Tuesday's Table - Yogurt Mix-ins

When I was very young I hated yogurt. However, over the years I have grown quite fond of it - of the flavored kind, that is. While living in Lebanon pre-flavored yogurt was too expensive for us, not to mention the high sugar content along with other highly processed ingredients, so I tried to acquire a taste for plain yogurt. It worked to some extent. Sometimes I want to eat just plain yogurt, but I prefer a little flavor to tame the tartness. So this is the solution I came up with eventually.

I buy whole milk yogurt, mostly organic depending on the budget, or I make it at home. I also buy frozen fruits like strawberries or blueberries or raspberries. I let these thaw out and then toss them in the blender until they are pureed. Next, I pour the fruit purees into ice cube trays and freeze them. After freezing the individual cubes, I dump them into freezer bags to store. So when I want some fruity yogurt, I pull out a couple of cubes of fruit, thaw it in the microwave for 30 seconds or so. Then I mix in some yogurt to the thawed berries and dig in. Mmmmm....

Here are a few more simple ideas -

* Mix in crushed pineapple (I know it's canned but I figure it is better than the packaged pre-flavored yogurt - it is just pineapple in it's own juice.) with a bit of juice with the yogurt.

* Mix in a bit of maple syrup.

* Add a bit of vanilla and maybe some cinnamon or nutmeg.

So now when I eat pre-flavored yogurt, it is too sweet, I don't like the texture and it really doesn't even taste good.

Also, making plain homemade yogurt is fairly simple. Heat a quart of milk slowly to 180 degrees F. Then, let it cool to about 110 degrees F. This can take an hour or so. Next, mix in a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of yogurt. You can also add a TBS or two of powdered milk but you don't have to. If you have a yogurt maker, you simply pour the warm yogurt mixture into the jars provided, place them on the warmer, put the top on and set the timer for 8 or 10 hours. If you don't have a yogurt maker, you can simply pour the mixture in glass jars, wrap with a towel and keep in a warm place - the attic in summer is a great place, or in a cooler with a pot of boiling water. Let it sit until it looks solid.

Walah! You have tasty yogurt. You can tell that it is not an exact science. You really can't mess it up. I haven't had a bad batch yet. Sometimes the consistencies are different but I've never had just curdled milk. It always has that yogurty tartness which means it has all those millions of good bacteria our digestive tracts need.

Have fun experimenting!