Non-fat dry milk powder is processed at very high temps and pressure, which over-denatures the protein structure; rendering it very unhealthy. we should all avoid this pseudo-food product.
Microwaving anything, fat, protein, vitamin or mineral messes with its structure and should also be avoided. Also heating milk to 180 degrees seems like overkill- overkill of nutrients, esp.
Reduced fat, homogenized, pastuerized milk is the din of western industrialized food. Too bad.
The fatty acid profile of whole milk is what makes it so nutritious!! The lipid hypothesis (that eating alot of saturated fat supposedly causes high cholesterol and a host of other diseases) is flawed and downright WRONG. these studies failed to recognize people were also eating a large amount of TRANS fat, white flour, and white sugar, which are really the inflammatory foods that signal your body to make cholesterol.
Go to great lengths to procure FRESH from the farm raw whole milk, it is a health food you can relish with abandon! Lots of good fat your body craves, plus vitamins, minerals, enzymes galore! Add cream to make it richer and know that this too is healthy and what your body wants!
This makes the best yogurt! But if you must use store bought, go for organic, cream-top, vat pastuerized (whole) milk.
Heat Raw milk to 110 (store milk to 120), let it cool slightly, and whisk in a few Tbsp's organic yogurt or Fage. put it in a dehydator set at 90 for 8 hours, or in a cooler of very warm 90 degree water (you might have to add some hot water once) for 8 hours.
Strain in cheesecloth for an hour after you have cooled it in the fridge some (otherwise it will strain very quickly).
Commercial yogurt all uses thickeners, or it is strained. You can try pectin to thicken if you like.
If you strain in cheesecloth for longer, it makes the best cream cheese! add a pinch of good sea salt and you will be in cream cheese heaven!
This is the healthiest way to make yogurt- full of enzymes and minimally processed. CHEERS!!