Make Thick, Creamy Vegan Yogurt With An Instant Pot Or Yogurt Maker - 5 Minutes Prep Time! No Added Thickeners Or Gums Needed

Making this organic yogurt recipe couldn't be easier!

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I Love Yogurt
When I gave up dairy, yogurt was one of the things I missed the most. Store-bought vegan yogurt is pretty terrible. I remember a while back buying 8 different brands and types in order to do a product review for the blog. They contained all kinds of gums and binders, tons of sugar, and very little yogurt flavor. In disgust, I abandoned the article as I couldn't really find one that I was excited about recommending. 

I never tried making my own yogurt until I bought my Instant Pot. Although I use it mostly as a pressure cooker, it also works as a yogurt maker. So before I gave up on yogurt completely, with its healthful and critical probiotics, I thought I would give it a try.

Yogurt Starter
The first thing you need when making a non-dairy yogurt, is vegan yogurt starter. I use Cultures for Health. Check their website carefully for a coupon. They have other yogurt starters that are dairy based so if you can tolerate a tiny amount of dairy, you can try them too. I imagine that they might give a different flavor and consistency but I haven't experimented with them yet.

The vegan yogurt starter is a "direct set" or "single use" starter which means that you should use a new packet for every batch. With the particular recipe and non-dairy milk I am suggesting today, it is possible to make additional batches by using a 1/2-cup of the yogurt and whey from the previous batch. Eventually you may have to use a new packet (I found that using a fresh packet results in a slightly thicker yogurt) although my friend has made countless batches with yogurt and whey from her previous batches and hasn't noticed any differences.

To maintain culture strength, store in the freezer

Next, you'll need a non-dairy milk. My two favorites so far, that curdle and makes thick, creamy, spoonable yogurt without having to add any thickening agents, are Trader Joe's shelf stable organic unsweetened Soy Beverage and Kirkland's shelf stable organic, plain soy milk. Although the Kirkland's brand is organic and very delicious with just a hint of vanilla, the Trader Joe's product is a healthier choice because it just contains organic soy beans and water. Kirkland's contains other ingredients besides the soy milk like organic cane sugar, tricalcium citrate, sea salt, carrageenan, vanilla, natural flavors, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2, riboflavin and B12. Natural flavors can mean lots of nasty things and many nutritionists now recommend avoiding carrageenan because it can cause inflammation. 

Making yogurt is incredibly easy in your Instant Pot.
Stir starter into the milk, pour into jars, set time and hit start!

Nothing but soybeans!
A healthier choice than Kirkland's.

Soy Yogurt
Vegan, Dairy Free, Mostly Gluten Free*
[Makes 1 quart or 8 (1/2-cup) servings]
Requires 2 pint glass jars and an Instant Pot or other Yogurt Maker
Allow 8 to 12 hours in yogurt maker and several hours to refrigerate

Ingredients
1 quart shelf-stabilized plain organic soy milk, room temperature
1 packet of Cultures for Health vegan yogurt starter**

*Cultures for Health Vegan Yogurt starter may contain traces of gluten as they use barley as a nutrient for the probiotic.
** Or try using a 1/2 cup of yogurt and whey from your previous batch

Directions
Clean glass jars with soap and hot water. Dry and set aside.

Pour the room-temperature soy milk into a clean pitcher. Sprinkle in a packet of yogurt starter and stir well. If you are using 1/2 cup of yogurt and whey from a previous batch (instead of a packet of yogurt starter), place that into the pitcher first and slowly mix in the quart of milk until it is well combined.

Pour into two pint jars. If you have a little left over, pour it into a small taster jar.

Place all jars into the Instant Pot. Push the "yogurt" button and set for 8 to 10 hours (the longer, the tangier). You may use the cover that comes with the Instant Pot or a 9" snug-fitting glass lid. I like using a glass lid so that I can see what's going on. 

Remove when done and place in the refrigerator. Serve when chilled.

Tip: Prepare it in the morning so that it finishes in the evening and you can pop it into the refrigerator before you go to bed. Then it will be chilled and ready to use for breakfast the next morning. 

Nutrition (using Kirkland)
Per 1/2-cup serving: 50 calories, 2 g total fat, 0.3 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 4 g protein, 4 g carbohydrates, 0.5 g dietary fiber, and 55 mg sodium.

Nutrition (using Trader Joe's)
Per 1/2-cup serving: 45 calories, 2.3 g total fat, .3 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 4.5 g protein, 2 g carbohydrates, 1 g dietary fiber, and 43 mg sodium. 

Making Yogurt from Almond, Coconut and Rice Milk
I have not been successful making yogurt from other non-dairy milks such as almond, coconut, and rice milk as they require a thickening agent. Often, the resulting yogurt is more like Jello than creamy and curdled yogurt. I also don't think they are as tart. Recently, however, I have found some store bought products that are pretty good. Check out my product review on Cashew, Almond, and Coconut Milk non-dairy yogurts. 


















If you want to try making these on your own, your best bet is to use a recipe using Pomona's Universal Pectin.  I find that there is no need for the calcium water called for in the recipe if the non-dairy milk you are using has sufficient added calcium. 

Experimenting is Fun!
Experimenting with different milks and yogurt starters is fun so if you come up with some great creations, please share them with us!

Check out my product review on Cashew, Almond, and Coconut Milk non-dairy yogurts!

Lactose Intolerant? Going Vegan? You'll Need A Substitute For Milk. Here's How To Select The Best Non-Dairy Milk Alternative!

What's the best milk for your morning breakfast cereal?

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You Might Be Lactose Intolerant
Do you get bloated or nauseous after eating dairy products or do you get gas pains or cramps in your abdomen? If so, you may lack lactase, an enzyme that is needed to properly digest lactose, a sugar found in milk and dairy products. An astounding 65% of adults worldwide lose the ability to produce this enzyme after weaning. The problem varies greatly with ethnicity. About 20% of North American whites have this issue while three out of four African Americans and about 50% of Latinos are lactose intolerant. Given that the average American consumes over 600 pounds of dairy per year, there may be quite a few people walking around out there feeling lousy! I personally cannot eat dairy without getting severe stomach cramps. 
Vegans and those who are lactose intolerant continually search for delicious and nutritious dairy substitutes. And now it's easier than ever.

In Search of the Perfect Milk Substitute
Years ago, all non-dairy milk products came in little boxes that sat on the shelf, unrefrigerated. Those products are still available and are quite convenient when you want to store them in your pantry or pop them into your lunch box. But today there are many "fresh" non-dairy milk substitutes that are found in the refrigerated section of your supermarket and they are quite superior in taste.  Every week for the past month or so I bought a different brand. I have now tasted them all and analyzed them for their nutritional content. You may be quite surprised at what I found.

Almond Milk
I tried 2 brands of unsweetened almond milk, Blue Diamond Almond Breeze and Silk Pure Almond. What sets almond milk apart from the others is their very low calorie count, Silk Pure Almond being the lowest with only 30 calories a cup. Nutritionally they were both very highly fortified with calcium at 450 mg per cup and also contained 50% of the daily requirement of vitamin E. They were the only milk substitute that has zero grams of sugar.  Cow milk contains 12 to 13 grams of sugar per cup. Both almond milk brands contained more sodium than the other types of non-dairy milk, 150 mg to 180 mg per cup.
I found almond milk to be absolutely delicious.

Creamy and delicious
Very low in calories
More calcium than cow's milk
High in vitamin E
Highest in sodium
Make from Non-GMO almonds
Gluten free

You can also make your own raw almond milk very easily if you have a high speed blender. 

Soy Milk
I've tried both Silk and Earth Balance soy milk and they are both creamy and delicious. They are also a significant source of protein, providing 7 grams per cup, while the other non-dairy milks have 1g or less. This compares very favorably with cow's milk which provides 8 grams per cup and has the advantage of not having saturated fat or cholesterol. Some avoid soy products because they fear that they increase the risk of breast cancer recurrence but recent data shows that soy might, in fact, reduce the risk. 
Warning: Soy milk can give you some gas - after all, it's bean juice! Introduce it into your diet gradually.

Creamy and delicious
Very high in protein
Contains the same amount of calcium as cow's milk
Silk contains 320 mg of ALA Omega-3
Organic soy milk is made from non-GMO soybeans
Gluten free

I also make my own soy milk with a SoyaPower Plus.

Original Rice Dream
Vegans have been enjoying Rice Dream for years and now it's offered in the fresh, refrigerated version. It's thinner than some of the other milks but it is delicious. What surprises me the most about this product is that it's very high in calories (120 per cup) and contains a high amount of "natural" sugars (10 g per cup) - as no sweeteners are added. To compare, Silk Pure Almond contains 1/4th of the calories and zero grams of sugar.
So if you are watching your weight, this might not be your best option.

Thinner consistency but delicious
Higher in calories and natural sugars
Contains the same amount of calcium as cow's milk
Gluten free

Coconut Milk
So Delicious makes some wonderful ice creams, coconut creamers and other products so I was anxious to try their dairy free coconut milk. It's hard to believe this thick and creamy milk has only 45 calories. I actually found the milk to be too thick for my cereal although it's great in a smoothie. It also is high in saturated fat (4 grams per cup). There are some who think that saturated fats from coconuts are not only safe but provide health benefits. I'm not yet convinced of that and while I feel it is probably fine to enjoy this coconut milk beverage frequently, I probably wouldn't use it as my only source of non-dairy milk. That aside, I didn't actually enjoy it nearly as much as almond, soy or rice milk.

Low in calories
High in saturated fat
Very thick and creamy (almost too thick)
Contains 1/3rd the amount of calcium as cow's milk
Made from non-GMO coconuts
Gluten free

To Summarize
There are many wonderful dairy free, gluten free alternatives to cow's milk for those of you who are lactose intolerant, vegan or on a low cholesterol diet.
Calories
The lowest calorie products are almond milk and coconut milk. Silk PureAlmond Unsweetened almond milk has the lowest amount with only 30 calories per cup. The highest calories are from Rice Dream Enriched Refrigerated Original. Soy milk contains about the same as skim dairy milk. 
Fat
All of the non-dairy products contain a modest amount of total fat ranging from 2.5 grams to 4.5 grams per cup. All, except So Delicious Coconut milk, contain insignificant amounts of saturated fat. So Delicious Coconut milk contains 4 grams of saturated fat per cup. To compare, whole dairy milk contains 8 grams of total fat and 5 grams of saturated fat. Skim milk contains neither.
Calcium
There seems to be a race among our food providers to see who can load us down with the most calcium. I worry about that because I fear that people are taking too many calcium supplements .  If your doctor has you taking 1,000 mg of calcium supplements a day and then you drink 2 cups of Almond Breeze, you just got another 900 mg of calcium. And that's not counting the calcium you are getting from tofu, greens, fortified orange juice, etc. So be aware of what you are consuming from all sources. 
Also, you should note that for the optimal absorption of calcium, you need to consume magnesium at about a 2:1 or 1:1 ratio of calcium to magnesium. Fortified foods, such as these milk products, add lots of calcium but don't add much magnesium. 
Sugar
Dairy milk has lots of sugar (12 to 13 grams per cup) - that's why people are lactose intolerant - they can't digest the lactose sugar. Except for the Original Rice Dream, all the non-dairy milk alternatives are very low in sugar with 1 gram or less per cup. Rice dream contains a whopping 10 grams per cup. 
Protein
If you need a good source of protein, soy milk provides 7 grams per cup, nearly as much as dairy milk. The others tested do not provide a significant amount of protein.
Sodium
All dairy and non-dairy milks have about 80 to 120 plus mg of sodium per cup except for So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage which only has 15 mg. 

Of course at the end of the day you have to love the taste of the product and that is something you have to determine for yourself. (I guarantee you that all of these will beat the taste of non-fat, skim milk!). You also will have to pick one that satisfies your dietary needs. I hope this paper helps you in the search for YOUR perfect non-dairy milk alternative!

Make Your Own Soy Milk - A Review Of SoyaPower Plus By Sanlinx And Laura Soybeans From Fairview Farms

Freshly made Soy-Barley-Oat milk in a container
purchased on-line from The Container Store

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I Love Freshly Made Soy Milk
I gave up dairy milk decades ago and enjoy various alternatives like almond milk (which I prefer to make from raw almonds), hemp milk (I love TEMPT from Living Harvest) and of course, soy milk (which I now make myself with this nifty machine!). To be honest, I've never tried making it without a machine. It sounds like a pretty long and messy process. Besides, you know how much I love gadgets and cooking toys! So I bought a Soyapower Plus Soy Milk Maker by Sanlinx. It sells for $119.95 with a one year warranty. 

SoyaPower Plus

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What You Get
The SoyaPower Plus comes with the soy milk maker and a detachable power cord. The unit is lined with stainless steel which is important because I don't want to be cooking in plastic. Ironically, it comes with a plastic container into which you are supposed to pour strained, hot soy milk! They also supply a metal strainer, a cleaning kit (I've never needed to use it), some recipes and a small package of soybeans (more about those later). It also has a convenient little cup which measures exactly how many beans are needed to make one batch of soy milk.
My Experience with Sanlinx
After using the machine successfully 2 or 3 times, the machine started blowing the fuse in my kitchen. Sanlinx took the machine right back and tested it numerous times. As expected, it worked perfectly for them! So being a retired electrical engineer, I suggested that it might be the power cord. Of course we forgot to send that back with the machine which certainly would have made their job of detecting the problem easier. They said they never had a bad power cord problem before. After sending the machine back to me with a new power cord, it worked. Oh well, I guess it was the power cord. All in all, I was pleased with their responsiveness.
The only other problem that I've had is that it occasionally boils over. I wrote them a note the other day and they quickly responded and told me how to avoid the problem: 
(1) Put the beans in first, then measure the water to the "lower line". By putting the beans in after filling to the water line, I was overfilling the container.
(2) Never soak the beans more than 12 hours. 
(3) When putting the machine head inside the container, make sure the sitting position is correct and the security latches are aligned.
I must say, these guys are very helpful when you have a problem.

Soak beans and barley for 6-8 hours (never more than 12).
By the way, that's what 13 pounds of soy beans looks like!

Recipe for Great Tasting Soy Milk
I didn't like recipes using just soybeans so  I experimented with a few mixtures. The barley makes it a bit sweet and the oats make it creamy. Here's my concoction that comes out like the fresh soy milk that you buy in the refrigerated section of your grocery store:


Soy Barley Oat Milk
[makes about 5 cups]
5 tablespoon soy beans *
1 tablespoon barley *
1 tablespoon rolled oats
Filtered water (about 5 1/3 cups)
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
6 drops liquid stevia or 1 tablespoon of agave or Sucanat, more or less to taste


* To use their measuring cup, first put 1 tablespoon of barley into the measuring cup. Fill the rest to the top with soybeans.


Soak the soybeans and barley for 6 to 8 hours (do not soak the rolled oats).
Rinse the beans and barley and add to the soy milk maker along with the rolled oats.
Fill the SoyaPower Plus with filtered water up to the lower line.
To make the soy milk faster, start with boiling water. But even when you start with room temperature water, the process is very fast (usually less than 15 minutes). 
Make sure the metal sleeve that covers the blades is tightly secured.
Press the button that says "Soy+" 
When it is done the machine will start beeping.
Unplug to turn the machine off and remove the top of the machine. Let soy milk cool a bit before straining it into the plastic container.
Strain the soy barley oat mixture through the metal strainer. Gently push residue from side to side with a spoon. The residue is called "Okara" and can be used in other recipes.
Stir in salt and sweetener. 
Pour soy milk into glass storage container and refrigerate.

Strain out the "Okara" using the metal strainer

Laura Soybeans from Fairview Farms
A sample of Laura Soybeans came with the soy milk maker. These beans are grown on a  farm that has been owned and operated by the Chambers Family for 5 generations in Corwith, Iowa. It's a pleasure to support a family farm that cares about quality versus an industrial farm that only cares about quantity. Although these soybeans are not "certified" organic, they are non-GMO (genetically modified). Jonathan Chambers took the trouble to explain their farming practices to me and they were quite impressive. They use a 2 year crop rotation and do not use any commercial fertilizers on their soybean crop. They mechanically till early in the season and later they actually "walk" the field with garden hoes to take out large weeds that would make harvest difficult. Him and his dad grow their own seed and sort them by hand for future generations of the Laura beans in order to keep the seed as pure as possible. You can order beans directly from the Laura Soybeans Website. The smallest amount you can buy from them is 13 pounds for $24.95 which includes shipping. That's what you would pay for about 6 gallons of store-bought soy milk and 13 pounds of soybeans will make about 24 gallons!

Fairview Farms where Laura soybeans are cultivated

Bottom line, I'm enjoying my little soy milk maker. I use it 2 or 3 times a week. I no longer have to worry about running to the store to buy milk. And although I had a few issues with the SoyaPower Plus, the company was extremely responsive. In fact, during the first 30 days, I could have simply asked for my money back. I am so glad that I didn't!
My next adventure will be to try and make my own tofu.  I'm also busy thinking of ways to use that wonderful, nutritious, fiber-rich okara. It's so warm and creamy, I find myself eating it with a spoon while I'm straining my soy milk!