Yogurt Cheese

Place 4 layers of cheesecloth in a colander set over a bowl. Add the yogurt and let drain overnight in the refrigerator. The desired consistency is that of soft cream cheese.

Another alternative would be to use one of the hard plastic coffee filters that you can find at most stores and stick it into an empty large yogurt container. The size of the filter perfectly fits, keeping the cheese on top and allowing for proper drainage, while still allowing the lid of the container to be put back on. This is the method that I use and I love it. I keep old yogurt containers around the house for this reason. I also deligate one strictly for finished yogurt cheese. With this method I have a constant supply of yogurt cheese on hand when I need it. The longer you let the yogurt drain, the thicker the cheese will be.

Note: Yogurt will reduce by roughly half when drained.


Nonfat yogurt Why it’s good for you: Osteoporosis, intestinal problems, and even cancer One in every three women after age 50 will fracture a bone because of osteoporosis. In women over 45 years of age, osteoporosis accounts for more days spent in hospital than diseases like diabetes, myocardial infarction and breast cancer. Getting enough calcium is paramount to preventing this epidemic, and yogurt is an excellent source of calcium, supplying 62% more than an equal amount of milk (488mg vs 300mg, respectively). In addition, thousands of studies, spanning decades of research consistently show that encouraging the growth of healthy bacteria in the digestive tract could boost immunity and also lower the risk for a wide variety of disorders, ranging from diarrhea, certain allergies, and lactose intolerance symptoms to irritable bowel syndrome and colorectal cancer. The best place to get the right bacteria is in plain, nonfat yogurt, with recent studies also showing that women who include the right kind of yogurt into their daily diets are less likely to suffer from bladder or vaginal infections. Surprise! Korean Kimchi also is a good source of that healthy bacteria - lactobacilli, while the cabbage itself lowers breast cancer risk.