurt did not work. The over runny liquid and stringy pieces from the cooked yogurt would always make me happy when my mom bought a new 4L pail from the grocery store. Today, I am grateful that I learned about homemade yogurts and am able to make my own version that I really enjoy.

When I moved out on my own, I bought yogurt and never thought of the ingredients. I enjoyed the fruit or vanilla flavoured yogurts. I ate this sugar-filled yogurt for about 5 years before I realized the ingredients in these types of yogurts. After learning about the sugar content, I tried to find alternatives without sugar, but could not find one. Instead I switched to plain yogurt and added defrosted berries for flavour. Then I tried Greek yogurt after learning about the higher protein than regular yogurt. Turns out, I also enjoy the tangier taste.

A couple years ago, I started to make more food from scratch. I was frustrated with the increased Greek yogurt prices as I still eat it everyday. Today I can make the same amount of Greek yogurt for just under half the price of buying a container from the grocery store. 

When I began, I followed my mom’s recipe. Cook a gallon of milk on the stove on high temperature for 13 minutes. Let it cool to 108 degrees Fahrenheit. Whisk in one cup of previously made yogurt. Cover and store overnight in a dark place, like the oven. The next morning, it would be yogurt. At this time I preferred Greek yogurt, so I would run the yogurt through a nut bag to strain out the whey. This step takes about 5 hours. The process worked well, but once I purchased an Instant Pot and learned of the yogurt function, I realized there was an easier way.

Using the yogurt recipe provided in the recipe book provided by Instant Pot, I would cook a gallon of milk in the Instant Pot using the yogurt function. The Instant Pot would know when the milk has boiled. This step takes about 45 minutes, but I never worry about the milk burning or boiling over the pot. After the milk is back to 108 degrees Fahrenheit, I add in one cup of previously made Greek yogurt.  Regular yogurt or whey works as well, but I find saving a bit of yogurt from my prior batch is the easiest method for myself. I then reapply the lid, without the pressure valve and use the yogurt cook function for at least 8 hours. The longer it’s cooking, the tangier the taste. The next morning, I run it through the nut bag to change it from regular yogurt to Greek yogurt.

My go-to breakfast is usually a yogurt parfait. I wanted to share what I usually include in my yogurt parfaits. It’s one of my favourite breakfasts and very filling.

I start with 1/2 cup of frozen berries, then sprinkle 1 TBSP of chia seeds on top and let this thaw overnight in the fridge. The next morning, I add 3/4 cup of the yogurt as well as 1 TBSP of hemp seeds, 2 TBSP of ground flax and half a scoop of protein powder. Before I eat the yogurt parfait, I start a few slices of cucumber or a couple pieces of broccoli as I like starting each meal with a vegetable. Enjoy 🙂

With calmness and grace,

Hannah