Sunshine and Whey

on May 18, 2012
in All Posts

Long walk with James:  Check.

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Delicious breakfast: Check.

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You know how a person can say one thing one time and it sticks in your mind forever?  A few years back, my mom asked me why I kept the plastic films on the tub after opening a container of yogurt or cottage cheese (the answer: I’m lazy).  She told me the film was a “germ vector.”  I have no idea if that is true or not (MomHTP is a bit of a germ freak), but now I can’t help but rip that damn germ vector off the container as fast as possible.

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Fun factoid: You know the watery stuff that accumulates at the top of yogurt?  It’s called whey – like curds and whey from the  nursery rhyme – and you should NOT pour it off.  Instead, mix it back in.  It’s mostly water, but it also contains potassium and calcium.  Mixing it back in makes the yogurt creamier, too.  (Source)

 

Curds and whey Yogurt, raw oats, blueberries and raspberries, sunflower seeds, and coconut.

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FRIDAY DANCE!

{ 28 comments }

 

  • Sara May 18, 2012, 9:43 am

    Oops. I always pour it off of my Greek Yogurt! Now I know not to do this!

  • Alisa May 18, 2012, 9:49 am

    doesn’t “curds and whey” = cottage cheese?

    Also – is that TJ’s vanilla Greek yogurt? I’m addicted! It’s a million times better than fake-tasting vanilla Chobani!

    • Caitlin May 18, 2012, 9:52 am

      Not according to that Dannon rep linked to in the source – the protein part is called curds!

  • Army Amy* May 18, 2012, 9:55 am

    Germ vector – ack! I have to run home and take the germ vector out of my hummus container now!*

  • Claire @ Live and Love to Eat May 18, 2012, 9:59 am

    The whey packs in the protein, too! 🙂

  • Nikki May 18, 2012, 9:59 am

    Holy pot pie–“germ vector” makes it sound so freaking scary!!!!

  • Faith @ For the Health of It May 18, 2012, 10:03 am

    LOL @ germ vector. I always hate pulling it off the top of my yogurt cups because the yogurt always “spits” at me – nothing like wiping a blob of yogurt off your shirt!

  • Samantha May 18, 2012, 10:14 am

    Good to know about the whey! I always get a little grossed out when I see it, but mix it together as quickly as I can so I don’t have to see it. Glad to know I was doing the right thing!

  • Colleen May 18, 2012, 10:16 am

    Whoops. I always pour the ‘water’ off the top of my yogurt and cottage cheese. Learned something already today!

  • Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat May 18, 2012, 10:19 am

    Lol I never thought about the plastic covering part, but I suppose your mom is right. I normally just leave it there too but from now on, it’s coming off! Speaking of germs, I’m currently reading Drop Dead Healthy by AJ Jacobs (awesome and hilarious, by the way!) and in it he says he found out that if every germ on your hands were turned into a drop of water, they’d fill an Olympic-size swimming pool. Gross hey?!

  • Annette@FitnessPerks May 18, 2012, 10:38 am

    Yep–love it! I love when it stays nice and creamy throughout because of that whey beauty 😉

    Your b-fast looks delicious!

  • Kim @ girlevolving May 18, 2012, 10:39 am

    Your mom is going to be thrilled she’s converted a bunch of people to ripping off the plastic! 🙂

  • Britt May 18, 2012, 10:56 am

    Haha I keep those film things on everything and it drives my husband INSANE! Cans of peanuts, mayonnaise jars, Pringles cans.. Because my dad told me when I was younger it seals in freshness ! Hopefully now GERM VECTOR will stick in my mind so I can remember to rip them off from now on! Hubby will be much happier 🙂

  • Michelle S May 18, 2012, 11:13 am

    The watery stuff on the yogurt totally grosses me out for some reason. Maybe it’s because I’m not really much of a yogurt fan. It’s one of those illogical fears that I don’t want to actually see the watery stuff. Instead of opening the container and grossing myself out of wanting to eat the yogurt, I shake the container before I open it so that the watery stuff is pretty much all mixed up. It’s weird,I know.

  • LeeAnn May 18, 2012, 11:31 am

    I normally pour that off! haha. Guess I will stop. I also dont like when it gets dry around to top edge-and I wont eat that either! Weird.

  • Katie @ Peace Love & Oats May 18, 2012, 11:38 am

    I’m eating the exact same yogurt right now!

  • Soniathe Mexigarian May 18, 2012, 11:45 am

    Yeah, the watery stuff always creeps me out. I’ll try not to pour it out any more. Your breakfast looks delicious, btw.

  • Wendy May 18, 2012, 12:12 pm

    Thats almost exactly what I had this morning. Frozen berries instead. So my question… I love berries but I’m so lazy abt washing them (always feel they’re not getting cleaned just by rinsing either)every morning. Do you have any tips? Do you wash them all together?(I’m afriad that will make them not last as long) Or have a trick to wash them better/faster? Or just tell me I’m being too ridiculously lazy 😛

    • Caitlin May 18, 2012, 12:14 pm

      I think you could prewash the blueberries as long as you pat them dry and put them back in the (washed) container minus the pad. Maybe put down a paper towel instead. I don’t think you could pre wash raspberries though because they would get really soggy. Anyone else?

    • Sarah May 18, 2012, 12:34 pm

      I have a set of those fine mesh strainers with long handles. (Like this: http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-8-Inch-Double-Strainer/dp/B00004OCLX) I’ve got one that holds about 1.5-2 cups worth so I’ll just dump a handful of berries into that, give it a quick swish of water and then dump it onto my cereal/yogurt/oats. Seems faster than a big colander to me somehow.

      And you’re right about them not lasting as long if you wash the whole container at once.

  • Anna May 18, 2012, 1:01 pm

    Hehe I love little things like that which stick with you all your life. I read somewhere that to prevent back acne (which I’ve never had) you should wash your back after you wash out your conditioner. I always do this now!

  • Julie (A Case of the Runs) May 18, 2012, 1:08 pm

    Oops, I always pour the yogurt water out!

  • sarah May 18, 2012, 1:26 pm

    If you eat yogurt from a multi-serving container, I have a great tip to keep the whey from accumulating at the top. When you’re done scooping out your portion of yogurt, use the back of the spoon to smooth the top remaining yogurt so it’s more or less flat. They whey won’t rise to the top if you do this! I have no idea why, but it really helps!

  • Amber K May 18, 2012, 2:01 pm

    I will continue to pour the yogurt water out because I hate how it thins out my Greek yogurt. I want to keep it super THICK. 😉

  • Lexi @ You, Me, & A World to See May 18, 2012, 2:27 pm

    Hahhahahahah germ vector! Oh my, that just sounds gnarly 🙂

  • AmandaonMaui May 18, 2012, 3:10 pm

    You could collect the whey in a seperate container by straining the yogurt in cheese cloth. You’d end up with yogurt similar to greek yogurt. If you strain it long enough you can end up with yogurt cheese.

    Save the whey, and use a tablespoon of it with a cup of warm water to soak a cup of oatmeal overnight. It can make the oats easier to digest and it may increase nutrient absorption.

  • Kari @ Human, MD May 18, 2012, 10:14 pm

    My dad once told me you should always put pepper on before salt because then you can see how much salt you are putting on… Pretty sure that isn’t true but I (and apparently all my cousins who had once been told the same thing from my dad) believed it and have been doing it for our whole lives!

  • Dynamics May 19, 2012, 12:13 pm

    I guess I am the opposite of most people. I have to get that plastic off, all of it, not one teeny tiny piece can remain or I go nuts. If I am lucky I can take it off in one piece. If it rips, it drives me bonkers. Cottage cheese is the same way, gets a liquid. I just mix it in.

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