What are the benefits of making your own homemade dairy-free yoghurt?
We can all agree that yoghurt is one of the healthiest food around. Keeping those of us with lactose intolerance in mind, supermarket shelves are now lined with dairy-free yoghurt. But many of them are made with stabilisers and thickeners such as Xanthan gum, tapioca, and cane sugar that aren't easily digestible by some. Aside from that, they are also often ladled with sugar and salt for sweetness and flavour. This completely defeats the purpose of eating yoghurt for its healthy qualities. Aside from the stabilisers, thickeners, and excess sugar and salt present in dairy-free yoghurt, they are also often expensive. With the Instant Pot, we found that making dairy-free yoghurt at home is incredibly beneficial as it allows you to:- Leave out unhealthy stabilisers and thickeners
- Control the level of sweetness or replace sugar with healthier alternatives like raw honey
- Reduce your daily salt intake
- Save a lot of money in the long run
Why is Cashew Yoghurt better than Coconut Yoghurt?
Coconut yoghurt is popular thanks to its delicious taste, creamy consistency and nutritional benefits, but cashew yoghurt is seeing an equal rise in fanfare. Both are dairy-free and fantastic daily sources of protein and probiotics. The only differences separating the two are the type of fat it provides, and the amount of protein. Individuals seeking to add more protein in their diet tend to gravitate towards cashew yoghurt as it contains slightly more protein than coconut yoghurt per serving. Coconut yoghurt contains saturated fat that is less healthier for your cardiovascular health, while cashew yoghurt contains monounsaturated fat which has been proven to be healthier for the heart. Cashew nuts also contain copper, magnesium, zinc, and iron which is essential for strong and healthy bones, energy production, healthy brain development, and a strong immune system. This recipe below is for a delicious dairy-free cashew yoghurt that can easily be made in your Instant Pot. You can make this yoghurt in a big batch that lasts over a week. For those of you who love fruity yoghurt, feel free to add your favourite fruits, be it strawberries, blueberries, or mangoes.Easy Dairy-Free Cashew Yoghurt Recipe with the Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole raw cashews
- 2 cups filtered water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
- 1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or light-colored raw honey
- 1 dairy-free and gluten- free probiotic capsule (50 billion IU, discard the capsule casing)
Instructions
- Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Place the cashews in a bowl and add enough boiling water to cover. Soak for 30 minutes, then drain, rinse, and drain again.
- Place 1/2 cup of the filtered water in a saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Set aside to let the gelatin bloom for 10 minutes.
- Place the cashews in a blender with the remaining 1 1/2 cups filtered water. Blend on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides if needed and blend again, until very smooth.
- Place the saucepan with the gelatin over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, whisking constantly to dissolve the gelatin. Turn the heat to medium and add the cashew liquid. Heat the mixture, whisking constantly, until it reaches 50°C, about 5 minutes; do not let it boil.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let cool to 43°C, about 15 minutes. Whisk in the maple syrup and the probiotic powder. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into six clean 120ml jars and secure the lids.
- Pour 2 cups of lukewarm water into the Instant Pot and place the wire rack at the bottom. Place the jars on the rack and secure the lid. Press the yoghurt button and ferment for 12 to 16 hours. The longer you leave the yogurt, the sourer it will become.
- Place the jars in the refrigerator for 4 hours, or up to 5 days, to allow the gelatin to set and the yoghurt to thicken. Whisk the yogurt well for a creamy consistency before eating.
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