How to Make Dairy-Free, Coconut Milk Yogurt for Gut Health and Blood Sugar Balance

By Michelle Toole

Why use coconut milk in yogurt?

Not only is coconut milk a great way to safely enjoy yogurt if you’re on a vegan or dairy-free diet,  it also provides great health benefits to anyone on any diet. Coconuts are a source of lauric acid, which converts into monolaurin when consumed. Monolaurin is anti-viral and anti-bacterial. That’s why this yogurt makes a great addition to your breakfast during cold-and-flu season.

Coconuts are also a really great source of fiber. Eating plenty of dietary fiber will help you feel fuller longer, and prevent you from over-eating. It also promotes colon health and can relieve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. And there’s great news for anyone struggling to keep cholesterol and blood sugar levels in check: eating enough dietary fiber helps to regulate both!

DAIRY-FREE COCONUT YOGURT

There are a few ways you can modify this recipe. We’re including some variations of ingredients and time savers.

What You Need:

A base

– 2 cans coconut milk

A thickener

– 2 tsp agar agar, or 2 tbsp tapioca starch

A probiotic

– 4 probiotic capsules, or 4 tbsp store bought coconut yogurt

A sweetener

– 2 tbsp raw coconut sugar OR maple syrup

What to Do:

1. Sterilize your glass jars.Fill the jars with boiling water, and pop them in the preheated oven for 5 minutes at 100°F. Empty out the water. (SHORTCUT: You can run the jars through a dishwasher to sterilize them)
2. Shake coconut milk cans, pour contents into a medium-sized pot. Whisk until smooth. (SHORTCUT: If you chill the cans in the fridge overnight and don’t shake them, you can skim off the creamy top layer and skip right to Step 6 without having to use a thickening agent)
3. Add thickener.Sprinkle the agar agar over the coconut milk, but don’t stir. (INGREDIENT VARIATION: If you’re using the tapioca starch as a thickener, take about 1/3 of the coconut milk and whisk with starch in a separate bowl until completely dissolved. Then pour back into pot)
4. Warm the mix.Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then turn down to low heat and whisk occasionally for 5-10 minutes. (Make sure agar agar has dissolved, or the starch has thickened the mix)
5. Let the mix cool. Remove pot form heat and let cool until mix is only warm to the touch (about 7 minutes)
6. Add probiotics.Twist open capsules and pour contents into the mix, whisk. (INGREDIENT VARIATION: Whisk in the store bought coconut milk yogurt)
7. Sweeten. Whisk in raw coconut sugar (INGREDIENT VARIATION: use pure maple syrup)
8. Pour mix into jars, tighten lids and place into the oven for 12-24 hours undisturbed. (SHORTCUT: Personally, I can’t go 24 hours without using my oven, so I use a yogurt maker. It was only $30 at Walmart, and it came with 6 glass jars included. You can also use a dehydrator. Both of these options give me the freedom to use my kitchen while making yogurt)
9. Chill. Let the yogurt set in the fridge for at least 6 hours before eating. Enjoy within 2 weeks.

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Note:

If you notice a pink or grey discolouration in the yogurt, throw it away! This means a bad bacteria culture has grown as well as the good stuff. Next time, take extra care in the sterilization process.

Making your own yogurt only gets easier every time you do it. Feel free to experiment to find the method that works perfectly for you. You can enjoy your coconut yogurt as part of a healthy breakfast, a surprising addition to dessert, or even a yummy way to balance out a spicy dish!