Water Kefir

Update: I do not have any grains to share at the moment. I will repost when I do!

I can be impulsive. I know it. I need to know yesterday what's going to happen in 10 years; I have to buy the car today because what if all of the cars on the planet disappear tomorrow; I had to get married right away, wanted to have kids right away, buy a house right away...you get the picture. Sometimes I want to post a recipe before I've even tasted it, because it looks so good. When my water kefir grains arrived a few weeks ago, I was bent on posting that same day, so I could tell my faithful readers what an elixir I'd found! But something in me was holding me back. It's hard to tout the health benefits of something you haven't even tried! Plus, I wanted to be a little more confident about what I was promoting.

Since my mother never gave me soda as a child, I didn't develop a taste for it. Unfortunately (or fortunately??), I don't really have a taste for much of anything aside from water, in the liquid spectrum. Carbonation is like a party in my mouth, only I never invited anyone. I just don't enjoy the sensation. So when I found dairy kefir, I was so happy to have a liquid treat. But I cut dairy out for a few weeks - three, to be exact - I panicked a bit about my morning shakes, and probiotic intake. I'm not one for supplements if I can help it, and I was really counting on my milk kefir to supply me with a solid dose of probiotics. I used to drink 1-2 cups of raw milk kefir a day!! But no fear - a kind woman on the kefir making yahoo group mailed me water kefir grains in exchange for some of my milk grains. I've been culturing them ever since.

My first draw to water kefir was the probiotic count. Probiotics help with digestion, and I was feeling like mine could use some revamping. However, when I started reading more about water kefir, I was so impressed with its resume: reported to help "nervous disorders, internal ulcers, bronchial catarrh, sclerosis,myocardial infarction, liver and gall bladder disorders, kidney problems, stomach and intestinal diseases, diarrhea or constipation, anemia, allergies, dermatitis and other skin problems such as eczema." (Dolores Sanchez-Penalver) I was warned the effects wouldn't be an overnight success - and that was dutifully noted. But after several weeks, I can honestly say that my digestion has improved, and I have noticed an overall improvement in both my physical and mental health. I look forward to continuing to reap the benefits of this yummy drink!

So what exactly IS water kefir?
Well, water kefir grains are a mother culture of strains of beneficial yeasts and bacteria. These good bacteria work with the yeast to kick out the bad guys (a result of antibiotics, excess sugar intake, refined foods, etc.), and change the environment. So those of you who are struggling with yeast overgrowth - kefir may be a welcome friend. The grains are similar in size and shape to milk kefir grains. They are sometimes referred to as SKG - sugar kefir grains. Don't worry about the name though. They actually feed off the sugar, so you're not drinking a cup of water with sugar thrown in when the grains are done with it; instead, it's a transformed drink full of health benefits! The grains are fermented in much the same way as milk kefir grains, and boast of similar health benefits. However, water kefir seems easier to knock down, and even this carbonate-phobic girl swigs with ease. The end result is akin to flavored seltzer water. Here's the recipe I've been using:

1/2 c grains
1 dried fig
2 T raw sugar
3 cups water

There are all sorts of methods and "rules" and proper ways to do things, but my grains are multiplying, I feel good, and everything smells just fine, so instead of give you a million small steps - here's what I do: I dump the ingredients in a quart sized mason jar, cover loosely, and let the mixture ferment for 24 - 72 hours. The longer the ferment, the lower the final sugar content. Then, I strain as I would milk kefir, by pouring the mixture through a mesh strainer into a 4 cup measuring glass (just for ease, since it has a nice spout). I pour the resulting liquid into a clean mason jar, throw away the fig (though I love eating the seeds first...) and refill the old jar with grains, fresh water, a new fig, and some more sugar. I let the strained kefir sit out, tightly covered, another 24 hours to further decrease the sugar, and increase the probiotic count. It also gets fizzier this way. I'll either drink it straight, or add a half cup to some fruit in the morning, blend, and drink right away. It get things moving, if you know what I mean!

Now, I've heard that the alcohol content can be an issue here. And I have to admit, there have been a few times when I feel like I might be buzzed, but it's probably just psychosomatic. The longer you ferment, the more alcoholic, so it's easily controlled by you.

You can experiment with the flavors by adding raisins, prunes, or other dried fruit. (I tried raisins and prunes and didn't like it.) Fresh ginger root is another popular addition, as is a slice of lemon. You can even kefir with fruit juice, or fresh fruits. Make sure that if you experiment, you're using extra grains - and did I mention they will multiply like crazy?!

Fermented Bean Paste

I'm sorry that the picture isn't better looking, but you get the gist of the ferment, right?! This is one of my favorite ferments, aside from coconut chutney - fermented bean paste. It sounds kinda nasty as I type it, but I promise it's good. Mark and I really like Mexican, so the fermented bean paste has been great to eat on the side, when I haven't had time to prepare any beans. This is a NT recipe!

Makes 1 quart
3 cups of basic beans, cooked and drained (I used black beans)
1 onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 T sea salt
4 T whey

Process onion and garlic in food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and process til smooth. Put in 1 quart mason jar, leaving at least 1" at the top of the jar. Cover tightly, leave at room temperature for 3 days, and then transfer to the fridge. You can serve these with chips, or with burritos, tacos, or empanadas!

Sauerkraut with whey

There is an easier and less involved way to ferment your food. Enter, whey. In lacto-fermentation, the "lacto-" part is lactic acid, which is a preservative that prevents rotting bacteria from activating. (The presence of these lactobacilli increases the digestibility of the food, and increases vitamin levels as well!) The starches and sugars from the fruits or veggies you're fermenting convert into lactic acid. If you use whey, it will act as an innoculant, rich in lactic acid, so the time required to ferment is much less. You can reduce or eliminate the salt in these recipes as a result. As with all ferments, it is best to use organic produce, and filtered water.
Most vegetables and fruits follow a similar pattern, so feel free to experiment.

Ingredients and materials for Sauerkraut
a quart sized mason jar with a tight fitting lid, a meat hammer or wooden spoon,
4 T homemade whey,
1 head of green cabbage,
filtered water, and
1 T sea salt
optional: 1 T caraway seeds, shredded carrots, sliced apples, or any other fruit or vegetable you'd like



Here is the procedure for Sauerkraut

Shred cabbage thinly.

Add cabbage, 1 T sea salt, and optional 1 T caraway seeds to large ceramic or glass bowl.

Pound the mixture for 10 minutes, until the juices are released.

Pack tightly into mason jar, no more than 1" from the top of the jar. The juices should cover the cabbage. Pound more to make them rise, or add a bit of filtered water.

Cover tightly and leave at room temperature 2 - 4 days. Transfer to your fridge and eat at your leisure. It will improve with age though!

Sauerkraut

One of the most common fermented foods is sauerkraut. Sauerkraut is an immune-boosting, flu-fighting, cancer-battling, digestive aid. Add to that, it's pretty darn easy to make, and there are so many variations. I've only made plain green cabbage sauerkraut so far, and I love it with burgers, in soups, and just to munch on! This time, I decided to jazz things up. There are two ways to make the sauerkraut. You can either use just salt in your ferment, or use whey (the easier version!). I'll do another post with the instructions for using whey. Below is the traditional "wild" fermentation.

Materials
Ceramic bowl
wooden spoon
wide mouth 2 quart glass jar (or half the recipe and use a 1 quart mason jar)
pint sized mason jar, or some other glass object to weigh down the vegetables


Ingredients
1 head of green cabbage, shredded
2 peeled and sliced apples
2 grated carrots
sea salt

As I shredded the cabbage, I put handfuls in a clean, dry ceramic bowl. I'd sprinkle salt over the cabbage as I added it to the bowl. This helps to draw out the moisture. You want roughly 3 T sea salt for every 5 pounds of veggies. This is a rough estimation and can be experimented with!

Once all the vegetables are prepared, add them to the jar, packing down with the wooden spoon as you go. You want to release as much of the juices as possible. I hack at the veggies for a while. Sometimes I get carried away as I start to see the juice rising...Anyway. Once you have everything in the jar, use your "weight" to put pressure on the veggies. In an ideal world, you wouldn't have any spaces for air, but I do and it's fine. Press down on the weight as often as you can, to get the juices flowing. If, after 24 hours you don't see the liquid rising above the vegetable, add some water until the vegetables are fully submerged. You can let it sit out for...ever, or until it tastes tart and is still crunchy. You don't want it to get soggy, so taste often. Depending on the weather, it could take several days, weeks, or months! Mine is still fermenting, but after about a week or so, I'll cover it and stick it in the fridge! You'll want to cover the fermenting cabbage with a towel or some cheesecloth to keep bugs out, like below.

Coconut Chutney

I'm really trying to up my intake of fermented foods, which supply us with digestive aids, enzymes, and increased nutrition, including B vitamins! I'm currently fermenting my dosas for an Indian Feast sometime later this week. So, what else should an exhausted teacher do on the eve of the first day of February vacation? Why, make fermented coconut chutney, of course!! Vehement Flame left me a fantastic recipe, but these tired little legs couldn't make it to the car, let alone the market in search of a fresh coconut. But after tasting the coconut chutney I just made, I'll be making a new batch in no time! For more coconut recipes, check out Kelly the Kitchen Kop's Real Food Wednesday !!

It literally took me 5 minutes to get this one in the jar, and fermenting. It can be eaten fresh, or fermented for 2-4 days.

Here's the recipe I used, inspired by Sandor Katz's Wild Fermentation:

Makes 2 cups
1 c shredded, unsweetened, unsulphured coconut soaked in
1/2 c warm water

juice of half a lemon (because that's all I had...1 lemon would have been good)
1/2 t mustard seeds
1 t cumin
1 t coriander seeds
1 t salt
1 T honey
3/4 c kefir or plain yogurt

Combine all ingredients in blender until well combined. Cover loosely with cheesecloth and leave at room temperature for 2 - 4 days, or until you see pockets of air indicating microorganism action. Cover tightly and store in cool place!

Recipe Index

Breakfast
Morning Glory Muffins
Egg "Muffins" (GF)
Best ever Sourdough Pancakes
Caramelized Apple Pancake
No Knead French Toast
Red Pepper Quiche
Dutch Baby Pancakes
Granola
Versatile Muffins
Sourdough Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Roasted Beet and Cheese Pie
Baked Oatmeal
Yogurt Parfait
Coconut Maple Pie
Sourdough Carrot Pancakes
Sweet Potato Pancakes
Omelet
Red Potato Bites
Fried Mush
Spinach Kiku and Fritata
Mushroom Leek Kiku
Oatmeal
Chicken or turkey sausages


Lunch
Turkey Bacon Sandwiches
Salmon Cake Salad
Vegetable Leek Medley
Oriental Meat Salad
Spring/Summer Salad
Easy Egg Salad


Soups

Clam Chowder
Coconut Butternut Squash Soup
Butternut Squash Apple Tomato Soup
Mexican Soup, Chicken Rice Soup, & Coconut Chicken Soup
Minestrone Soup
Garlic Soup
Lentil Soup
Chickpea Millet Stew
Tomato Balsamic Soup
World's Best Chili
Easy Crockpot Chili
Beef Stew
Coconut Curried Lentil Soup
Sauerkraut Sausage Soup
Irish Lamb Stew
Yellow Pea Soup
Garlicky Bean and Spinach Stew

Dinner
Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken Caccitore

World's Best Chili

Creamy White Fish
Moussaka
Indian Vegetable Medley
Stuffed Peppers
Root Vegetable Cobbler with Millet Dumplings
Easy Apple Pork
Shepherd's Pie
Meatloaf
Lentil Pecan Patties
Empanadas
Playing with pizza
Oven Baked Fried Chicken
Peanut Stir Fry
Meatballs and Tomato Sauce
Lamb Chops
Eggplant Curry
Crockpot Ragout
Falafel
Salmon (or chicken!) Teriyaki
Grass-Fed Roast Beef
Palestinian Synia
Sloppy Joes
Chicken Pad Thai
Walnut Pomegranate Chicken
Butternut Squash Curry-ish
Spiced Beef and Vegetables
Slow Cooked Chicken
Spiced Chicken
Easy Chicken Pad Thai
Breaded Liver
Coconut Shrimp
Shrimp Pasta


Sides
Potato Salad
Dirty Rice
Mushroom Quinoa Casserole
Moong Dal (Mashed Yellow Peas)
Brussel Sprouts
Kale
Brown Rice
Roasted Carrot Puree
Millet Cakes
Indian Rice
Dosas


Bread
Whole Wheat Sandwich Loaf
Hearty Seeded Whole Wheat Sandwich Loaf

Oatmeal Cranberry Bread
English Muffins
Five Minute Buns
Pita Bread (scroll to end of post)
Yogurt Dough
Herb Bread (not soaked)
Yogurt Herb Bread (soaked)
No Knead Bread
No Knead Cranberry Pecan Loaf
Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Sprouted Wheat Bread
Whole Wheat Tortillas


Drinks
Dairy Kefir
Water Kefir
How to make a kefir smoothie
Chai Tea
Beet Kvass
Eggnog


Snacks
Polenta Crackers
Nut Butter
Kale Chips
Nutella
Carob Chews
Potato Skins and Sweet Potato Fries
Hummus and Crackers
Crispy Nuts
Granola
Energy Bar
Smartfood Popcorn


Desserts
Baked Custard
Mile High Apple Pie
Homemade Pizzelles
Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Coconut Candy Delights
Pumpkin Pie
Rice Pudding
Apple Crisp
Pecan Pie
Chocolate Banana Rice Pudding


Condiments and Sauces
Ginger Carrots
Mayonnaise
Ketchup
Whey and Cream Cheese
Tahini
Coconut Chutney
Caesar Salad Dressing
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut with whey
Fermented Bean Paste
Honey Barbecue Sauce
Cilantro Fish Sauce

Homemade Extracts (vanilla, cinnamon, anise)

Dairy Kefir Instructions

There's been a resurgence in interest in kefir and raw milk, so Mark and I put together some videos, and I'm re-posting this entry from Green in a Pink World. If you recently received kefir grains from us, you may have to give it a couple of cycles before the kefir is at a regular consistency. You can use the first few batches in pancakes, baking, or smoothies mixed with yogurt to thicken.

DAIRY FREE? Check out the benefits of water kefir here.

What is Kefir?
On my quest to eating a traditional diet, I discovered kefir - a fermented drink that resembles milk and yogurt. It's made of milk and kefir grains, which are really a mother culture of lactic bacteria and yeast. It's amazing for digestion and filled with probiotics. The benefits of kefir are multifaceted. It has been said to help in numerous ways, from eliminating acne in adolescents, to lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, to enhancing immune function. It's also touted as a gastrointestinal "friend," and Mark's Crohn's symptoms disappeared after one week of his first taste of kefir - and haven't returned!

Our experiences with the grains
I tried buying Kefir grains a year ago, and ended up with a sour, nasty mess that smelled like a dead mouse, so I threw away the mother culture and dismissed the idea that I was capable of success. Fast forward 8 months, and I grew interested in kefir again, with a renewed sense of determination. I can brew this myself. I ordered some grains from someone in the Kefir-making yahoo group, and she sent them almost immediately, and for free! I began fermenting my kefir with 1 T of grains and 1-1.5 c of raw milk. The first few batches were almost intolerably tangy, and thin, but I made smoothies out of them and knocked it down. However, now my kefir is thicker and milder. I've begun drinking it plain, and using it to pour over my morning granola!

The parenting process


Our grains are like our children. They require daily care and feeding. However, the kefir making process is really easy. You take a glass pint or quart jar, or anything else that may work, and add about 1 T of grains to 1 c of milk.

Leave the jar covered at room temperature for about 24 hours, until you see a separation of the curds and whey, and the kefir has a yeasty, almost beery smell. This time frame will lengthen in the winter and shorten in the summer.

Then, with a small holed strainer, strain out the grains, and the result is a ready to drink kefir! You should leave the kefir loosely covered at room temp for 1 - 4 days to maximize the nutritional profile. The folic acid content goes through the roof! (When/if I get pregnant, I will be consuming this bioavailable source of FA instead of the less effective capsules.)

Save the grains, put them back into the jar, and pour in some more milk, and you'll have another jar of kefir ready the next day. Watch out though, as the grains multiply! You can play around with the ratio, ferment time, and temperature, as you like. If you can't keep up with the consumption, keep your grains and milk in refrigerator for up to a week. Change out the kefir as you normally would each week, if you'll be resting for a longer period of time.

This was a very basic tutorial, but Dom's Kefir site is the bible of kefir making. It must be checked out to fully appreciate the benefits of kefir. My grains are great and multiply weekly, so please let me know if you would like to share!


Note: Commercial kefir can be found for $4 per pint or so at the grocery store, but the price is exorbitant and commercially made kefir is really just a sugary drink with vitamins added back into it. It is made with only a few strands of yeast and bacteria, thus not giving the benefits of the active, reproducing grains.

Fermented Fish Sauce and Ketchup

My family was ready to have me committed a few weeks ago. I brought home a fish head, in hopes of making my own fish sauce. I never would have considered making homemade fish sauce (nor did I even know it was a possibility), but for the ketchup recipe in Nourishing Traditions. The ketchup is my favorite - I can't even look at Heinz anymore. I've made it twice, and a quart lasts about three months. Each time, I used commercial fish sauce. In my never-ending quest to get closer to the ground, I decided to take the plunge and make my own sauce. I should have taken pictures.

I had a huge fish head and just started hacking away at it. The knife I was using was dull. The whole thing bordered on comical and revolting. Mark came home and screamed at me. My mother practically kicked me out, and when I "surprised" my brother with the finished product (little Nemo's left eye in a jar), he almost beat me. But today, three weeks later, I strained the chopped fish head and caught the remained liquid for my ketchup. I have to say, it smelled like someone left their pet turtle to rot in the sun for a few weeks. I even considered twisting the lid back on and throwing the jar away, but I couldn't throw away all that work. Plus, I knew the nutritional benefits of fish eyes and brains had to be pretty stellar. (If you'd like the recipe for fermented fish sauce, just let me know!)

I made the ketchup this evening, but I have to let it ferment for two days before putting it in the fridge and opening it. Here is the recipe, and remember that it comes out beautifully with the un-smelly, labor un-intensive commercial fish sauce.

3 cups of organic tomato paste (4 small cans)
1/2 cup of organic 100% maple syrup
1 T sea salt
1/2 cup of fermented fish sauce (homemade or commercial)
3 cloves of garlic mashed and chopped(but I like to add more sometimes)
1/4 cup of whey
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix everything together, put in a wide mouth mason jar, and let it ferment for a few days at room temperature. Transfer to cold storage and enjoy!

Making Whey and Cream Cheese

Many of the recipes from NT call for whey. I was a bit intimidated by the process at first, but now, it's like second nature to whip up a batch. Whey is useful as an inoculant and supplies lactobacilli. I use it almost daily!

Homemade whey is easy to make from good quality plain yogurt. My favorite is Seven Stars, as it is made without sugar. Sometimes I make a batch of maple flavored whey, especially when I make baked goods, but usually I just use plain yogurt. You will need a large strainer that rests over a bowl. Place 2 quarts in the strainer lined with a tea towel or unbleached cheesecloth. Cover with a plate and leave at room temperature overnight. The whey will drip out into the bowl. Place whey in clean glass jars and store in the refrigerator. The resulting matter in the strainer is a delicious cream cheese. I usually use it for making "ants on a log" or as a topping for sweet potatoes, so that the beta carotene will have the fat necessary to be able to readily convert into Vitamin A.

**Just a note from my experience: goat's milk yogurt doesn't quite produce the same amount of whey, nor does the resulting cheese get as thick!

Beet Kvass

I had no idea what kvass was this summer when I embarked on a journey to master this fizzy Russian drink. All I knew was that beets are some of the most nutritious foods on the planet, and that fermentation is a highly desirable, easily digestible way to consume food and drink. According to Sally Fallon, "Folk medicine values beets and beet kvass for their liver cleansing properties and beet kvass is widely used in cancer therapy in Europe. Anecdotal reports indicate that beet kvass is an excellent therapy for chronic fatigue, chemical sensitivities, allergies and digestive problems." The pigmentation in beets that gives it a rich hue is a cancer-fighting agent, and is especially known to combat colon cancer, which of course is always on our mind with Mark's Crohn's. So, in my attempt to introduce more nutrients into our bodies, I experimented with beet kvass. Now, I drink it when I'm feeling low on energy, or when I know my diet hasn't been as colorful as it could be.

Here is a simple recipe from NT:
2-3 large beets, peeled and cut up in 1 inch chunks
1/4 cup of whey
1 t of naturally harvested Celtic sea salt
filtered water
2 quart glass container

Mix all the ingredients together. Let sit at room temperature, tightly covered, for 2 days. Transfer to the refrigerator and enjoy! I drink about a half of a cup each morning before breakfast.