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Got Kefir?

138K views 586 replies 146 participants last post by  morrisot 
#1 ·
At the Request of several mammas, here is a thread devoted JUST to creative ways to use up that KEFIR which I know some of us are having a 'time of it' drinking it straight up and all by our lonesome...


For those of you yet to get some grains...you might ask:

Just what is Kefir?

Kefir is a cultured, enzyme-rich food (usually dairy milk) 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. While yogurt provides your digestive system with friendly bacterium as long as you eat it, Kefir helps to repopulate it for good!

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
.


What if I'm lactose intolerant, don't do dairy or don't digest milk products well - is kefir right for me?

The beneficial yeast and friendly bacteria in the kefir culture consume most of the lactose (or milk sugar). Eat kefir on an empty stomach first thing in the morning before (or for) breakfast and you'll be delighted to find it can be easily digested -- as numerous people who have been lactose intolerant for years have discovered.

Kefir's tart and refreshing flavor is similar to a drinking-style yogurt, but it contains beneficial yeast as well as friendly 'probiotic' bacteria found in yogurt. The naturally occurring bacteria and yeast in kefir combine symbiotically to give superior health benefits when consumed regularly.

How is Kefir Made?

Kefir can be made from any type of milk, cow, goat or sheep, coconut, rice or soy. Although it is slightly mucous forming, the mucous has a "clean" quality to it that creates ideal conditions in the digestive tract for the colonization of friendly bacteria.

Kefir is made from gelatinous white or yellow particles called "grains, that look like little pieces of cauliflower."
These grains contain the bacteria/yeast mixture clumped together with casein (milk proteins) and complex sugars.

They look like pieces of coral or small clumps of cauliflower and range from the size of a grain of wheat to that of a hazelnut. The grains ferment the milk, incorporating their friendly organisms to create the cultured product. The grains are then removed with a strainer before consumption of the kefir and added to a new batch of milk.

To culture milk with 'LIVE Kefir Grains',

Add your 'grains' to a clean glass container (mason jars work well) of milk, and cover or lid the jar. You let this sit at room temperatur for 12-24, up to 48 hours. Then you gently strain the resulting Kefir'd milk from the grains, and add the grains to a fresh amount of milk, and repeat brewing cycle. It is suggested to use a non metal strainer, to capture the grains. You may use raw milk, or store bought milk. Organic milk is suggested!

Ratios of grains to milk vary, but for a good TBS size piece or portion of grains, you can usually add 2-4 cups milk. If in 12 hours the milk starts seperating into a clearish layer and a thick, cheesy curdy looking layer, that is fine and perfectly natural. You are either brewing too long or not using enough milk. It is still fine to drink. Use a plastic or silicon spoon/spatula to stir the 'whey' back into the 'curds' and then strain out your grains. The 'kefir' might be a bit on the tart side, but it's fine. Use one of the smoothie recipes to make it sweeter or use the kefir as buttermilk in baking.


Ready-Made Kefir

If you prefer to purchase ready-made kefir at your health food store (in this form it is perishable and would be found in the refrigerated section). Helios is a really good, organic brand.

How to Introduce Kefir into Your Diet

Some people thrive on kefir right from the start and others may need to proceed more slowly. Remember that people with candidiasis usually lack enough 'good' milk-digesting bacteria, so you may have to build up your "tolerance" of kefir. Start with about four ounces in the morning on an empty stomach. Every second day increase the amount until you are able to drink a full eight ounce glass.

Moreover, people with candidiasis have what Chinese medicine calls the condition of dampness. Unfermented and improperly combined dairy products can lead to even more dampness and excess mucus. Here are some suggestions for introducing kefir while conquering dampness:

1. Drink plenty of water and eat grains that have been soaked and then cooked. These add moisture and fiber to the colon.
2. Clean your colon. If a colon is free of blockages, kefir is tolerated more quickly. We have found that people, who report having trouble with kefir, often have not followed advice on colon cleansing.
3. Be sure to get adequate exercise. Exercise stimulates the colon and improves elimination. Even just walking daily will assist in this goal.

The Benefits of Consuming Kefir Regularly in the Diet

Easily digested, it cleanses the intestines, provides beneficial bacteria and yeast, vitamins and minerals, and complete proteins. Because kefir is such a balanced and nourishing food, it contributes to a healthy immune system and has been used to help patients suffering from AIDS, chronic fatigue syndrome, herpes, and cancer.

Its tranquilizing effect on the nervous system has benefited many who suffer from sleep disorders, depression, and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).

The regular use of kefir can help relieve all intestinal disorders, promote bowel movement, reduce flatulence and create a healthier digestive system. In addition, its cleansing effect on the whole body helps to establish a balanced inner ecosystem for optimum health and longevity.

Kefir can also help eliminate unhealthy food cravings by making the body more nourished and balanced by allowing the body to remove and process MORE of the needed nutrients in your foods . Its excellent nutritional content offers healing and health-maintenance benefits to people in every type of condition.

Why Kefir and not just Yogurt?

Both kefir and yogurt are cultured milk products...but they contain different types of beneficial bacteria. Yogurt contains transient beneficial bacteria that keep the digestive system clean and provide food for the friendly bacteria that reside there. But kefir can actually colonize the intestinal tract, a feat that yogurt cannot match.

Kefir contains several major strains of friendly bacteria not commonly found in yogurt, Lactobacillus Caucasus, Leuconostoc, Acetobacter species, and Streptococcus species. It also contains beneficial yeasts, such as Saccharomyces kefir and Torula kefir, which dominate, control and eliminate destructive pathogenic yeasts in the body. They do so by penetrating the mucosal lining where unhealthy yeast and bacteria reside, forming a virtual SWAT team that housecleans and strengthens the intestines. Hence, the body becomes more efficient in resisting such pathogens as E. coli and intestinal parasites.

Kefir's active yeast and bacteria provide more nutritive value than yogurt by helping digest the foods that you eat and by keeping the colon environment clean and healthy.

Because the curd size of kefir is smaller than yogurt, it is also easier to digest, which makes it a particularly excellent, nutritious food for babies, invalids and the elderly, as well as a remedy for digestive disorders.

More than just Beneficial Bacteria!

In addition to beneficial bacteria and yeast, kefir contains minerals and essential amino acids that help the body with healing and maintenance functions. The complete proteins in kefir are partially digested and therefore more easily utilized by the body. Tryptophan, one of the essential amino acids abundant in kefir, is well known for its relaxing effect on the nervous system. Because kefir also offers an abundance of calcium and magnesium, which are also important minerals for a healthy nervous system, kefir in the diet can have a particularly profound calming effect on the nerves.

Kefir's ample supply of phosphorus, the second most abundant mineral in our bodies, helps utilize carbohydrates, fats, and proteins for cell growth, maintenance and energy.

Kefir is rich in Vitamin B12, B1, and Vitamin K. It is an excellent source of biotin, a B Vitamin, which aids the body's assimilation of other B Vitamins, such as folic acid, pantothenic acid, and B12. The numerous benefits of maintaining adequate B vitamin intake range from regulation of the kidneys, liver and nervous system to helping relieve skin disorders, boost energy and promote longevity.

Ok, so hopefully you are now 'stoked' about Kefir and want to get some of this wonderful stuff!
So stay tuned for a VARIETY of ways to get this stuff in your tummy!

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KEFIR BREWING INFO SHEET

Brewing Directions:
In a clean, wide mouth glass container (ie, a mason jar is wonderful), place these grains and 1 cup milk (whole, 2%, skim, pasteurized or not, homogenized or not - organic is preferable, though).

Start with a small amount of milk (like 1 cup), you can increase it over a few days time, as your grains grow (it may take weeks to noticeably grow or a matter of days, depending on the temperature of where you have them 'brewing' and how much they need to adjust to your brand of milk).

Place a lid on the jar or a cloth with rubber band to keep it on tight. Leave sitting on your countertop, out of direct sunlight for 12 - 24 hours.

During the brew time, gently swirl the jar to make sure the grains are 'bathed' with the milk and this will help feed them and convert the milk to Kefir. You can omit this 'swirling of the jar', and it will turn out fine, especially if you are using the smaller amount of milk. Just give it a gently 'swirl' in the morning to make sure it looks like all (most) the milk was 'converted'.

12 - 24 hours later, depending on milk to grain ratio and ambient temperature in your kitchen, you will have 'real' Kefir. It will be a bit tart and tangy. You will need to adjust the 'brew' time to get it to taste best for you. Less time will be less tart and more 'yogurty', longer will be sourer tasting.
Just prior to straining, I stir the contents with a silicon spatula or spoon. Definitely use a plastic utensil and NOT metal. This makes straining a little easier as it breaks up any large 'curds' that have formed and makes it a smoother Kefir.

Straining:

Use a non metal strainer (I found a nylon 'tea strainer' made by 'Tea Republic' that I love, it catches all the grains, and I can gently rub a silicon spatula back and forth, and the Kefir milk strains into a new mason jar and is super creamy and smooth.

After straining off the liquidy 'Milk Kefir', the Kefir grains (which might still have some 'curds' clinging to them, but this is ok) are placed straight back into a pre-washed and room temp mason jar or fermenting vessel of choice, without rinsing the grains.

Fresh milk is added to the grains to prepare the next batch and a lid/cloth is put on.
The strained kefir is either consumed fresh, immediately, or poured into a sealed container and stored in the refrigerator (will keep up to a few weeks or longer). It can also be stored on your counter top for 1-2 more days at room temp to help reduce lactose content, then refrigerated and used..
Eventually you will notice the grains increasing in mass, and you can add more milk to the jar for brewing or remove some of the grains to give away or make a 'back up' copy.

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Short Term Kefir Storage:
Put your grains in a glass jar of milk with a lid on it (~a cup milk per 1-2 TBS grains)
Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Longer Term Kefir Storage:
By straining off the refrigerated, kefir'd milk at least once a week, and replacing with fresh milk, you can usually extend the 'refrigerator' storage method indefinitely. I would try to get them reactivated a few times a year, though…just to be sure. The longer you do this, the more chance of the grains dying or becoming inbalanced from loosing too many of their unique cultures.

Freezing Kefir Grains:

Rinse off your grains with clean, filtered water. Pat dry and place on a paper towel or clean tea towel to allow to dry.

Place your grains in a jar or plastic baggie and freeze for up to one year, but you might only want to do it for a few months, as the yeast component can completely die off using this method. The Dom suggests adding powdered milk to coat the grains to help protect them, but I do not use powdered milk and do not have any in the house. It might take up to two weeks to get them active again, once you thaw them.

Drying Kefir Grains:

Kefir grains may be dehydrated to store long term (a year or so).

Prepare the grains, as for freezing, then as they dry on the paper towel, or tea towel, allow them to continue drying in a well ventilated, warm spot (maybe on the top of your refrigerator?) for up to 3 days or longer for large grains. They will become smaller, hard and yellow looking. Store in a plastic baggie, or in a glass jar, in a cool dry spot or in the refrigerator, once you know they are well dried.

Reactivating Frozen and Dried Kefir Grains:
To reactivate frozen and dehydrated kefir grains, place in a glass jar with cool water and soak for a few minutes. Rinse them off in a strainer to get out any powdered milk if you used it. Place them in a small amount of fresh milk, and allow to sit at room temp for 24 hours.

Every day change the milk and toss out the kefir milk (don't drink it yet). You will want the milk to be coagulating, and have a clean, yeasty smell (or like good buttermilk). Once that happens, you can start consuming your kefir and continue as for normal brewing, and increasing the amount of milk again. This process could take a few weeks to happen, to reactivate. Be patient and use smaller than normal amounts of milk until you are confident you have happy, active kefir cultures again.
 
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#52 ·
Heather,
When you said "warmed up" in the Vanilla Kefir recipe , how warm do you mean? And did you let it cool before putting in the grains. Dom says don't even put the grains in a bottle just washed with hot water, because it could damage them. I am so excited to try it, but I need details.

My son doesn't like the sour taste so I sweeten it (in the glass) with xylitol and carob. It's like pudding. Yumm!
 
#53 ·
Hmm, I didn't use a thermometer with this. I just warmed it in a pan on lowest setting to take off the refrigerator chill, and make the rapadura start to dissolve (the milk will start looking kinda caramel colored from the Rapadura). If you are worried, you can let it 'cool back down' to room temp (about70-80 deg F) to be extra safe.

I pour the milk in the jar, then add the extract (which is cooling too) and stick a spoon in it, and drip it on my wrist to make sure it feels 'lukewarm', like they used to do to test baby's milk. You could even refrigerate it for a few minutes, if it gets too hot. Then add the grains.

I'm not sure if it's the warmth or the sugar, but the kefir was much thicker and smoother than just straight up, plain Kefir.

I like the pudding idea, it's funny you should say that, because my dad and me ate the first batch with a spoon from the jar, like 'pudding'! It was so yummy! Probiotic Pudding, who would have thought!

Ok, I have another recipe forming in my head....Chocolate Kefir Pudding or Pie filling...mmmm....runs off to grab a spoon and pencil and paper....
 
#55 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by girlndocs
Question: when kefir is used in baked goods, the heat kills the beasties, right? In order for it to populate your gut you need to consume it "raw" so the cooked recipes are mainly for using up extra kefir, enjoying the taste and getting the protein from the milk?

Thanks!

Yes, the Kefir in baked goods is a good way to use up extra Kefir, however there are still nutritional benefits to using it. Even though the bacteria will be dead, they have done their job and have increased the nutritional value of the 'Kefir milk' and the milk proteins have been converted to a more digestable form. It's amazing how soft and tender a dough can be with Kefir added to it. (like buttermilk does).

The whey from making Kefir cheese is also LOADED with minerals. I looked at a website charging for 'mineral whey'....well, that's just the powdered form of the stuff you get from yogurt/Kefir or cream cheese making! Save it, even if you don't drink it straight up, you can put it in recipes as a liquid to shoot the mineral values (bioactive at that!) through the roof! The 'whey' will keep up to 6 months in a glass, covered jar in the fridge. I use it in place of water now when I make up my bread starters (new experiment) and the dough was awesome! Those minerals feed the yeasts and allow it to ferment really nicely!

Hth!
 
#56 ·
Here is something for everyone. Use Kefir Cream cheese, and BAM, what a treat!!


Cream Cheese Waffles

1 (8oz) Package of cream cheese
3 eggs
3 tsp Rapadura sugar, white sugar, brown sugar or Splenda-like substitute if low carbing. If using Stevia, about 1-2 'individual size' packets for a 'taste' of sweet
1/4 cup whole wheat flour or Atkins Bake Mix or Faux Mix *see below for making your own
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup Buttermilk or Kefir or Yogurt

Beat the cream cheese with mixer until smooth, add then add the remaining ingredients and let sit a few minutes before using (5-6 minutes is fine).

To make Pancakes:
Preheat a pan to med/high heat. Be sure to spray the pan (cast iron skillet or a stainless steel pan, preferable) with a light coat of butter flavored non stick spray and pour in about 3 tbps of mix (or use real butter to grease the pan, if not worried about calories or carbs. Can use coconut oil too, no carbs). This will be about a 6" pancake. Be sure to let them bubble up all over just like an all flour recipe pancake, before flipping them over.

Only 17 carbs in the entire recipe, if you use sugar substitute and Atkins bake mix or faux mix. This recipe makes about 10 pancakes @ 1.7 carbs per pancake

To make Waffles:
If you make waffles, this recipe make about 18 waffles! Just use the batter per your waffle irons instructions. Depending if you have a sunbeam standard iron, or a Belgium iron, you will get a few more or less. I just add enough batter to make sure it doesn't 'spew' out the sides too much. If you can get at least 18 waffles from it, each one will have less than 2 carbs per waffle!

Faux Atkins Bake Mix
1 cup soy flour or almond flour
2 cups soy protein isolate or wheat protein isolate (hard to find, but worth looking for if you are a low carber and not allergic to wheat) or Whey protein Isolate (whey protein isolate gives an 'eggy' texture to things
2 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Splenda or 4-6 'individual size' Stevia packets.
Sift together then store and use as you would Dr. A's. It's much cheaper and things come out about the same.
3 carbs per 1/2 cup serving

This was a favorite recipe from before I had kids and was low carbing my grains. They freeze amazingly well, and the Dh even liked them! I would not use nutrasweet or splenda if the kids are eating them, but a tiny bit of whole sugar or even no sugar would be nice (or a dab of applesauce) for making them more appealing to the children! The cream cheese adds protein and gives them a wonderful texture! If you totally omit the sugar, and use the low carb flour options, they can be used as hamburger or sandwich bread. It's a nice thing after not having anything to hold all those 'low carb' fillings!

Note: Corrected Whey protein Isolate to say Wheat. You can use either, however, the wheat protein isolate (if you can find it) makes it taste more like regular bread.
 
#57 ·
Xenabyte, I was inspired by your thread to buy some (plain) kefir at the hfs yesterday. It reminded me of a cultured milk product called filmjolk that I used to buy in Sweden when I was studying there, oh, almost 20 years ago.
I always thought of filmjolk as "drinkable yogurt." Do you have any idea how filmjolk is made and how it relates to yogurt and kefir?
 
#59 ·
My MIL grew up on Fil Mjolk (in Sweden). I was telling her about my kefir grains, and we got to talking about cultured milk. It's a little like clotted cream.
MIL said her father used to eat fil mjolk every morning with hard bread.
She said she preferred it with fruit.
 
#60 ·
hehe, I was just gonna post that Parthenia sent me a link about the Fil Milk and it is similar, but sounds 'creamier'. There are some links to where to buy the starter for it. I might try to get some just to try and compare it. I am also placing an order for Piima milk.
 
#61 ·
Yitlan, thanks for the link. It's interesting to find out about all the different cultured milk products available. I may even order some fil mjolk--if I can justify the $11 shipping charge!

Parthenia, do you mind sharing your link with me, too?

Xenabyte, I think that while the traditional filmjolk is creamy, there are modern versions made from lowfat milk, maybe even nonfat. Hmm, maybe I *will order that culture so I can experiment...
 
#62 ·
Just wanted to say I made cornbread muffins for dinner tonight, using kefir slightly thinned with water, and they were the lightest cornbread muffins I've ever tasted! I could literally see the batter puffing up in the muffin tin, before I put it in the oven (I use aluminum-free baking powder, so it's single-acting, but I've never seen it rise this quickly).

More questions: right now I'm making kefir from Yogourmet starter. I have to scald the milk, then cool it, before adding the culture. Why am I doing this? Isn't the milk already pasteurized? And will I have to scald all my milk when I use kefir grains? I quit making my own yogurt because of all the freakin' scalding.
 
#64 ·
DOH, was typing that recipe fast..I meant to say WHEAT protein Isolate. Cause WHEY is easy to find
haha

I will make the correction.


girl,

You do NOT have to do ANY scalding with live Kefir Grains. You can just pour the milk from your container in the fridge and add the grains, and let it sit on your kitchen counter overnight....the live grains are so healthy and full of life, they quickly take over and colonize the milk and start converting it!

The scalding is to kill off ANY bacteria (even with pasturization, some might have gotten back in there) and it gives the dry starter the chance to be the only thing colonizing the milk. Scalding also changes the milk proteins a bit, and helps it 'firm up' (or so they say).
 
#65 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by mogit
Yitlan, thanks for the link. It's interesting to find out about all the different cultured milk products available. I may even order some fil mjolk--if I can justify the $11 shipping charge!

Parthenia, do you mind sharing your link with me, too?

Xenabyte, I think that while the traditional filmjolk is creamy, there are modern versions made from lowfat milk, maybe even nonfat. Hmm, maybe I *will order that culture so I can experiment...

Here is a link for fil mjolk and I will look for the other (they might be the same, I was looking fast, cooking, and chasing down a toddler....

http://www.gemcultures.com/dairy_cultures.htm
 
#66 ·
Kefir "Ranch" Dressing:

Ok, I made this last night for salads. It was easy and tasted just like fancy Buttermilk Ranch Dressing!

~2 cups Kefir
1 packet Italian Seasonings powdered dressing mix (the kind that comes with a bottle to make dressing in)
~1-2 tsp Red wine Vinegar
~ 1/4 cup Grapeseed oil (or favorite salad oil)

I put Kefir and dry seasonings packet and the vinegar in blender. I ran it for a bit to mix all well. Then I added in the oil in a stream while running the blender on low. It thickened up and as soon as it 'emulsified' I stopped the blender. It was amazing on our salads!

I am gussing on the oil amount, as I didn't measure...so as soon as it seems to thicken up enough, you can stop pouring in the oil.

Even the Dh ate the 'wierd Kefir stuff' on his salad.. He gave me such a hard time about it, until he tasted it!
 
#67 ·
Here is a rich, moist cake and frosting that is sooo yummy. It was my mom's 'buttermilk' cake recipe. However I use Kefir and it turned out great! It has been converted to use the best possible ingredients (not vegan) but organic whenever possible.

Chocolate Kefir Cake

1/2 cup premium cocoa powder (organic)
1/2 cup boiling water
2/3 cup virgin coconut or expeller pressed oil
1 3/4 cup Rapadura sugar
2 organic, free range eggs
2 1/4 cup organic, unbleached flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/3 cup Kefir, sour milk, yogurt or buttermilk
(To sour milk, just add 1 tbs and 1 tsp of white vinegar to your regular milk)

One batch of Chocolate Cream Frosting (recipe follows)

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 deg F. Grease the bottom and sides of two 9 inch round cake pans. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper cut to fit, then grease it too. (I used Expeller Pressed Coconut oil). Or just grease a 9x13 if you want a sheet pan cake and do not wish to remove and make a 'stacked' cake.

In small bowl, stir cocoa powder and water until smooth, set aside.

In a seperate, small glass container mix up your 'Kefir milk', sour milk or buttermilk and set aside.

In medium bowl, mix flour, salt, soda and set aside.

In large bowl, cream together sugar, virgin or expeller pressed coconut oil and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until incorporated. Start adding in the flour and the milk mixture, alternatingly and beat well after each addition. Pour batter into prepared pan(s). Bake 35 to 40 minutes. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out clean.

Cool 10 minutes and then invert layer cake pans onto cake racks, and remove cakes. Gently peel off the parchement paper and allow to cool completely. (If using a 9x13, just let cool in pan until you are ready to frost.)

One Bowl Chocolate Creamy Frosting

6 Tbs Virgin or Expeller Coconut Oil
2 2/3 cups organic (Hain) or (Rapadura) powdered sugar
1/2 cup premium organic chocolate cocoa powder
1/3 cup organic milk
1-2 tsp organic vanilla extract

In small bowl, beat oil (could use butter too). Add in powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk. Beat to spreading consistancy. Add in vanilla extract. Beat again. This makes about 2 cups frosting. It's basically a 'buttercream' frosting sans the butter....
 
#68 ·
I'm putting this here, cause I found the 'perfect' strainer for my Kefir...it's a kids 'bath toy' 'fishing net'. Here is a link to one that is similar (it's a different color) than the one I found.

http://www.babyuniverse.com/pro.asp?...eid=0038576246

I found mine at toys r us in infant's bath stuff, for about 6 bucks. The net is perfect for catching the grains, but letting the Kefir strain through! It's made of a nylon mesh basket and a plastic handle...so only the nylon mesh touches the grains!

I just washed mine in a biokleen dish soap, rinsed it really really well, and keep it up in a cubby away from the 3 yr old...
He got the fishies to play with for bath time, though!

nak sorry for any typos
 
#69 ·
Ok, I spoke to the Dom this morning...he told me that the dedicated 'Sugary Kefir Grains' that are used for making the 'Kefir D'Aqua' and other juice/water ferments are hard to find.

His stopped propogating, however, they CAN and WILL continue to ferment and make 'Kefir Water' fermented beverages...you will just not have them making babies to increase your stock for 'give aways'.

Also, he says if you are using, previously 'Milk Kefir Grains', they will stop reproducing in a 'Kefir d' Aqua' (sugar water or juice) ferment, but will convert enought to be happy in that medium, and will be able to be used on a continual basis!!!

The Dom told me:

"For your reference, in the same note as the above, although milk kefir grains cease propagating in a sugar solution [to prepare a water kefir of sorts], they too are capable of preparing a water kefir on an ongoing basis. Infact, I have the same batch of once milk kefir grains, produce water kefir since 1999."

So while you will not have the 'problem' of too many grains, you can keep using them over and over for making 'Kefir d'Aqua' and other sugar water/juice type ferments!
Whoo HOOO!

I would and he would suggest putting them in a 'bag' made of a pourous material and keeping them in the brew jar you are using for your 'Kefir D'Aqua'...then they are easily fished out, makes straining so much easier, and you won't have to remove them and worry about leaving little bits in the jar as they will not keep growing! Nice huh!

This is really good news!!
 
#71 ·
Gale Force was saying she has LOTS and LOTS.

I am kefir'ing away here ... tho the smell is offputting, to be frank ... I used 4 oz of half-brewed kefir in my smoothie and the fruit, flax oil, tofu & coconut oil covered up the taste plenty. I'm looking forward to having enough kefir to use in all my baked goods.

Heather, do you need to "change over" grains to kefir coconut water, as you do when making kefir-water or juice? What about coconut milk?
 
#72 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by girlndocs
Heather, do you need to "change over" grains to kefir coconut water, as you do when making kefir-water or juice? What about coconut milk?
I used my 'Kefir Milk Grains' in canned coconut milk, and they seemed fine and I always alternate with a full soak in whole organic milk in between batches, to be sure they have 'access' to whatever they need from the milk.

I have not used them in a young green coconut 'water' mixture yet...but what I've read about it, suggests it's closer to a 'Kefir d'Aqua' brew, so you will probably want to use Sugar Kefir grains (yea, if we can find them) or just convert and use some milk grains.

I sent out 5 boxes of Grains Monday, so ALL I have on me at the moment, is about 1 TBS of grains. I will need to let them grow some more, so I can dedicate about half of them to a 'Water Kefir' brew set for making Kefir D'Aqua, the Fermented juices, and trying in young coconut water.


It's good to know that if someone didnt' want to use them in milk, they can just put them in a jar of juice, or make the Kefir D'Aqua and not have to worry about them growing like crazy or having to replenish them or soak in milk~~~ This is so awesome!

I will 'edit' some Water Kefir recipes for here, for quick and easy access...those of you that have been making it, put your recipe/method here too!
I'm so excited about this (Can you tell)....
 
#73 ·
So, if I make the vanilla kefir, can I use those grains to make plain kefir later? Or does the sugar and vanilla effect the grains?

I'm going to try a batch of vanilla, but without heating it. Going to make it totally raw. I will probably heat a small portion of the milk just to help dissolve the sugar, but otherwise leave raw. I'll let you know how it goes!
 
#74 ·
I made vanilla Kefir with live Kefir grains and then used the same grains to make regular kefit and all was well. So go for it. The sugar might increase the yeast content, but it all balances out eventually. The texture of the Kefir was more 'pudding' like using whole cow milk and the vanilla and sugar.

If you have access to raw milk, that would be a cool experiment! I just use organic, whole milk that has been pasturized....
I wish I could get some raw milk....

The only raw milk around here is BM and I still have yet to try that...but hey, they Dc would drink it.....
 
#75 ·
I was straining my brew today...and poured one jar of Kefir into my yogurt cheese maker, and took the initial whey that dripped down and was pretty much like thin Kefir and drank it in a glass with a bit of organic apple juice. It was really smooth and yummy. Then I mixed in a bit more Kefir and I think this was one of my most favorite ways to drink it!

Anybody else drink Kefir and apple juice?
 
#76 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by mamaMAMAma
Does anyone have any grains to spare? I only have 2 tbsp of converted milk grains myself.
Yep, my cup still runneth over.
 
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