Homemade Yogurt Cheese

I have seen this posted on many blogs and recipes sites, that you can make cheese out of yogurt!  This was music to my ears since I’m mildly lactose intolerant, which means cheese is on my do not touch list.  Yogurt however has always agreed with me perfectly.  This is the recipe I created after a bit of trial and error and it works pretty well.  It’s so easy...and the result is a creamy “cream cheese” like texture.  My next step is to see if I can make a healthy version of a cheesecake with it!!  I promise to post the recipe if it turns out!  Bebe B loves this cheese as well, the perfect topping for finger foods!

Homemade Yogurt Cheese - 7 Months+

What you need: 

32 oz. Organic Plain Greek Yogurt 

A large bowl

A mesh strainer

A clean piece of cheesecloth or other loose weave fabric 

A rubber band or piece of string

This recipe is easy yet a little time consuming, so you will need to plan ahead with this one.  Start by setting the mesh strainer over the bowl and lining the strainer with the cloth.  Next pour/ scoop the yogurt into the cloth and let it sit for a couple minutes straining.  Then pull up the edges of the cloth tightly and secure with a rubber band.  Allow the yogurt in the cloth to hang over the bowl for about 3-4 hours (hanging it by the string or rubber band from a cabinet pull works well).  Whey will continue to drop into the bowl during this time and every so often give it a squeeze.  You will know it is down when little to know liquid comes out when you squeeze it.  The squeezing is something the kids will adore doing too.  Once the cheese is finished store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to about a week.  This extra creamy cheese is spreadable and perfect for snacks and lunches.  Try mixing in some herbs into the cheese like dill or rosemary for a different flavor.

Some of the Amazing Health Benefits:

Yogurt is very good for us, full of beneficial active cultures that can prevent unwanted bacteria from building up in the body. Yogurt is also loaded with nutrients such as calcium, protein, and vitamin B2.

People who are moderately lactose intolerant can often digest yogurt without a problem. The process of turning milk into yogurt transforms the lactose into lactic acid, which means your body doesn't have to process the sugars in the original milk product.

This recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free