# Non dairy yogurt starter?



## ChristieB (Jun 17, 2003)

Does anyone know where I could get a non-dairy yogurt starter? Without even a trace of milk? I want to make yogurt from coconut milk because we just found out ds and dh are both allergic to milk.

TIA
Christie


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## PikkuMyy (Mar 26, 2004)

How about buying some plain, unsweetened soy yogurt? You can use a spoon of that as the starter. You can also eat soy yogurt. Have you found a recipe for coconut yogurt?


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## ChristieB (Jun 17, 2003)

Oops, forgot to mention that soy is out. And no, I don't have a recipe for coconut yogurt. I was just going to use the coconut milk in place of cow milk.

Christie


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## artemis33 (Jan 5, 2006)

Christie - I've been hoping to find some too. I'm in the same boat - dairy and soy free and hoping to make some homemade coconut milk yogurt!









On another thread recently Cathe posted her recipe for nut yogurt - I believe cashew. I'm thinking of making some of that (no starter is used) and then using it as a starter for the coconut milk yogurt. I will try to dig up that thread.

Still would love to find a dairy/soy free starter though. I haven't checked Whole Foods yet, but my local org coop only has a dairy one









Good luck - and please post back if you find something!


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## artemis33 (Jan 5, 2006)

Found it!

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...ghlight=yogurt


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## ChristieB (Jun 17, 2003)

Stacey,

I've found two source for dairy-free (and soy-free) yogurt starter. The first, http://www.giprohealth.com/starter.html ,came recommended by someone on Yahoo group I'm a member of. She says that she's read that you need to add 2 Tbs. honey to 40 oz. coconut milk, to give the friendly bacteria something to eat. She said she doesn't know if it's necessary, but it sure makes the yogurt yummy.

And this one: http://customprobiotics.com/Merchant...Category_Code= I found doing a search. Here's some info about it: http://www.customprobiotics.com/yogurt_starter.htm It's more expensive, but the one above doesn't say how much is in a bottle, so I don't know for sure how they compare.

I think I'll try the top one first, given that someone recommended it and it's cheaper. BTW, it's recommended by an SCD website, too.

Christie


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## artemis33 (Jan 5, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ChristieB*
Stacey,

I've found two source for dairy-free (and soy-free) yogurt starter. The first, http://www.giprohealth.com/starter.html ,came recommended by someone on Yahoo group I'm a member of. She says that she's read that you need to add 2 Tbs. honey to 40 oz. coconut milk, to give the friendly bacteria something to eat. She said she doesn't know if it's necessary, but it sure makes the yogurt yummy.

And this one: http://customprobiotics.com/Merchant...Category_Code= I found doing a search. Here's some info about it: http://www.customprobiotics.com/yogurt_starter.htm It's more expensive, but the one above doesn't say how much is in a bottle, so I don't know for sure how they compare.

I think I'll try the top one first, given that someone recommended it and it's cheaper. BTW, it's recommended by an SCD website, too.

Christie

Thanks so much Christie!! I will probably try the first one, too. If you get some and make the CM yogurt, let me know how it turns out! I'll do the same. MMMmmmm...it sounds so good


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## PikkuMyy (Mar 26, 2004)

I was going to suggest looking online for the plain bacteria but you've found it!

Good luck with it, and let us know how the CM turns out - I love it and I'd love an alternative to soy yogurt for some variety.


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## ChristieB (Jun 17, 2003)

Well, I did it. And it's good, too! It separated, though. There's a layer of whitish water at the bottom of each jar of yogurt. Don't know what it's about. It could be two things (or just what happens with coconut yogurt). I add some water to stretch the coconut milk, also, I heated the milk before hand. The recipe I saw for SCD nut milk yogurt, they said not to heat the milk before or it would separate. Maybe coconut milk is the same?? I'll try it without heating the milk next time and see what happens. The yogurt at the top of the jar is a bit less firm than I'm used to for dairy yogurt, but not much. And it's so good!! I let it incubate for about 11 hrs. Come to think of it, that might be why it separated, too (I read that with non-dairy yogurts you don't to incubate them as long, and 8 hrs. is about right). We did it overnight, so next time I'll try it during the day so that I can watch what's happening, and maybe catch it before it separates. Obviously I need to experiment more, but it's definitely worth the experimentation!

Christie


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## artemis33 (Jan 5, 2006)

Just bumping this up to see if Christie has done any more experimenting







I still haven't ordered the cultures and was just going to do so today. Somehow when I looked at the link before I never got to the page where it listed the price -







: So my question is - if you purchase these cultures once, and continue to save a little and make more, can you get by with only purchasing one time? Kinda like sourdough starter or kefir - you just keep it alive? Cause I really want to try this, but I can't justify purchasing it more than once. Anyone???


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## ChristieB (Jun 17, 2003)

Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to this! We had a birthday party last weekend (ds turned 5! He's so excited.). And then I knew I was going to make another go at it this week, so I waited until I saw (and tasted) the results.

I've only had one batch that didn't separate, so I think that's just going to happen. This last batch I added a teaspoon of gelatin to 1 quart, and that made it a bit thicker, and there's less separation. I think that was a good outcome. Plus, I was able to let it go longer, which can only mean more good bacteria in it. Here's what I do. I mix 1 1/2 cans of coconut milk (21 oz.) and 11 oz. water. I heat it up to 110 degrees (the one time I tried not heating it up there was actually more separation, and it must take awhile to get the milk to temp in the maker). Then I add 1 1/2 Tbs. agave nectar, so the bacteria have something to eat (again, I don't know if it's necessary, but I haven't had the inclination to experiment with that). Then I add the yogurt starter and pour it into a quart mason jar. This last time I added 1 tsp. gelatin, too, before the starter (just pour a little of the warm milk into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it, then add to the rest of the milk). I then put it in my new Salton yogurt maker. I checked it at 7 1/2 hours, and it had already separated, so I let go until 9 or 10 hours, and then we went to bed so I took it out, stirred it, and put it in the fridge. Stirring definitely helped -- there's less separation than when I took it out of the yogurt maker. I never tried stirring it without the gelatin, but it probably wouldn't have helped. Anyway, this was my best batch yet (they've all been good







).

About the cost of the yogurt starter. I know it's expensive, but it makes a lot of batches. I figured out the cost per quart of yogurt (and I think I included shipping costs, but can't remember for sure) and it came out to $0.37 per quart. That's not so bad. The coconut milk is the expense of this yogurt. And from what I've heard, using yogurt as a starter only works for awhile, and then you need a new batch made from a powdered starter. But don't quote me on that, since I have no experience with that personally. Maybe someone else will have info on that.

Christie


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## frogguruami (Sep 21, 2004)

I would love to try this recipe but I am wondering. Do you think that the "traditional" plain dairy yogurt starter would work? I don't have any food allergies, just really want to try this!


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## ChristieB (Jun 17, 2003)

I'm pretty sure it would work fine. I really don't see why not. We just have to avoid ANY dairy, even in small quantities. It sure would have been easier (and probably a bit cheaper) if we could have used starter with dairy in it.









Christie


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## artemis33 (Jan 5, 2006)

Thank you so much Christie for your experimentation and your info!!!









I just got back to this thread today myself... that is just what I was wondering - does it do more than one batch -and it sounds like it does, so I imagine it is worth the cost up front. I sure do miss my yogurt!!! And sour cream as well...

I so very much appreciate you both experimenting and also letting us know what worked for you and also not. I think I'll take the plunge and also report back.

As far as the coconut milk cost... ever seen anything besides the typical small can? I haven't, so just wondering if there is something better available.


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## radish (Sep 19, 2002)

oooh subbing!!
DD has dairy/soy allergies and i want YOGURT!!

want to try with rice or almond milk.

whoch machine do y'all have??


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## motocita (Oct 31, 2004)

i make mine in a Salton 1Q. it's great but you have to keep any eye on the temperature - after several hours it tends to climb up.


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## ChristieB (Jun 17, 2003)

Oops! Sorry I missed this earlier. I use the Salton 1 quart, too. I haven't noticed the problem with the temp. I'll have to watch that. Maybe that's why the yogurt separates? I like the Salton because I can use a quart Mason jar in it.

BTW, Tader Joe's coconut milk separates _really_ badly. The same amount of gelatin I mentioned earlier did very little for the Trader Joe's milk. It would take a lot more gelatin. And the Trader Joe's coconut milk isn't a very good quality coconut milk. Just thought I'd let you all know.

Christie


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