Recipes

yogurt

April Recipe of the Month – Homemade Coconut Yogurt

April 1, 2014 by • Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Healthy Eats, Recipes, Vegan • 7 Comments

Written by Danielle Currey, ND
 

Living in a dairy free household, there are some things that I miss, one of them being yogurt.  Buying coconut yogurt can get pretty spendy, so I decided to give homemade a try.

The results are a bit more of a kefir consistency, but this can be resolved through adding a thickening agent or by straining the yogurt through a tea towel or layered cheese cloth.

Materials:

  • Slow cooker or Oven with a light
  • 1 quart glass jar with lid
  • thick kitchen towel

Ingredients:

  • 2 cans coconut milk (about 3 cups)
  • 1/2 tsp or 2 capsules probiotic of your choice or 1/4 cup coconut yogurt (I used HMF powder and it worked nicely)
  • optional – thickening agent eg 2 tbsp tapioca starch, 1 tsp xantham gum, 2 tbsp ground flax seeds or chia seeds

Directions:

  1. Mix coconut milk and probiotics or yogurt.
  2. If you will be adding a thickening agent, do so now

Slow cooker directions:

  1. Add mixture to your slow cooker and set on low.  Allow yogurt to warm on counter and ferment for 6-8 hours.
  2. Pour into 2 quart jar, close, and allow to cool and thicken in the refrigerator overnight (8-10 hours)

Oven directions:

  1. Heat mixture on stove until steaming (but not simmering/boiling – this will kill your culture).
  2. Pour into a 2 quart jar, close, wrap in a thick dish towel and place in oven with light on for 6-8 hours.
  3. Move jar into refrigerator and allow to cool and thicken overnight (8-10 hours)

At this point, you can enjoy your creation or you can strain it to thicken the consistency.  To do this pour mixture into a tea towel or several layers of cheesecloth suspended over a bowl and allow to drain for 2-3 hours in a refrigerator.

Mix in suggestions:

  • fruit
  • honey
  • nuts
  • granola

Or use in your favorite smoothy recipe.

Enjoy!

October’s Recipe of the Month

October 20, 2013 by • Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Healthy Eats, Recipes, Vegan • Tags: , , • 0 Comments

Lentils are an unsung food staple, full of fiber and protein and when cooked correctly, oh so delicious. The following recipe is inspired by this red lentil coconut soup. After a few tweaks to the recipe and converting it into a slow cooker meal it has been on the menu every week since it first graced the Currey table a few months ago. My favorite thing about it — besides how good it is and how eagerly the kids gobble it down — is how easy it is.

Dr. Currey's Favorite Winter Stew Gluten free, Dairy free, Vegan
Dr. Currey’s Favorite Winter Stew
Gluten free, Dairy free, Vegan

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups unsoaked, dry red split lentils – you can find these in the bulk section of your store
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 1 chopped bell pepper or a handful of chopped mini sweet peppers –
  • 2 fresh jalapeno or serrano chili, chopped, including seeds – this isn’t a spicy dish despite the peppers.
  • 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger – I like to juice my ginger and add in about ½ a Tablespoon
  • 2 garlic cloves – chopped
  • 1 heaping tablespoon curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 6 oz can of tomato paste (be sure to use a can that is BPA free or buy some from a local canner friend)
  • 7 cups water
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas – again, BPA free can, or soak a ½ cup of dry beans overnight and add them in.
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • fresh cilantro and lime wedges for serving – yes, do include these

 

Directions:

stew2

  1. Gather your ingredients
  2. Place said ingredients into your slow cooker
  3. Let cook all day, for us this is usually around eleven to twelve hours, but the stew is usually finished cooking by eight hours.
  4. Enjoy topped with chopped fresh cilantro (frozen cilantro works too if you prefer to store it this way as we do in our house) and lime wedges.
  5. Pack any leftovers for lunch tomorrow; you will want to enjoy it again.

Each month, we will be posting a favorite recipe from around the office.  If you have a favorite recipe that you would like to contribute, send it in and we will feature it here for you.