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Oat Plant-Based Yogurt

Course Breakfast
Keyword dairy free yogurt, plant-based, vegan, dairy free
Servings 2.5 cups
Author Active Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 1 cup organic gluten-free oats
  • 2 x 14-ounce cans of full-fat coconut milk organic and guar gum-free when possible, see below for brand recommendation
  • 1 tsp vanilla powder or 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 probiotic capsule 1/4 tsp powder

Instructions

  • First and foremost, make sure all the jars and utensils you use are sterilized to avoid growing bad bacteria. See notes for details.
  • Clean your high-speed blender with warm soapy water and rinse with really hot water.
  • Place the oats and coconut milk in a high-powered blender and blend on high for 1-2 minutes.
  • Strain the mixture through a nut bag, choose cloth or a fine strainer and collect the liquid part in a bowl.
  • You can save the oat pulp for another recipe if you wish or compost it.
  • Pour the liquid back into the blender and add vanilla, and probiotic (powder only, throw away the capsule).
  • Blend for another 2-4 minutes. This should be a sufficient amount of time to turn the mixture into a creamy texture. Also the warmth from the high-speed blender will jump-start the fermentation process.
  • Transfer the yogurt to a clean glass jar.
  • Cover with a cheesecloth or a clean towel and place in a dark spot for 8-48 hours.
  • Taste test and see if you want it to ferment longer.
  • That’s it! Once the yogurt has reached the right amount of tanginess and thickness for your liking (be sure to sample with a wooden spoon), cover securely with a lid and refrigerate until cold. Refrigerating will also thicken the yogurt even more, almost to a Greek yogurt consistency (depending on the brand of coconut milk you used)!
  • It should last roughly 5 days in the fridge.

Notes

  • It’s important to select canned coconut milk that’s creamy and smooth (not grainy or clumpy) to ensure that the yogurt is creamy and smooth. Our favourite brands are Cha’s Organic Premium Coconut Milk and Earth’s Choice Organic Coconut Milk Premium (17% Fat. Both are BPA-free and don’t contain any preservatives.
  • Use a clean, sterilized, dry glass jar for your yogurt. You can easily sterilize clean jars by rinsing them thoroughly with boiling water and letting them dry completely. Just let them cool back down to room temperature before adding ingredients. For jars, we like these from Weck.
  • Use a wooden or plastic spoon to stir and transfer yogurt, not metal, as a metal spoon can react negatively with the probiotics.
  • Cover the mixture with cheesecloth (or a very thin, clean dish towel – something that lets air in but keeps bugs out) and secure with a rubber band.
  • Let the yogurt activate for at least 8 hours and up to 48 hours (in the winter 36 hours is our sweet spot for thickness and tang) in a warm place. The longer it rests, the tangier the yogurt will become. In warmer climates and summer, it’s easy to make yogurt if your house is warm (75 degrees F / 23 C and above). But in cooler climates or seasons, you can place the yogurt in the oven with the light on (do not turn on the oven), where it should have the right amount of heat to activate. Alternatively, if you wish to speed up the process, you can position the container in a dehydrator set at 110 (F) for  4 – 7 hours.