Homemade Yogurt

Homemade yogurt is easy, I promise! Better for you - because you control the ingredients, and cheaper than what you can get at the store. I found the recipe here and I followed it exactly. This is a website I found earlier this week, and I love it! She has some great ideas about food storage and healthy eating. There is a video of how to make yogurt. So it is super easy.
I will say one thing about the cooler she has. I didn't want to buy another cooler so I used one of my smaller coolers for this. It only fit 3 jars. So I put the three in and wrapped them up with a fleece blanket just like she showed. I wrapped the other one up in warm towels and put it on my counter in a warm spot. The yogurt in the cooler was really thick and creamy and still warm when I pulled it out 9 hours later. The one on the counter, was not very thick, and not very creamy, and cold when it was all over. So I am probably going to look for one of the styrofoam coolers that will fit all four jars - so all my yogurt turns out right.

It was cheap too, it cost me less than half for more than double the amount of yogurt that I ususally buy. - less than $1.50 for 4 pints (8 cups) of yogurt. (because milk was on sale - if you were paying $3/gallon, it would still cost less than $2)

The 411 on Powdered Milk

Why Store Milk?
#1 - you use it a lot and your kids like it. Can't really live without it now, you wouldn't want to live without it in an emergency. Powdered milk contains all the nutrients found in fresh milk except the fat. It is also easy to cook with. You could also make yogurt and cheese with powered milk if you wanted to.

How Much to Store?
The LDS Church’s Home Production and Storage Manual suggests that you store 60 lbs of dry milk for an adult and 30 lbs for a child for your one year supply. This is based on 3 cups of milk per day for adults and 1.5 cups of milk per day for children. For a 3 month supply you would need 4 #10 cans per adult and 2 #10 cans per child if you use this much milk on a regular basis. That being said, you should store what is best for your family based on what your family normally uses.
When calculating how much to store, be aware of different concentrations of milk powder. Western Family powdered milk is the least concentrated; using 1/3 c powder to 1 cup of water. Milk from the cannery and the Provident Pantry brand are both 2/3 c powder to 1 quart of water.

What to Store?
Powdered milk comes in instant or regular, real milk or milk substitute. There is no nutrient difference between instant and regular. Instant milk mixes easier with water and is more expensive. Real powdered non-fat milk will have only one ingredient: Pasteurized skim milk. Milk “Drinks” are not the same as real dried milk - do not buy it. Morning Moos is a milk drink, made mostly of whey (a byproduct of making cheese.) Milk substitute drinks do not contain the milk solids that are necessary in making yogurt or cheese but they may taste better. Real non-fat dry milk can cost twice as much as does a substitute.
You can also store evaporated milk, cream substitutes, powdered cheese or butter, and don’t forget baby formula if you have a baby.

How long does it last?
The church says its #10 can of non-fat dried milk will last 20 years. This is not optimal, you can imagine the effects of time on the nutritional value and taste. Milk is extremely sensitive to temperature. At 50˚F it will store for 48 months, at 90˚F just 3 months. The #10 cans store longer because it is not exposed to the air.

How to use it:
Substitute powdered milk for milk in all your cooking to rotate your supply. You can also use reconstituted powdered milk with a little vanilla extract on your cereal in the morning. If you want to drink powdered milk expect that it will taste different from regular milk. And it has to be really, really cold! And it is so easy to use it to make this yogurt!

The Fluffiest Whole Wheat Pancakes Ever

This is my other favorite pancake recipe. And if you can't imagine anything made with whole wheat being fluffy, you have to try these.

3 cups whole wheat flour
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
4 egg yolks
3 cups milk
1/3 cup oil
4 egg whites

Mix the four, baking powder, salt and sugar together. In a seperate bowl, mix the egg yolks, milk and oil together. In yet another bowl beat the egg whites until stiff. Add the egg yolk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix together. Then gently fold in the egg whites. Cook on a hot griddle. Serve with syrup or jam.

These pancakes are so so so yummy. It is a lot of work not to mention 3 bowls to make them. So, sometimes I cheat and I don't beat the egg whites. And I usually have a freezer bag of this mix in my freezer with powdered eggs and dried instant milk so all I have to add is water and oil. Either way, they still taste good, but the egg whites make these pancakes unbelieveably fluffy and soft.

My New Favorite Peanut Butter

Have you seen this at your local Wally's?
I found this little gem when I was in Montanna last month, at Walmart of all places. It is so very good for you, and your kids. Most peanut butter is made with hydrogenated oil, which we compare to dog poo around here. (If there is a little dog poo in your food would you still eat it?) I usually try to buy the Adam's brand natural peanut butter which is just peanuts and salt. But this Naturally More doesn't have any hydrogenated oils, or preservatives, AND it has less fat, more fiber, more protein, folic acid, and omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. If your kids don't like salmon, this is an easy way to get them to eat the omega fatty acids. They really couldn't have packed any more nutrition in there. It's so worth paying a little more for! But, they don't have it here in Utah!! Check their website www.peanutsnack.com to see if it is available in your area. Sorry this sounds like an advertisement, but I just get really excited when I find something commercially prepared that I feel good/excited about feeding to my kids!

All About Buckwheat

• The protein found in buckwheat contains the eight essential amino acids -making it a complete protein.
• Buckwheat is rich in B vitamins as well as phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper and manganese.
• Buckwheat is a good oil source of Alpha-Linolenic Acid, which is one of the two essential fatty acids we must have to be healthy.
• Buckwheat is high in fiber. A single cup of cooked buckwheat groats contains over 4 grams of dietary fiber.
• Buckwheat contains a rich supply of flavonoids.
• Buckwheat lowers glucose levels and is beneficial for managing diabetes.
• Buckwheat has been found to lower blood pressure and reduce cholesterol.
• Buckwheat is a fruit seed and is a gluten-free alternative to grains. Buckwheat is not wheat at all.

Although buckwheat has many grain-like characteristics, it is from an entirely different botanical family, and is actually a fruit. Since buckwheat is unrelated to the classic cereal grains, those who are allergic to wheat can usually tolerate buckwheat.

Make these pancakes and try it today!

Multigrain Pancake Mix

I have two favorite pancake recipes, this is one. I found it here.

This is my version:
10 cups of whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups buckwheat flour (find this at the health food store - make sure you get the flour, the actual buckwheat is like putting little rocks in your pancakes - don't ask how I know this)
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 cups oatmeal (put it in a blender or food processor until it is powder)
2 cups buttermilk powder
5 TBL baking Powder
2 TBL baking Soda
1 cup sugar
2 TBL salt
1 cup whole powdered eggs

Don't be afraid of the buckwheat! It is so good for you - see here. Mix it up all ingredients in a big bowl with whisk. Put it in a container or ziploc freezer bag, store in the freezer. No need to ever buy bisquik again. - and this is so much healthier and doesn't have that nasty aftertaste! Write the instructions below on the outside of the bag so they are handy.

To make pancakes:
1 cup pancake mix
2 TBL vegetable oil
Enough water to get the consistancy you want (around 2/3 cup)
Cook on a hot griddle as usual.

Refrigerator Bran Muffins

1 c hot water
3 cups bran cereal (I use raisin bran or what ever I have on hand. I have even used mini-wheats...)
1 c chopped dates or raisins (I have used craisins on occasion)
Pour hot water over cereal and raisins. Let stand while you prepare the remaining ingredients

Mix together (Blender is suggested, I'm too lazy and I dont want to clean it so I just wisk everything together):
1/3-1/2 c oil
2 c Buttermilk or Yogurt
2 eggs
1/3-3/4 c sugar or honey

Combine:
2 1/2 c Whole wheat flour
2 t soda
3/4 t salt

Now combine all three sets of ingredients, just until mixed. Then don't stir it again
Bake at 400 for 15-18 minutes
The batter can be stored in the fridge, for up to a month, for fresh muffins anytime .
If you are super lazy like my I skip the first step and mix everything together the night before and let it sit in the fridge overnight and then bake. Works great.