How to Use Whey - Don't Waste It!

There are two types of whey, sweet and acid.  Sweet whey is a by product of cheese making that drains the whey early in the cheese making process, such as cheddar, Gouda, Parma and Alpine style cheeses. Acid whey is a by product of draining the whey later when the bacteria have longer to work or when an acid has been added, such as when making chevre, sour cream, drained yogurt, etc. Whey contains lots of good nutrients, especially calcium, vitamins and minerals. Here is a good article detailing what whey is.

I am going to talk about acid whey today since this is what I have on hand from making yogurt. Depending on how crunchy you are, you may already know that grains contain phytic acid which binds some vitamins and minerals and keeps them from being absorbed during digestion. For more information on that, click here. Using acid whey to presoak the grains unlocks these nutrients.  How important that is is a source of controversy and you will have to make up your own mind.  One thing that is not controversial, however, is that soaking the grains makes the end product taste really good!

One of my favorite ways to use whey is in Soaked Baked Oatmeal.  This is a great breakfast choice, either putting it on to bake first thing in the morning and eating warm cake for breakfast, or baking ahead of time, letting cool, and then grabbing a piece as you go out the door in the morning. In either event, you combine the oats, flour and liquid and let sit at room temperature at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.  The acid in the liquid keeps it from spoiling and as it cultures, the oats start to break down and become soft.  You can use any combination of fruit or nuts, and you could probably use none, but I like the fruit taste. Two of my favorite combos are chopped apples and raisins, or one mashed banana and blueberries.

Soaked Baked Oatmeal

• 1 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 3/4 cup water (or milk or buttermilk)
• 1 tablespoon whey (eliminate if using buttermilk)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (or sugar or honey)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 2-3 cups combination of fruit, nuts, chips, etc.

Mix oats, flour, water and whey and let sit at room temperature for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours. Beat together oil, syrup, eggs and vanilla. Add baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and beat again.  Stir in fruit combination, transfer to an 8x8 or 9x9 baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until browned and cooked through. If you are planning on eating them on the go, it would probably work even better to make them as muffins, decreasing the cooking time a bit.

Some other suggested ways to use whey are to add as part or all of the liquid in baked goods, especially bread, marinate meat, add to smoothies, water your blueberry or tomato plants, etc.  It also freezes great, especially in ice cube trays to freeze individual cubes. I am including some links below to other bloggers who have many great suggestions.

Off the Grid 

The Self Sufficient HomeAcre

Don't Waste The Crumbs

Salad In A Jar

Here is a link to a more complete breakdown of the nutrients in sweet whey vs. acid whey, but I am concerned that the blogger's initial description of the two types of whey is wrong.

By the Whey