Protein powder provides a quick and convenient way to add an extra boost of protein to shakes, hot cereal and other foods. Protein powder is available from grocery and health food stores, but it is also easy to make at home with simple ingredients. The Dairy Council of California recommends up to 25 g per day of whey protein, and up to 50 g daily for athletes in training. Two tablespoons of homemade whey protein powder provides up to 28 g of complete protein.
Step 1
Line the strainer with cheesecloth, and place the strainer inside the large bowl.
Step 2
Pour the yogurt into the lined strainer. Allow the yogurt to sit in the refrigerator overnight.
Step 3
Remove the strainer from the bowl to reveal the liquid, whey, in the bottom of the bowl. Pour the whey into a sauce pan and turn the heat to high.
Step 4
Stir the whey with the wooden spoon until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let the whey simmer until it thickens and turns golden brown. Stir often to prevent scalding. It may take several hours for the whey to change color.
Step 5
Line the cookie sheet with wax paper and spread the thickened whey over the cookie sheet. Let the whey set for 1 hour.
Step 6
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F, or the lowest setting on your oven. Break the whey into small pieces, and leave them on the cookie sheet
Step 7
Put the cookie sheet in the oven for 1 hour or until the whey dries completely. The whey will become lighter as it dries -- it should be off-white or light tan.
Step 8
Let the whey cool and use the food processor to grind it into a fine powder. Pour the powder into an air-tight container and store it in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.
Tips and Warnings
- To use, add 2 tbsp. of the powder to juice, a smoothie or other foods. For vanilla protein powder, add 1 tbsp. of vanilla extract to the whey before boiling. For chocolate protein powder, mix unsweetened cocoa powder into the whey powder, to taste. To sweeten the powder, add stevia powder or raw sugar to taste. Use the strained yogurt as a sour cream substitute or eat it as you would any other yogurt.
- Some ovens may not go below 250 degrees F. If yours does not, set your oven as close to 200 as possible and shorten the bake time. Do not use yogurt with gelatin or other fillers, and avoid yogurt with sweeteners. Do not use Greek-style yogurt as that has already been strained and may not have much whey.
Things You'll Need
- Cheesecloth
- Mesh strainer
- 1 liter plain organic yogurt
- Large bowl
- Saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Cookie sheet
- Wax paper
- Food processor
- Air-tight plastic container
References
- Whey Protein Institute: Whey Protein FAQs
- "Whey of Life Recipe Book"; Alice Bradshaw and Christine Bailey; 2010
- Dairy Council of California: Whey Protein -- Nutritional Powerhouse
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