L. Reuteri Yogurt

Make your own L. Reuteri Yogurt

If you're interested in improving gut health, boosting immunity, and supporting overall wellness, homemade L. reuteri yogurt is one of the most effective fermented foods you can make. Unlike regular yogurt, which ferments for about 6–12 hours, L. reuteri requires a longer, lower‑temperature fermentation period. When done correctly, the result is a thick, tangy, probiotic-dense yogurt you can enjoy daily.

Below is a simple method using A2 whole milk, one L. reuteri probiotic capsule, inulin, and powdered milk.

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Why Use A2 Whole Milk?

A2 milk contains only the A2 beta‑casein protein, which some people find easier to digest compared to standard milk. Many report less bloating and digestive discomfort, making it a good choice for probiotic yogurt.

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Ingredients

• 1 quart (1 liter) A2 whole milk • 1 probiotic capsule containing Lactobacillus Reuteri (I use MyReuteri, easy-to-open capsule) • 1–2 tablespoons powdered milk (improves thickness) • 1 tablespoon inulin (helps feed the bacteria)

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Equipment Needed

• A yogurt maker, Instant Pot with a yogurt setting, or a sous‑vide device • A clean jar or glass container/s • A thermometer (helpful but optional)

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Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Heat the milk to 180°F (82°C) before making yogurt serves two main purposes: it kills competing bacteria, ensuring your starter cultures dominate, and denatures whey proteins, which allows them to bind with casein proteins, creating a much thicker, creamier, and more stable yogurt with less whey separation. This protein restructuring enhances the yogurt's texture, leading to a custard-like consistency rather than a thin, runny product. Keep it at this temp for 20 minutes. 

2. Cool the A2 milk to about 90–100°F (32–38°C). This is warm but not hot. L. reuteri thrives at lower temperatures than standard yogurt cultures.

3. Add powdered milk
   Whisk in the powdered milk until fully dissolved. This adds extra protein and leads to a thicker final yogurt.

4. Add the probiotic
   Open the L. reuteri capsule and sprinkle the contents into the milk. Stir gently.
   Avoid using the capsule shell, as it may not dissolve well.

5. Add a prebiotic
   Adding inulin or another fiber source helps the bacteria grow more robustly. 

6. Ferment the mixture
   Pour the mixture into your jar and place it in your yogurt maker or sous‑vide bath.
   Ferment at 98–104°F (36–40°C) for 24–36 hours. I set mine at 98 because I've tested the water temp and it runs hot. 
   The longer fermentation allows the bacteria to multiply dramatically, creating a very high‑potency yogurt.

7. Refrigerate
   After fermentation, place the yogurt in the fridge for at least 3 hours. It will thicken further as it cools.

8. Enjoy
   Use 1–2 spoonfuls per day. You can also save a few spoonfuls as a starter culture for your next batch.  This is highly recommended, as it makes for a thicker yogurt with less whey.

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Health Benefits of L. reuteri Yogurt

Research on Lactobacillus reuteri suggests several promising benefits:

Gut health
• Helps balance the gut microbiome • Produces reuterin, a natural antimicrobial compound • May reduce bloating and improve digestion

Immune support
• Supports the immune system’s regulatory functions • May reduce the frequency of certain infections

Skin and collagen
• Some studies suggest L. reuteri may support skin elasticity and collagen production • Potential improvements in skin moisture and appearance

Metabolic and weight support
• May help regulate appetite hormones such as leptin • Could support healthy weight management when combined with balanced lifestyle habits

Mood and stress
• L. reuteri has been studied for its influence on the gut-brain axis • Some evidence shows potential improvements in mood and stress resilience

Anti-inflammatory benefits
• May help reduce low‑grade inflammation in the body

Note: While research is promising, L. reuteri yogurt is not a medical treatment. People with health conditions should consult a healthcare provider.

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Tips for Success

• If your first batch is too thin, increase powdered milk.
• If using saved starter, do not reuse more than 3–4 generations, as the culture weakens over time.
• Avoid high temperatures; L. reuteri dies above 115°F (46°C).

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Homemade L. reuteri yogurt is simple, cost‑effective, and loaded with beneficial bacteria that support digestive and immune health. With just A2 whole milk, a probiotic capsule, and powdered milk, you can create a creamy, potent probiotic yogurt right at home.

Vegan Almond Milk Yogurt

When I decided to adopt a whole foods plant based diet I was very excited about making all my foods from scratch. Incorporating fermented foods into my diet was no exception. Store bought yogurts usually have preservatived to keep items fresh, so when I saw a video about vegan home made yogurt I researched so many recipes and watched so many versions that I had a hard time choosing which one to try.
I knew an instant pot would be life changing after finding so many other recipes that I was dying to try, so when I saw it had a yogurt option I purchased one immediately! I look forward to posting many more recipes, yogurt being the first:)  

Inspired by Thomas
Ingredients:


Almond Milk

• 1 cup (140g) raw almonds
• 3 cups (750ml) filtered water

Yogurts

• 2 and 1/2 cup homemade almond milk
• 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
• Probiotics (60 bill)
• 2 tsp maple syrup for the probiotics to feed on 
• Optional: seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean (or 1/4 tsp vanilla extract)
• For my second batch I added a small amount of agar agar as a thickener, this is a vegan option instead of gelatin
  

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Instructions


Almond Milk

1. Soak the almonds for at least 6 hours, or overnight. Drain and add to a blender with the 3 cups of water. Blend on high-speed for 30-40 seconds, until smooth.
2. Place a nut milk bag over a large glass bowl. Pour the almond milk into the bag and twist to close. Using your hands, squeeze to extract as much almond milk as possible. You should end up with about 2 and 1/2 cup of almond milk.

Yogurts

1. Combine the almond milk (2 and 1/2 cups), xanthan gum in a medium saucepan. If you want to make a sweetened yogurt, also add the maple syrup and vanilla seeds. Heat over medium heat until it reaches 185°F (85°C), whisking constantly to make sure all the gum is fully dissolved and don’t stay at the bottom. Remove from heat at soon as it reaches 185°F, or just before it boils. Transfer to a large glass bowl and let sit for about 20 minutes, or until the temperature reaches below 110°F (43°c). This is important, if the milk is too hot it will kill the cultures. Using a thermometer is strongly recommended.
2. Once the milk is at the right temperature, stir in the probiotics or yogurt starter. Give it a good whisk to break any “lumps”, and make it fully smooth again. Pour into glass jars and close the lid, or use plastic wrap to cover if you aren't using an instant pot that has a yogurt potion.
3. Place the jars in a baking dish filled with warm water, they should be half immersed. If you have a yogurt maker, skip this step and just put the jars into your machine.
4. Place the baking dish with the jars in a 105°F preheated oven for 6-10 hours depending on how sour you like your yogurts. Personally, if you prefer them with a milder flavor so I let them culture for only 6 hours.
5. Transfer the yogurts to the refrigerator and let cool for at least 8 hours.
6. Enjoy for breakfast or dessert, sweetened with some maple syrup and topped with granola, fresh fruits, jam or nut butter. Always give the yogurts a good stir before eating!
7. The yogurts will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    Save the almond pult to make something else with it.
   
   
   
   
    For a thicker consistancy I drained the whey at the bottom
   
   And for a less thick option I left the whey in one jar and stired it up. They were both amazing! Fresh, with the perfect amount of tang. I enjoyed them with some frozen blueberries and granola.

Tropical Fruit slushie bowl

My most farvorite recent dessert is this smooth, sweet, healthy slushie!

Ingredients:
1 cup Frozen Tropcal fruit Blend (Mango, Pineapple and Strawberry)
1/2 cup frozen Strawberries
1 frozen banana
1-2 cups unstweetened Vanilla almond milk
Granola (your favorite granola...like Nature Valley Oats 'n Honey crunch) 
Monk fruit sweetener (5-10 drops, to your sweetness preference)
2 cups of ice

*Makes at least three decent sized servings, but only 410 caleried for the whole amount!

Directions:
Blend all ingredients except the banana and granola.  Blend until fine and soft.  Chop up frozen banana and sprinkle granola ontop. And you have a cool, sweet, refreshing treat with a crunch.

Spaghetti Squash Chow Mein with Spicy Orange Sesame Cauliflower

 Vegan and Gluten-Free 

Ingredients

• 1 cauliflower 
• 1 Tbsp Siggi's Plain Greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup Natural Orange Sauce (more or less)
• 1 Tbsp Sriracha (or to your spicy preference)
• Panko breadcrumbs
• garlic powder
• onion flakes
• 2-3 large eggs

Directions

Chop up the cauliflower in small bite sized pieces.   

Preheat over to 400 degrees.  

Whisk eggs in a bowl, and place breadcrumbs in another bowl adding some garlic powder and onion flakes.   

Coat cauliflower with egg and cover in bread crumbs. Lay on a parchment paper in single layer. Bake for 15-30 minutes.

In a small sauce pan, whisk together Orange sauce, yogurt and sriracha sauce on high heat until it boils.   

When cauliflower is ready it's delicious just like that! So snack on a few;) Then put the rest in a saucepan and drizzle sauce over and mix until coated evenly. Sprinkle sesame seeds and mix in. It's ready to top on the chow mien!

 Recipe for Spaghetti Squash Chow Mien - https://anitashealthblog.blogspot.com/2016/05/spaghetti-squash-chow-mein-tofu.html

Black Bean Burgers with Chipotle Lime Tahini and Guacamole

Ingredients

For the Black Bean Burgers:

• 1 16 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 8 oz Sweet corn
• 1/4 cup Sunflower seeds
• 1  large jalapeno, seeds removed, minced
• ½ red onion, diced small
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder (or to taste)
• ½ teaspoon Himalayan salt
• ¼ cup panko bread crumbs
• organic coconut oil margarine

For the Chipotle Lime Tahini:

• 3 tablespoons tahini
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons water (I used the juice from the canned corn)
• sriracha sauce
• Himalayan salt to taste

For the Guacamole:

• 1 ripe avocados
• Juice of 1 lime
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tomato

Condiments: your preference of burger toppings - these are mine:

• Lettuce
• Tomato
• Ketchup
• Sriracha
• Vegenaise

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the black beans with the 2 tablespoons of tahini. Using a fork, mash up about ⅔ of the beans.
2. Gently mix in the jalapeno, onion, garlic, sesame seeds, and spices. Fold in the panko bread crumbs, corn and whole black beans until well combined, but remember, you don't want to mush up the in-tact beans!
3. The mixture should come together now, so form it into 4-6 medium-sized patties and make sure they're tightly packed together.
4. Place the patties on a parchment lined baking sheet and refrigerate for an hour to help them hold together.
5. As you wait for the patties to be ready, make the tahini by combining all of the sauce ingredients in a food processor or by hand. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
6. To make the guacamole, mash the avocados and cover with the juice of 1 lime. Then, mix in the tomato and salt to taste.
7. When the patties are ready, add a few tablespoons of coconut margarine or oil of your choice over medium/high heat in a cast iron skillet.
8. Once the oil is hot, add 2-3 burgers to the skillet, making sure there is plenty of room to flip them. Cook for around 5 minutes, longer or shorter to your liking (the thicker your patties, the longer they'll need to cook). Flip carefully and cook for a few minutes minutes on the other side, until brown and cooked through. I then moved it to the pan where I sauteed my onions and mushrooms, then added some of the Chipotle sauce on top. Cooked for a minute and flipped, then added another drizzle.
9. Serve the burgers with lettuce, tomato, the Guacamole, and any other condiment of your choosing. I added some vegenaise, organic ketchup, sriracha. Instead of a burger bun I used a Pita bread, this made it a lot easier to eat since bean burgers tend to all apart, especially since I included corn and no gluten to hold it together. 

 All Ingredients

Mix 3/4 of the black beans with 2 Tablespoons of Tahini

 Add in the jalapeno, onion, garlic, sesame seeds, and spices.

 Mix well

 Fold in the panko bread crumbs, corn and whole black beans until well combined

 Form nicely packed patties

 Saute some onions and mushroom in oil with a little bit of garlic as a topping

 Cook until they're perfect to your liking...I cooked them a little longer

 Heat up oil and when hot add patty

 Flip after a few minutes

 I then transferred it to the pan that I used to saute to the onion and mushrooms

 Once all the preparation is done it's time to put it all together!

 I placed the bean burger on half the pita bread, and topped it off with the onion and mushroom and a tiny drizzle of the Chipotle sauce. On the other half I placed some lettuce, tomato and guacamole.

 It was delicious as above! But I upped it on the scrumptious scale and added some ketchup, more sriracha sauce and some vegenaise.

 Believe it or not, this was doable for me to take bites...it was Super messy but heavenly! It definitely helped to have it folded in a pita rather than a bun with all open sides.

Mmm mmm mm...worth the effort!