whey

How to make a fantastic loaf of bread using whey

by Jenna on June 23, 2011

If you make your own yogurt you probably have a lot of left over whey.

We like to find new ways to use all of the whey in the back of the fridge and homemade bread is one of our favorites.

After I strain homemade yogurt (to make yogurt cheese or Greek yogurt) I just pour the whey into mason jars and stick it in the fridge.  It will keep in there for a couple of weeks.

It can be used for soaking whole grains, in baked goods or in bread recipes.

This is our loaf of Spelt Honey Bread.  This is a wonderful bread for sandwiches or toast.  You could also use whole wheat flour or a mix of two different flours.  If you already have a favorite homemade bread recipe, you can substitute whey for the water in the recipe.

whey-yogurt-bread

Spelt Honey Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups of warm whey

2/3 cup honey or sugar

1 1/2 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup melted butter

6 cups soaked flour or mix of flours (spelt and wheat both work well)

1 tablespoon ground flax seeds (optional)

1/2 cup sprouted wheat berries (optional)

Directions:

First clear all of the toys and crayons away from the front of the oven  :  )

Once you have located your oven, preheat it to 350 degrees.

Heat the whey slightly, then whisk in a couple of spoons of honey or sugar.  Then add two teaspoon active dry yeast and let it rest for about 10 minutes, until the mixture is foamy.
Add in salt, flour and melted butter mixing all of the ingredients to make a soft dough.  Add some more flour so that you are able to knead the dough.

yogurt-bread-dough

Knead the dough for about 4 minutes until it is smooth and elastic.  Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a dish towel and let it rise for 2 hours, until it is double in size.

yogurt-breadGently deflate the dough.  Knead for a few minutes.  Divide in half and place two loaves (or rolls) on a baking sheet.  Let the bread proof or puff up a bit (about 10 minutes) before placing it in the oven.

making-homemade-bread

Bake for about 20 minutes or until bread sounds hollow.

Remove the loaves and let them cool for at least an hour before slicing.  We sliced ours up and made the best tuna fish sandwiches in the world.

whey-bread-recipe

We put some cultured ginger carrots on our sandwiches and it was so yummy.  I really wished I had some lacto-fermented relish or pickles…that will have to be the next thing I try.

Now, that’s a good idea: tuna sandwichs with lacto-fermented pickles, lacto-fermented ginger carrots, yogurt instead of mayonnaise and whey bread…that would be amazing!

homemade-yogurt-bread

Let me know if you try the recipe or if you have your own great recipe.  You can share it on my facebook page.

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Soaking Oats

by Jenna on May 14, 2011

This is one of the ways we use our whey!  We use it to soak oats for oatmeal.

I just stir in 1 teaspoon of sea salt and about 2 tablespoons of whey (or yogurt) into about 1 cup of water.

Lactic acid improves whole grains and makes them easier to digest.

The oats don’t have to be completely wet.  I just mix them in until just barely moistened.

Let the oats soak overnight in the container (placed in the fridge) and then in the morning you just add water and heat them up.

We enjoyed our oatmeal with a bit of brown sugar and diced mango…yum!

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Homemade Yogurt and Whey

by Jenna on February 20, 2010

One of the great things about making homemade yogurt is having a lot of nutritious whey on hand.  You can use whey to soak whole grains and to make lacto-fermented vegetables.

Whey should not be considered a waste product because it is so valuable.  Many cheese makers throw it out, but it is very useful in the kitchen and has many health benefits.

Sally Fallon says in Nourishing Traditions that, “Modern cheese makers consider whey a waste product, but in earlier times it was used to produce a variety of other fermented foods and beverages”.

I don’t know when whey ceased to be an everyday household item, but if you make homemade yogurt or cheese you will also be producing whey.  Little Miss Muffet enjoyed her curds and whey, but I guess most people don’t do that anymore.

We use our whey for soaking rolled oats to make porridge, for making lacto-fermented veggies and sometimes we add it to smoothies (just a little-it’s tart!).

Here are some more tidbits about whey from Hanna Kroeger of Ageless Remedies from Mother’s Kitchen.

~Whey is such a good helper in your kitchen. It has a lot of minerals. One tablespoon of whey in a little water will help digestion. It is a remedy that will keep your muscles young. It will keep your joints movable and ligaments elastic. When age wants to bend your back, take whey… With stomach ailments, take one tablespoon whey three times daily, this will feed the stomach glands and they will work well again.~

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