Last updated on 13-Nov-2022

I’m a big fan of Greek yogurt and granola! They go great together for a quick and healthy breakfast or brunch option, for an afternoon snack, and can even be eaten as a dessert! The combination of creamy richness with crunchy nuttiness is very satisfying.

Here I’ll share two of my go-to recipes for both. These recipes are low-carb, and I eat them with a touch of stevia sweetener for guilt-free deliciousness. If you are not trying to limit your carbs, you can add your favourite jam, maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, coconut sugar, etc. I’m sure you’ll find a sweet element to suit your mood, diet preferences, or what you have in your pantry. 🙂

For the granola, I’m sharing a recipe that is golden! It’s loaded with turmeric, an anti-inflammatory powerhouse, and cinnamon for a tasty metabolism boost!

Now, for the yogurt. I make mine at home in my Instant Pot. The Instant Pot is an electric pressure cooker that also works as a slow cooker, rice cooker/porridge maker, sauté/browning pan, steamer, yogurt maker, and food/stock warmer. I love my Instant Pot, and I find new recipes for it every day, all over the internet and social media. If you haven’t tried it yet, you should. It’s a time/energy/stress saver in the kitchen and I can’t recommend it enough!

Making yogurt in the Instant Pot is not difficult, but takes a bit of time, there are a number of steps you can’t skip or do in a different order, and also temperatures guidelines you have to follow to achieve the desired results. I strain mine in the fridge using a large strainer covered with cheesecloth over a bowl.

My hubby asked me if I thought it was worth it to make yogurt at home. My answer was yes! I love the fact that I can get delicious and creamy Greek yogurt for a fraction of the cost (if you have/save a “starter”, all you need is milk to make it again and again), and I know exactly how it was made and what went into it.

If you don’t have an instant pot, here’s a video on how to make greek yogurt at home.

Print Recipe

Homemade Greek Yogurt and Granola

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Equipment

• Instant Pot
• Kitchen thermometer

Ingredients

Granola

• 220 g almonds (about 8 oz) substitute hazelnuts or pecans, or a mix
• 75 g shredded coconut (about 2.5 oz) unsweetened, dry
• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• 4 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 4 tbsp sesame seeds
• ¾ cup flax seeds
• 1 tbsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp cinnamon ground
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup almond flour
• 1 cup water
• 4 tbsp coconut oil melted

Yogurt

• 2-3 l whole milk
• 2 tbsp yogurt starter (natural yogurt made only with milk and cultures)

Instructions

Granola

• Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Chop the nuts coarsely in a food processor or with a sharp knife. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
• Spread out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Be sure to set a timer. Nuts and seeds can burn easily.
• Remove from the oven and stir the mixture, then return to the oven for about 20 minutes more. Check again. When the granola feels almost dry, turn off the heat and let the granola cool in the residual heat of the cooling oven.
• Serve the granola with Greek yogurt and maybe some additional heavy cream. 1 serving is about ⅓ cup.

Yogurt

• First, sterilize the pot. Add three cups of water to the Instant Pot (IP) cooking pot/insert, lock-on the lid and close Pressure Valve. Select the "Steam" program and adjust to 5 minutes. When time is up, open Pressure Valve (Quick Release), remove lid and discard the water. Dry and cool off the cooking insert. Return insert to IP.
• Pour milk into cooled pressure cooker insert. Cover with IP lid (no need to lock) or glass lid.
• Push "Yogurt" program button and then the "Adjust" button, until it says "Boil."  {For IP Plus, push Yogurt button until it says "boil"}. Let the cooker heat the milk for the "boil" cycle, removing lid and whisking milk a few times.
• When timer beeps, open lid, whisk and take milk's temperature. If the temperature is not 180º F (82º C), repeat the boil cicle or use the Sauté/Low function to get it up to temp, whisking continuously.
• When 180º F (82º C) is reached, remove cooking pot and place in the kitchen sink or large bowl with cold water. Cool milk down to 95-110º F (35-43º C), whisking often.
• Temper starter - scoop out some milk and whisk in the starter. Pour milk (with the Starter) back into cooking pot, whisk thoroughly.
• Place cooking pot back into the Instant Pot and cover with IP lid or glass lid. Press "Yogurt" program button.
• The display screen will say 8:00 (hit again or adjust, if necessary). {For IP Plus, press "Yogurt" button repeatedly until the display says 8:00 Normal}  Make sure display says "Normal." Use the +/- button to adjust time to your desired level of tartness (I prefer to leave it 12-14 hours). The program will end after whatever time you have set.
• When cycle ends, remove cooking pot (covered) and place in the refrigerator, for 6-8 hours (undisturbed).
• After cooling time, it is natural yogurt and ok to consume already. To make Greek yogurt, use a Yogurt Strainer or a strainer (that can hold the fresh yogurt) lined with cheesecloth and set over a larger bowl, and strain the yogurt in the refrigerator for at least two hours (up to overnight). The whey (liquid drained from yogurt) should be translucent/clear. If whey is milky, add another layer of cheesecloth.
• After draining to desired thickness, transfer yogurt to clean container(s) and refrigerate. Consume within 5-7 days. Freeze some "starter" (2 tbsp) from this batch to make the next batch. It can be thawed at room temp just before using.

Notes

• Original granola recipe at Diet Doctor.com
• Original yogurt recipe at ThisOldGal.com
• Using clean/sanitized equipment will help yogurt last longer
• Whisking the milk every 10 minutes during the boil cycle will help the milk come up to temperature quicker
• Getting milk to 183-185 degrees and holding there for a few minutes, will yield a thicker yogurt
• Don't forget to freeze 2 tbsp of the strained yogurt to use as your future starter
• Whole milk works best and yields the most creamy and thick consistency, but 2% or low fat can be used as well