Thick & Fruity Yogurt

For a thick and rich Fruity Yogurt, drain sugar-free yogurt overnight and up to several days, in the refrigerator. You can do this by placing the yogurt in a filter-lined coffee basket set over a bowl, or a cheesecloth lined sieve or colander. This step isn’t necessary, it just gives you a yogurt more similar in texture to commercial yogurts, without all the sugars and thickeners.

Some Fruits have more water content than others and will therefore produce a much thinner yogurt. There are several ways to make these Fruity Yogurts thicker:

• freeze the finished yogurt for several hours, stirring and scraping every half hour until thick
• before adding the Fruit puree to the yogurt, place it in a sieve set over a bowl (the reserved juice can be used in a Fruit smoothie)
• stir in a tablespoon or two of finely ground flax seed or nuts and let sit overnight to thicken
• stir in roughly ground or finely chopped dried Fruit and let sit overnight to thicken

Puree the Fruit of your choice. Stir Fruit into yogurt. Do not beat or use a blender as the yogurt will become very thin. Taste and add any of the following to taste:

• unrefined sweetener
• sugar substitute
• vanilla extract or any other flavoring extract
• fresh lemon or orange juice
• dash of sea salt (brings out the flavors)
• ground ginger

Fruits to try:

• berries
• bananas
• peaches
• apples (add cinnamon to the yogurt)
• cantaloupe
• watermelon