When we were in New York, Laurel, mom and I went to Peels in NoHo for breakfast one morning. We had been in New York a few days and had been eating on the fairly heavy and rich side, so I wanted something a little healthier. We started by sharing the Peels muffin….wow…lemon and rosemary!! Maybe not so healthy, but seriously delish! I’ve tried to replicate this tasty delight, but no success so far…stay tuned though….I’m not giving up!
We all ordered the homemade granola with honey, dried fruit compote and labne yogurt. We had no idea what labne was, but that didn’t deter us! I absolutely loved it! I don’t know how healthy it was, but the yogurt was thick and looked like it was dished out with an ice cream scoop. It wasn’t sweet, so the honey and fruit compote were necessary and delicious. Once home I knew I had to figure out with this labne yogurt was all about!
Love the vintage-y glass jar and lid they used for the yogurt at Peels. Such a pretty yet simple presentation!
Labne yogurt is used a lot in Middle Eastern cuisine, specifically Lebanese, and is a strained yogurt that becomes very thick and almost has a cheese-like consistency. I found a technique online how to use 0% fat plain Greek yogurt to make labne (click here).
I did a bit of further research and combined a few methods…here’s what I did…
- Put a sieve in a bowl and line it with a double layer of cheesecloth.
- Add your Greek yogurt.
- Bundle up the excess cheesecloth and secure (I used a chip clip).
- Put in the fridge for 1-2 days, pouring off the drained liquid as necessary.
1. I used Liberte 0% Plain Greek yogurt
2. Line a sieve with cheesecloth and add the yogurt and sit over a bowl
1. I used a chip clip to secure the cheesecloth
2. You will be amazed at how much liquid will drain from the yogurt
3. The labne is very thick and can be served with an ice cream scoop
That’s it…so simple, but you do need to plan ahead a day or two if you are planning in serving this!
I served the labne with a homemade fruit compote (recipe to follow soon!) and the homemade low carb granola that Laurel posted (click here) in a chunky glass wine goblet. Just a little extra thought into the presentation goes a long way. This yogurt is entertaining-worthy…the perfect addition for brunch or with tea for an afternoon treat!
