8 Ways to Use Whey - No, Way!

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You know you're doing something (right? odd?) when your two-year-old excitedly exclaims, "Whey!" when you haul out the glass jar to add to the morning smoothies, followed by the banter of "No, way!" - "Yes, way!" exchanged between the two of you for a good five minutes after as you slurp them all down...

Hey, I told you we were a strange household.  Who else does goofy things like this or choreographing a dance to go along with the opening theme of Globe Trekker whenever it comes on? 

I told you the other day, in my Homemade Mozzarella in an Hour post, not to throw out that pot of whey that you were left with after creating all that ooey, gooey, cheesy goodness.

I hope you listened.

Because what I'm about to share will change your life.

Okay, maybe nothing that dramatic, but seriously, these hints will give you all sorts of justification for making cheese every other day (you know you've thought about it), which is probably the pace you'll have to keep, since the homemade stuff is pretty much impossible to resist when just sitting there grinning at you from the refrigerator shelf every time you open the door...

I hate throwing good money down the drain, and that's basically what you're doing if you pour that stuff out, rather than use it in one of these fantastic ways (wheys?).

And besides not wasting a perfectly good product, whey is full of all sorts of fantastic health benefits.  

What's so great about whey?

• it's chock-full of vitamins & minerals
• has antimicrobial & antiviral properties
• is an immune system enhancement
• contains anti-cancer properties
• provides cardiovascular benefits
• helps reduce stress
• promotes bone cell growth & fights osteoporosis
• is a probiotic
• is an antioxidant
• aids with appetite suppression & weight control
• & more!

Most of these benefits are due to its high protein content - have you ever used protein powder to enhance your workouts at the gym?  You've very likely been using powdered whey!

This is because whey is one of the most complete forms of protein out there since it contains all the essential amino acids - what a great way to up the nutritional value of all sorts of things you already make, just by adding whey into the mix!  

Ideally, I like to freeze all the leftover whey from a cheese- or yogurt-making session in old jars (just leave plenty of space at the top for expansion!) and then keep one jar out at all times in the fridge so that I have it on hand to add to whatever I'm making.

I have occasionally been in the situation where I've run out of freezer space and had to just keep all of it in the fridge for a while, but usually it's always fine (even after a couple weeks).  I have had one or two jars that smelled "off" when I opened them after living in the fridge for forever, so I went ahead and fed those to the compost pile, just to be safe.

So, how do I use up my whey?  

1.  I substitute whey for the liquid in baked goods (like bread, muffins, and waffles).

2.  I use whey in place of water to make the dough for our weekly pizzas.

3.  I pour the whey into the blender while mixing up smoothies.

4.  I use it to soak beans and sprout grains.

5.  I add it to my favorite, healthy dips (especially hummus) to thin them out to a more dippable consistency.

6.  I use it in place of buttermilk in biscuits.

7.  I cook my grains in it (like rice, quinoa, millet, etc.)  I've also used it to cook beans, but I don't recommend that one, because the beans cook so long that the whey gets a little toasty.

8.  And finally, like I said above, I've used it to add nutrients to the compost pile and garden (but I've only done this if I've made a zillion batches of cheese and yogurt and have no more room in my freezer or refrigerator).

There are other uses, as well, but these are just what I do on a regular basis.

It's frugal and it's healthy, what could be better than that?

Will you find ways to use whey in your cooking and baking?

No, way!  Yes, way!

Don't throw out that whey!  Which use do you think you'll try first?  I'd love to hear!  Either leave a comment below or email me at lisahealy (at) outlook (dot) com.

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