COCONUT MILK YOGURT! plus a homemade yogurt recipe

That's right, yogurt made from coconut milk has hit the market. I found it in my local health food store, Dean's Natural Food Market of Shrewsbury, NJ. This SO Delicious Cultured Coconut Milk is real yummy, very creamy, way better than soy yogurt. And it has all the benefits of dairy yogurt... but it is dairy-free... and soy-free.

I was not suprised to find out that this coconut goodness is made by a privately held natural foods company headquartered in Eugene, OR.... home of the out-of-this-world, mouth watering organic, vegan Coconut Bliss ice cream made with agave nectar... the best non-dairy ice cream on the planet! The founders of Coconut Bliss, Larry and Luna, spent some time living at Lost Valley Intentional Community (where I lived for almost a year) before moving to the nearby town of Eugene.

...While we are on the subject of vegan ice cream, the best soy ice cream is called Ice Bean and is made by the FarmSoy company, on The Farm, an intentional community in Tennessee, where I also happened to live for a short time.

You can make yogurt from any type of milk in your own home...

Here is a simple recipe for homemade yogurt...

• 1 gallon milk (any type- you can use dairy, nut milk, soy milk, coconut milk...)
• 1 cup plain yogurt with active cultures (but a small container of yogurt in your health food store, but be sure that it says it contains live active cultures)
• 1 gallon glass jar with cap (or several glass jars that equal 1 gallon)
• oven, heat lamp, or well-insulated cooler

Heat milk on a low flame in a glass or enamel pot. Stir and feel the milk frequently. When it feels just a little warm (105 degrees) remove from heat.

Put 1 cup of yogurt into a glass container and add a cup of the warm milk. Stir well, and pour back into the pot. Stir well with a wooden spoon.

Set to rest in a warm place (100-110 degrees) for 8-24 hours. The longer it sits, the easier to digest. Though energy inefficient, you can heat your oven to 100 degrees and put the pot in. Apparently you can also make a hot water bath in a well-insulated cooler, changing the water as the temperature drops. Ive also seen a heat lamp used, just don't ask me for specifics. Just be sure to check the temperature frequently with a thermometer.

You are all set! Put your yogurt into your jar... Keeps refrigerated for 4-6 weeks.

(I recieved this recipe in Susun Weed's Wise Woman Newsletter)

...Almost nothing is more empowering than making your own fermented foods...