The more we share about our dairy free, grain free, sugar free eating and baking, the more questions we get. My sister-in-law Sarah, although wanting to jump on board, couldn’t wrap her head around giving up yogurt. She loves yogurt and it is a breakfast, lunch and dinner staple for her. She is a busy school teacher and photographer and she just couldn’t imagine giving up this quick go-to meal.

Taking a step back, you might wonder, why give up yogurt or other milk products. Isn’t milk supposed to be good for you - and yogurt?  Everyone knows that yogurt is healthy. Right? Milk is nature's perfect food...BUT only if you are a calf. Studies show that about 75% of the population reports symptoms of lactose intolerance and those symptoms are not pleasant and, p.s., if you suffer from IBS, dairy is a known aggravant. I know…TMI. Don’t even get me started on the sugar content of yogurt! Most yogurts contain added sugar. For example, the average fruit-flavored yogurt can contain close to 32 grams of sugar per 6-ounce serving.

So, while only one family member has shown an obvious dairy intolerance, for us, it makes sense to avoid dairy and dairy products. We have tried many dairy substitutes and we love coconut yogurt but it can be pricey. We watch for it on sale and grab it when we can but we have also discovered we can make it at home for much less.

Do you ever see a recipe, read it and think, “easy”.  That is what happened with me and yogurt. I saw the recipes and thought this is a no brainer. Well it didn’t turn out to be as easy as I read and took me a few tries to get a yogurt the consistency I was looking for. Many recipes I read didn’t call for any type of thickener however I found I needed one and chose to go with agar agar which you can find at your local natural or whole foods grocers or on Amazon. This is a vegetarian substitute for gelatin and can work in many recipes as a thickening agent.

On a side note, it turns out, I may have a slight problem with kitchen gadgets. This isn’t confirmed but there is a suspicion. That being said, I have a yogurt maker. BUT, you don’t need one to make delicious yogurt.

Helpful Tools for this Recipe:

Recipe and Instructions:

Course: Breakfast, Lunch, Even Dinner if you are Sarah…
Cuisine: Whole 30, Paleo, gluten free, dairy free, grain free, refined sugar free, vegan

Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 24-26 hours
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 cans full fat coconut milk - 13.66 oz each (I use this but if you are looking for BPA free cans, you can use this)
• 1 packet Vegan Yogurt Starter Culture
• 3 tsp Agar agar
• If you would like your yogurt a little sweet you can add 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup

Instructions:

1. Pour the coconut milk into a heavy saucepan and whisk until smooth.

2. Sprinkle the agar agar flakes over the top of the milk.  Do not stir. You want them to stay on top and melt together.

3. Place the pan on the stove over medium heat and warm until coconut starts to simmer.  The agar agar will start to melt together. Once the agar agar is melted, whisk the coconut milk and turn down to low, whisking for 10 more minutes or until the agar agar is completely dissolved.

4. Remove from the stove allow to cool to about 100 degrees or cool to touch.

5. Sprinkle one packet yogurt starter over the top. Whisk to combine.

6. If you are adding maple syrup, now is the time.  Whisk to combine.

7. Pour into the jars, place lids on the jars and place the jars in the yogurt maker.  Turn it on and let them sit undisturbed for 24 hours.

8. Remove from the yogurt maker, allow to come to room temperature then place in the fridge for another 12-24 hours to completely set.

If you aren’t a gadget hoarder - here are the instructions without the yogurt maker:

1. Pour the coconut milk mixture into glass jars with heat proof lids, and close the jars. Another opportunity to use the 500 mason jars I may have…

2. Place in the oven, close to the oven light (ideally with a 60-watt bulb). Turn the oven light on, and leave the yogurt in with the light on for 24 hours. The temperature inside the oven should remain in the 100-110°F temperature range; use an oven thermometer to make sure.

3. Allow to cool to room temperature without disturbing, then place in the fridge.