Have you ever made your own yogurt? I just find the cost of plant-based yogurts extremely expensive – coconut yogurts, cashew yogurts. There are so many choices now at the grocery store, but very high priced.
So I’m sharing here how easy it is to make your own. I used full-fat coconut milk here so the flavor has a coconut tang, but you can also use cashew cream.
And of course, if you are adept at yogurt starters and have a yogurt maker, you can go that route. That yogurt is the real deal.
I am all about little equipment and steps though, so my recipe is a short-cut. Big surprise, ha!
Seriously, it’s just buying a quality probiotic capsule, stirring it into your coconut milk adding flavors, and waiting 24 hours.
We can do that, right? Not too taxing.
And I am so surprised at how really authentic the results are.
Mine tastes like greek yogurt every time. And since going plant-based, greek yogurt was something I was missing. Not anymore!
Because I want to be fair, though, I call this “faux” yogurt because no actual fermentation is involved. Still…
Oh, and I add a touch of lemon juice to brighten the flavor and increase the tang!
I hope you try this recipe. You can also just treat it as a base recipe, and add things like cacao for chocolate yogurt, matcha for green tea yogurt. You see where this is going.
If you make your own yogurt, show me! I am over at Instagram..
Easy Homemade Coconut Yogurt & Cantaloupe Lemon Breakfast Jar (vegan, dairy-free)
Ingredients
- 1 (13.5oz) can coconut milk (canned, BPA-free, shaken to combine liquids and solids before use)
- 1 capsule of a quality probiotic see tips below
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 cup fruit I served it with cantaloupe slivers here
Instructions
- Stir all the ingredients to make the yogurt. Do not blend this one friends, the metal blades can damage the probiotics. Some recipes suggest adding two probiotic capsules but I found it perfectly tangy at one capsule.
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Cover the yogurt container with a paper towel to let in air, and store at room temperature for 24 hours. I don't like leaving it out of the refrigerator for longer, though I know some recipes call for 48 hours at room temperature.
Once 24 hours is up, I suggest refrigerating it, and eating it once it is chilled. It will thicken the refrigerator. I like to eat mine within 3 days.
- Serve with fruit, and or any other lovely weekend breakfast jar! Want some ideas? Blend with berries to make pink or purple, use matcha to make green or blue if you are lucky enough to find blue matcha. Make into popsicles, smoothie bowls, parfaits and more. Enjoy!
Notes on choosing the right Probiotic capsule:
- Be sure the probiotic contains common fermenting bacteria such as bulgaricus, acidophilus and lactobacillus.
- Vegans need to be careful of lactobacillus because it is grown on a dairy source: I use this vegan brand of probiotic.
Dee Dine is the recipe developer and writer behind Green Smoothie Gourmet. She shares her super healthy wholesome recipes on her blog and her Instagram that she feeds her family and friends. She gravitates toward recipes that are fast to create, plant-based, nutritious, easy, and use familiar ingredients. And chocolate is always a good idea! More about Dee.