Breakfast with Kefir!

I wanted to share one of our favorite breakfasts! It is so easy and ALL of you can be doing this to help your immune systems. When you look back in history at how God's people preserved food, stored food and ate food, you will find many wonderful and healthy ways to eat! I encourage you to look at our food supply in America and begin to ask yourselves...what was God's original design for "?" and fill in the blank. How, as good stewards of the land and animals that God has blessed us with, are we raising our beef, chickens, fruit, veggies etc.....and how are we preparing it and begin to align yourself with God's design. It will taste better and be better for you and your family. Kefir has been used in many cultures for hundreds of years and is a healthy and natural product!

I have tried for a long time to make Kefir. I don't know if I had bad grains, a bad system or bad advice...but it never seemed to work. However, many months ago, some friends from Virginia and Kentucky came down for a soap making day. They wanted to learn "hands on" how to safely handle lye and how to make soap. It is so much easier to learn while doing and it was so much more FUN to do it with friends. One friend brought a variety of meats from their farm (just tried the hot sausage Jennifer and it was delicious!) and the other one brought me Kefir grains and a WONDERFUL stick blender with detailed instructions on how to make it and how to eat it. These directions were so simple! So much easier that anything else I had ever read about making Kefir. And the grains that she brought me WORKED!! (Thanks Debbie!!!!!)

I thought I would share how I make it the "easy way". This way those of you who have had problems like I did might be encouraged to try it again. And here is the answer for those of you who are asking...

What's Kefir?

Kefir is a cultured, enzyme-rich food filled with friendly micro-organisms that help balance your "inner ecosystem." More nutritious and therapeutic than yogurt, it supplies complete protein, essential minerals, and valuable B vitamins.

* Kefir is simple and inexpensive to make at home.
* Kefir is used to restore the inner eco-system after antibiotic therapy.
* Kefir can be made into a delicious smoothie that kids love.
* Kefir is excellent nourishment for pregnant and nursing women, the elderly, and those with compromised immunity. (http://www.kefir.net/)

Here is a picture of my Kefir "grains".



True Kefir is not made with a "starter" but with grains. I think the word "grains" confuses people....makes you think of wheat, barley and oats. In reality they aren't that kind of grain at all and perhaps we should be calling them "beads". To me they look like translucent pieces of cauliflower! They have a "rubbery" feel and the neat thing is that they multiply so you can make more or share them! Tradition says that you may sell your Kefir but you may not sell the grains...they must be given!

I take the grains, place them in a half gallon canning jar and pour COLD milk over it. That's right - no warming! Our milk happens to be from Nora (the world's best cow!) and is raw and unpasteurized but you can also use milk from the store. If you are using milk from the cow, it needs to be at least 6 hours old to let the natural cultures in the milk diminish. This way the cultures don't work against each other. This is also true in cheese-making.

I let the Kefir sit on my gas stove close to the pilot light for 24 hours. You can also put the jar on top of the fridge for warmth or just let it sit on your counter. After 24 hours put it in the frig and once it is chilled it is ready. It is slightly thick and a wee bit tangy and has some texture to it...hence the stick blender to make it smooth for children who are "texture" challenged! The longer it sits in the frig the tangier it gets. I try to use mine right away. I confess I have both "texture" and "tangy" challenged children :)

When your first batch of Kefir is "ready", place a colander over a bowl and pour into the colander - the thick Kefir should slip through but the Kefir grains/beads should stay in the colander (see the first picture above). I usually run my hands (freshly washed!) through the Kefir to make sure no grains/beads slipped through. Put the grains into the next batch of milk and begin again. Blend the Kefir with your favorite fruit, or drink it plain and you are on your way!

This is how you make Kefir smoothies. This morning I made cantaloupe Kefir. We picked fresh cantaloupe from our garden and cut it into pieces. Here is what I started with:



In the picture you see a half gallon canning jar containing the Kefir. The freshly sliced cantaloupe, the stick blender and the container I blend it in. (Ignore the onions and watermelon - just some other things we were picking but I didn't want to confuse you!)

I pour the Kefir into the container like so...



Then I add the cantaloupe on top (you can put the fruit in first if you want and pour the Kefir on top - order doesn't matter because it will all be blended together.



Then insert the stick blender and blend until done!



You end up with this lovely peachy colored drink that is SO yummy and very nutritious!



Pour it into their glasses and you are done - it all takes just a few minutes!



I added a bowl of fresh cantaloupe and voila!....breakfast! I think you can see from their faces that this is one of their favorite breakfasts....and one of the easiest for me to create!



I encourage you to get some Kefir grains/beads and begin this adventure in your own home. Some of our favorite flavors are strawberry/banana, blueberry, peach, pineapple/coconut, and even peanut butter/banana. My children have requested chocolate but somehow that seems to void the healthy aspect to me! My kids don't get a lot of sugar in their diets so they enjoy this without sweetening, especially if it contains a really ripe banana. If you wanted to sweeten it, please choose a natural sweetener for their benefit!

I have let the Kefir stay in the frig a little longer and as it gets thicker and tangier it makes a wonderful and healthy substitute for sour cream - use it on potatoes from the garden, in dips and salad dressings...the little ones (or even the big 'uns) need never know :) It is also a great substitute for yogurt, more beneficial, and can be used or eaten in the same way!

I'd love it if you shared some of your Kefir recipes and ideas with me!

Blessings!