HOW TO TURN GREEK YOGURT INTO CREAM CHEESE

I cannot tell you enough how much I LOVE a good bagel smeared with cream cheese, and lots of it! But cream cheese isn’t so great when just 1 Tbsp can easily contain a whopping 50 calories and 5g fat!

As a yummy substitute, I make YOGURT CHEESE! 1 Tbsp has only 11 calories and no fat, and it tastes just as great, especially on Ezekiel bread as another healthier option to a bagel (but I won’t lie, I also love dipping some salty Triscuits into my yogurt cheese).

My yogurt cheese is SO good that my friends and family request to buy some from me all the time! But come on, there’s really is no need to pay me when you can make it overnight yourself so easily.

Here’s how simple it is to make your own yogurt cheese… all you need is your favorite plain Greek yogurt (Greek yogurt is thicker and creamier than regular yogurt and has more protein!) a cheese cloth, a fresh lemon and whatever you want to add for flavor (my favorite is simply garlic salt and dried chives).

Ready to make some yogurt cheese? Here’s how…

Empty your yogurt (I used 32oz because my kids will go through this quickly) into a cheese cloth and tie it (alternatively, you can place a coffee filter inside of a mesh strainer and place your yogurt into this, using another coffee filter on top as a “lid”).

Hang your cheesecloth over a bowl in the refrigerator (get creative here) so the whey can drain into the bowl, but so the cheesecloth won’t touch the liquid (alternatively, place your mesh strainer over a bowl in the fridge).

Let it drain overnight (12 hours is best). The excess whey acid will drip from the yogurt, leaving the yogurt thick just like cream cheese.

salad in a jar, overnight oats — You can toss out the whey that drains from the yogurt, but I like to save mine in little condiment cups (on the right) so my teenage son can add the whey into his protein shakes. We don’t let much go to waste around here!

You can then use it as a spread, just add your favorite dried herbs and some garlic salt or add some fruit to make a dessert topping! Just make sure to squeeze in some fresh lemon juice first to neutralize the tart taste. It really does turn out delicious!

I blended some strawberries and a banana together, then mixed into to my plain yogurt cheese (with some lemon juice of course) and it became the perfect dip for fruits and graham crackers, but my favorite still remains the garlic salt and chives. Just beware that the calorie count will obviously change depending on what you add to your yogurt cheese (but who’s really counting anyway?).

WALAAH… easy peezy yogurt cheese that’s a much healthier substitute to cream cheese! Enjoy! Leave us a comment below after you try this – let us know if you love it!