Make your own spreadable cheese! 11 calories a TBSP!

DesertRains

Came across this online and I think I'm going to try it this weekend! Looks like a lower cal sub for laughing cow (not that laughing cow is high calorie!)

Looks like you could make any flavor you want, sweet or savory, with mix-ins after the cheese is made. Nutrition info at the end of the recipe.

Making Your Own Yogurt Cheese

Yogurt cheese is thickened yogurt with the whey drained away. It makes a wonderful substitute for fresh cheeses, such as cream cheese.

When you add minced fresh herbs, you get a great low-fat substitute for calorie-laden cheese spreads. You can buy a yogurt cheese drainer at a specialty cookware store, or you can use a coffee filter or a double thickness of cheesecloth inside a colander or sieve as well.

You'll want to experiment with different brands of yogurt until you find one that you like. Be sure the yogurt you use is plain and does not contain any added gelatin, thickeners or flavorings, the yogurt should only have the ingredients milk and live active cultures.

The following recipe is re-posted from The Joslin Diabetes Gourmet Cookbook (Bantam Books).

Yogurt Cheese
Yields: 1 cup

What You Need

2 cups plain low-fat or non-fat yogurt
1 tsp. salt

What You Do

Mix yogurt and salt. Line a sieve with a coffee filter or cheesecloth. Suspend the sieve over a deep bowl. Place the yogurt in the filter and refrigerate for 12-48 hours to allow the whey to drain out. When the yogurt has the consistency of a soft cream cheese, scrape the yogurt away from the filter and transfer it to a plastic container.
Discard the liquid in the bowl and refrigerate the yogurt cheese.

Use within 1 week, discarding any accumulated liquid before using.

Nutrition Information:

Per 1 tablespoon serving made with low-fat yogurt:

12 calories (19% calories from fat)
1 g protein
<1 g total fat (0.1 g saturated fat)
1 g carbohydrates
0 dietary fiber
1 mg cholesterol
10 mg sodium
Diabetic exchanges: FREE

Per 1 tablespoon serving made with non-fat yogurt:

11 calories (2% calories from fat)
2 g protein
0 total fat (0 saturated fat)
1 g carbohydrates
0 dietary fiber
0 cholesterol
10 mg sodium
Diabetic exchanges: FREE

jenna715

hmm any kind of yogurt? I have some greek yogurt, wonder if that would work...

thefifthvalue

bump ba-bump bump

thanks for this!

ShelleLP

Awesome! Thanks.

DesertRains

Just found this, haven't tried it, but this site -

http://shecraves.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/03/what-to-do-with-yogurt-labneh.html

has pictures of the process.

IvoryParchment

Greek yogurt is already strained. This will turn regular yogurt into Greek style yogurt.

I made some killer onion dip for new year's with onion soup mix and nonfat Greek yogurt. Hardly any calories and it was actually nutritious. No one even noticed the difference.

jenna715

Greek yogurt is already strained. This will turn regular yogurt into Greek style yogurt.

I made some killer onion dip for new year's with onion soup mix and nonfat Greek yogurt. Hardly any calories and it was actually nutritious. No one even noticed the difference.

The other day I used green onion chip dip mix with greek yogurt(and added fresh green onions). I could tell a difference but not that bad...and knowing it was way healthier was also nice. My non dieting friends didnt seem to care.

DesertRains

Greek yogurt is already strained. This will turn regular yogurt into Greek style yogurt.

I made some killer onion dip for new year's with onion soup mix and nonfat Greek yogurt. Hardly any calories and it was actually nutritious. No one even noticed the difference.

This recipe appears to take yogurt past the greek stage to a soft cheese stage. Here's a photo I found of the completed cheese, made into little rounds -

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_5xU8Pff7Cw4/S_Jbe0msSuI/AAAAAAAABiQ/dxBmB_IbE58/s1600/P1230352.JPG

I'll try the dip substitute with the greek yogurt, though, great idea, lots of protein.

DesertRains

And here's a recipe from a South Beach cookbook that says greek yogurt would work. Will experiment!

"Looking to change up your mid-morning or mid-afternoon snacks? Take a cue from the Middle East and try this tasty recipe that uses yogurt in a surprising new way. Using just a few healthy ingredients, this protein-rich snack is full of flavor and easy to grab if you’re on-the-go."

Labne Balls (Phase 1)

Description
Also known as kefir cheese or yogurt cheese, labne is popular in the Middle East. When rolled into balls, as it is in this recipe, labne has a texture similar to fresh mozzarella and it’s a great alternative to part-skim mozzarella sticks when you’re snacking on Phase 1. Look for nonfat plain Greek yogurt, which is thicker than regular yogurt; it’s sold in the dairy section of most supermarkets.

Draining time: 48 hours
Prep time: 10 minutes

Makes 24

Ingredients
3 (200 g) containers non-fat Greek yogurt, drained
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
Extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions
Line a strainer with cheesecloth and place over a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine yogurt and salt. Spoon yogurt into the strainer. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until thick, about 48 hours. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of drained yogurt. Discard liquid.

Place Italian seasoning in a shallow dish. On a large piece of waxed paper, roll yogurt by tablespoonfuls into 3/4" balls. Roll balls in Italian seasoning to coat.

Serve balls immediately or store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week. For longer storage, cover with extra-virgin olive oil, and enjoy as desired.

Herb Variations: Roll the balls in chopped mint, chives, or parsley (or a combo of all three). Or sprinkle with red pepper flakes just before serving.

Nutritional information
Per (4-piece) serving:
13 calories
0 g fat (0 g sat)
1 g carbohydrate
2 g protein
0 g fiber
106 mg sodium

iLose2Gain

Wow, I may try this!

DesertRains

Just got some plain, all natural yogurt, will let you all know if it turns out!

MCK0257

Hey girls, can anyone tell me approximately how many grams in a tablespoon of Greek yoghurt? Trying to enter into into my eating plan but I don't know what to put!

Brunner26_2

Hey girls, can anyone tell me approximately how many grams in a tablespoon of Greek yoghurt? Trying to enter into into my eating plan but I don't know what to put!

Guys read this too, but I'll let that slide If you're using a large container of yogurt, you can divide the serving size by the number of tablespoons in it. For example, a serving of chobani plain is 1 cup/ 8 ounces/ 225 grams (from package). There are 16 tablespoons in a cup. So the number of grams per tablespoon is 225 divided by 16, which is about 14.06 grams. Hope this helps.

jr1985

Sounds great! thanks!

PBmaria

bump

smem21

Has anyone else tried this?? Cheese is my major weak point.. (I have it with nearly everything!!) .. may give this a try! xx

MaddoxsMommy

Bump

AirCircleI

I am going to try this next week as soon as my cheese cloths arrive - but with my own homemade yoghurt rather than store bought. looking forward to it.

AirCircleI

PS - don't throw out the drained liquid, as there are apparently many uses for whey, from using it as a skin toner, hair conditioner, in the place of water or buttermilk for bread and pancakes, and feeding it to pets.