Making Cream Cheese from Home-made Yogurt!

by Renee Lindstrom, GCFP – Living in Natures Love Lifestyles @insideawareness.com

Cream Cheese, Salt & Whey

I am feeling inspired by making cream cheese from our home-made yogurt. It is rewarding as over the years I have not been able to justify spending so much money at the grocery store for these food items. The additional concerns are the additives that are in these products for preserving their shelf-life while they get to the store and then sit before being purchased and consumed.

The joy of beginning to make home-made cream cheese is the potential of pairing ad blending in edibles from the backyard for increased fresh goodness and taste.

Making cream cheese is simple. My only regret is not investigating this recipe sooner.

Equipment

Cheesecloth
Bowl
Funnel or strainer
Recycled Jar

Ingredients

Yogurt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of salt
herbs & spices for pairing

3 Simple Steps to making Cream Cheese

Yogurt & Whey

Whey, Salt & Filtered Yogurt

Cream Cheese

Place yogurt in cheesecloth inside strainer or large funnel that is set over bowl. Let sit for 3 to 4 hours to strain *whey as it separates from the yogurt. Let it drip into jar and save.
When firmer tie up the ends of the cheese cloth and hang it so the weight of the yogurt will filter and separate more liquid whey. Let sit for 3 to 4 hours or leave overnight.
Remove remaining ball from the cheesecloth and put into bowl. Mix with salt to taste and add any herbs, spices or edibles that you may enjoy flavouring your cream cheese.

Enjoy

Liquid Whey can be used in other recipes:
- culture for home-made yogurt
- fermentation of other foods
- add to soups & stews

Whey is considered a complete protein as it has all 9 essential amino acids and it is low in lactose content.

Whey has also become popular as a supplement to improve muscle protein synthesis and promote the growth of lean muscle mass.

5 reasons to make your own cream cheese

Inexpensive (Free Even)
- If you buy milk and make your own yogurt the only cost is for cheesecloth!
It’s Fresh & you control the ingredients
- I use home-made yogurt to create cream cheese so I choose the type of milk!
It connects you to the food you are eating and its source
- There is pleasure in eating food that you have created from scratch that is easy and beneficial to your health and the health of the planet. Once you begin to develop an interest you may go to the dairy farmers direct to get the freshest milk ingredients!
It’s delicious
A second healthy whole protein is obtained in the process without any additional expenses: Whey!