Kefir- The “Super Hero” Probiotic

     When I first became interested in whole foods I focused a lot of my concentration on cultured or fermented foods.  I was trying to build my immunity and heal some digestive issues and a good probiotic is one of the best ways to do it! I think we’ve all heard about yogurt containing some good friendly bacteria which aides in healing yeast issues, but Kefir is the granddaddy of all probiotics!  Kefir contains as many as thirty- three different friendly bacteria and yeasts which help the body build immunity quickly.  Most of our immunity is in our guts so having the gut populated with beneficial flora is crucial to our overall health.  Kefir can be made in milk or it can also be used to culture non-dairy liquids as well, such as water, juices, and coconut milk.  Kefir is sold in stores in the health food department but it is so inexpensive and simple to make at home, not to mention much more wholesome, why not try your hand at making it?

Here is what “Kefir grains” look like:

They almost resemble popcorn but they’re soft.  They will continue to grow and reproduce the more they are “fed”.

To make the Kefir:

Pour one quart of fresh milk into a glass jar, leaving some headspace.

Place one heaping tablespoon of kefir grains into the milk.  Try to use a wooden or plastic spoon as grains can react to metal.

Stir in grains well.

Cover the jar with a coffee filter or loose fitting lid.

Allow to set out on the counter for 12 to 24 hours. Pour kefir through a sieve to retrieve the grains. And that’s it!   If you go a little bit longer then the suggested time  it will just taste more sour and may begin to separate.  This does not mean your kefir is bad! Just stir and use anyways.

Add some milk to your grains and store in a covered glass jar in fridge until the next time you need them.

Now you have a finished product that you can use to make fruit smoothies, or use in any recipe that you would use buttermilk.  You can even make healthy probiotic filled homemade salad dressings! Your family won’t even realize they are getting a punch of probiotic in their morning smoothie or on their salad!