DIY Dairy Free Yogurt

Since I cut back on cow dairy (to help my eczema) I really missed yogurt but coconut yogurt is expensive. So  I make my own, it saves me about 50 cents a serving, takes just 3 ingredients, and has the texture and tang of dairy yogurt with that one-of-a-kind, subtle sweetness that coconut milk brings. And it's even better with some Strawberry Rhubarb jam from Rachel's Texas Kitchen swirled in

All you need is a yogurt maker, three 400 ml  (13.5 oz) cans of Aroy-D coconut milk, a probiotic capsule (I use Young Living Life 9 with 17 billion active cultures), and 1 tsp cane sugar or 1 Tbsp pasteurized honey.  Be choosy on the coconut milk - some are too thin or get their texture through additives.  Aroy-D  is nice and thick, without the junk. Good alternatives are Savoy Coconut Cream or Whole Foods 365 full fat. 

NOTE: with other, thinner brands I have had to add a vegetable-based gelatin powder to the recipe in order to get the right consistency, such as Agar Agar Powder.  Link for how to do that  - https://bit.ly/3PGGR3B

Step#1: Put the canned coconut milk in the fridge overnight

Step #2: Scoop out the thick coconut cream (the clear liquid will save in the fridge for 2-3 days for smoothies, chia puddings, and curries or you can freeze it)

Step #3: Add contents of probiotic capsule and sweetener (it’s quite thick at this point)

Step #4: Pour into glass jars and set it as directed for your maker (makes about 4 cups of yogurt)

Step #5: When time is up, refrigerate for  6 hours -  It may have a small amount of separated coconut water and appear ‘cracked’ in places–this is normal and it will get creamy when you stir it up (and trust me on the jam add-in YUM!)

Gluten Free and GOOD!

For my friends that can't do gluten (or just want a healthy pancake).  I bought some buckwheat flour in bulk which is NOT a form of wheat (it's not a cereal or a grass) and is VERY high in minerals too.  I did some tweaking to get a buckwheat pancake that was fluffy and had NO added salt.  Husband's stunt pancakes pictured - I had my pancake with 1/2 a sliced banana and a smear of almond butter and a scrambled egg before my workout.  So tasty.

 Buckwheat Pancakes

1 cup plus 1 Tablespoon buckwheat flour (I get mine from War Eagle Mill - a grist mill in Arkansas that ships, but Bob's Red Mill makes a nice one)

1 Tablespoon Hain Sodium Free Baking Powder (OR 1 tsp each, baking powder & baking soda plus 1/4 tsp salt)

1 Tablespoon coconut sugar 

a small dollop of olive oil (a generous teaspoon)

1 cup goat milk kefir (or cow kefir) plus 1/4 cup water (you can use  buttermilk but the kefir makes them extra light)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs (regular-sized, not the jumbo ones)

Tips for working with buckwheat pancakes:

For thicker and fluffier pancakes, substitute half whole wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour,  or Einkorn flour for buckwheat flour if gluten is not an issue. If using a flour blend use only one egg.

 You want a consistency thicker than cake batter but not as thick as brownie batter, so add extra water a Tablespoon at a time if too thick.

Properly preheat your cooking surface (ready when a few drops of water sizzle immediately upon impact). Don’t start too soon, or your pancakes won’t brown and will be difficult to turn. Make sure the griddle is oiled before pouring the batter.

Gently stir the batter before each batch (buckwheat flour tends to separate from liquid).  Don't make large pancakes 1/4 to 1/3 cup batter makes them easier to handle.

If you’re cooking on the stovetop, you may need to dial back the heat a bit over time. Your temperature is too high if the pancakes are browning too quickly on the outside before they are done on the inside. Buckwheat WILL brown up quicker than regular flour so watch your temps.

The pancakes are ready to flip when about 1-inch of the perimeter has turned from glossy to matte.

Buckwheat Blueberry Muffins

 Buckwheat, despite its name, is not actually "wheat" and is gluten-free.  It also makes a very nice blueberry muffin. Just replace equal parts all-purpose flour with finely ground buckwheat flour and there you go (I also used a flax egg and non-dairy "milk" so these were Vegan.

No Salt Added Einkorn Bread Machine Bread

 

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On a sodium-restricted or dairy-free diet?  This no dairy extremely low sodium bread with Einkorn flour makes a great loaf for toast or sandwiches (I love hummus with vegetables).  On its own, it's fairly bland with no salt, but it has a great, soft texture with a crispy crust and it's less than 60 mg of sodium FOR THE WHOLE LOAF!

No Salt Added Einkorn Bread Machine Bread

1 cup WARM water MINUS 1 1/2 teaspoons (about 110 degrees F)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1⁄4 teaspoons sugar

1 1⁄4 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast

3 1⁄4 cups Einkorn flour

1 egg white

DIRECTIONS

Combine water and sugar, dissolve sugar.

Add yeast to sugar water.

Put flour, yeast mixture, and olive oil into the breadmaker.

Start the breadmaker on the 2-pound cycle with a plain or French loaf setting on your machine. Einkorn is a flour you don't want to overcook so set crust on "light" or "medium" only.

When ingredients are almost completely combined (about 4 minutes in), pause the machine and add egg white, scraping down the sides of the pan.

When the breadmaker has its first “rest” (at about 15 minutes on mine) scrape down the sides again, adding that to the ball of dough if there is anything sticking to the sides.

Allow breadmaker to complete baking.  

(it was late night so sorry for the poor lighting)

Einkorn Swedish Waffles

These take just a few moments to make, are extremely low sodium (less than 30 mg a waffle) and are low gluten.  Many people who do NOT have Celiac disease but are sensitive to wheat can eat products made with Einkorn flour.  For this batch, I used flour from Young Living.  Jovial also makes an excellent Einkorn flour.

1 1/4 cup Einkorn flour

2/3  cup goat milk kefir (or regular kefir - I just don't digest cow dairy well)

1/3 cup water (add additional Tablespoon if the batter is too thick)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

1 heaping Tablespoon sugar

small dollop of healthy oil (olive, avocado, or coconut)

1 Tablespoon Hain Sodium free baking powder

Mix wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls - combine then stir just until combined.  Use a 1/3 cup measure to fill your Swedish waffle iron.  Makes 5.

Einkorn Bread Machine Sandwich Bread

Have problems digesting modern wheat products? I'm not surprised, most of them are more "frankenwheat" than the grains that grew wild for millions of years. I'm one of those folks and even though I tested negative for Celiac I spent most breakfasts eating around the family table wishing I could have some toast as most heavily processed bread upset my stomach.

Modern wheat has been hybridized through years and years and millions and millions of dollars in research. The goal of hybridization has been to increase yields, fight against plant disease, pests, weather conditions, etc.  In and of itself that's not a bad thing but many are starting to wonder if this long history of hybridization is the explanation for the rising number of people with a high intolerance to gluten.

Try some Einkorn wheat. Einkorn has an entirely different genetic makeup than modern wheat. I get mine now from Young Living, where you can buy it in 2-pound bags. 

Most modern wheat is a hybrid of many different grains and grasses. Einkorn has 14 chromosomes, whereas modern wheat has 42 chromosomes which change the gluten structure.  That is one of the reasons many people sensitive to gluten eat it without any issues at all.  Einkorn is also considered more nutritious than modern wheat, based on the higher level of protein, essential fatty acids, phosphorous, potassium, pyridoxine, and beta-carotene.

Einkorn is the world’s most ancient wheat and the only wheat that’s never been hybridized. Einkorn is a delicious, healthy alternative to modern, mass-market wheat as it was one of the first foods planted, at the birth of agriculture 10,000 years ago. It grew wild for millions of years before that

Einkorn isn’t just rich in history and nutrients, it’s also very flavorful.  Intensive farming stripped most wheat of its taste along with its nutritional value. Go back to nature’s original wheat for a surprisingly pleasant taste that doesn't need a lot of spreads or butter to taste moist and wonderful.

Einkorn is packed with more nutrients, vitamins, and dietary minerals than regular wheat. Einkorn has 40% more protein and 15% less starch than commercial wheat, plus abundant B Vitamins and trace minerals like iron.

However, it does bake up a little differently than regular flour so liquids need to be reduced by 15 - 20%.  That being said there are a lot of recipes online specifically FOR this flour and I tried my first one for the bread machine that made bread just perfect for sandwiches.  I couldn't be more pleased with the texture and taste. My husband used it for his sandwiches for his lunchbox this week and loved it and it made great toast.

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INGREDIENTS

¾ cup (195g) of milk, warmed (about 82-8f degrees F).

½ cup (188g) of water, warmed

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons sugar

1¼ teaspoons sea salt

4 cups (480g) einkorn flour

1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast

INSTRUCTIONS

 I used the Whole Wheat Cycle on my machine, approximately 5 hours from start to finish.

Add the liquids, fats, sugar, and salt to the loaf pan.

Place the flour on top of the liquids.

Make a shallow well in the center of the flour and add the yeast
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Use the Whole Wheat Cycle if you don't have a custom cycle but if you DO have a custom cycle the Jovial folks recommend this: Preheat off, Knead 10 minutes, Rise 1: 45 minutes, Knead 2: 5 minutes, Rise 2: 30, Rise 3: Off, Bake: 50 minutes. Crust: medium or dark.  (*Omit second knead if setting is not available on your machine).

Once the cycle is complete, remove the pan from the machine and allow the loaf to cool for 5 minutes.

Turn out the bread on a cooling rack and allow to cool for 1 to 2 hours before slicing. Slicing warm einkorn bread is not recommended.