Kefir - Something New

Kefir "Grains"

What on earth is she making now? Kefir. Yeah okay...what on earth is KEFIR?!

Kefir is a pro-biotic drinkable yogurt type food made from milk and Kefir "grains".

A co-worker kept noticing that I was eating healthily and said that his wife eats this way also, and that she drinks Kefir.
    "Do you drink that stuff?" he asked me.
    "No" I replied, "I've heard of it but never tried it."
Next thing I know I was handed a Kefir starter and 5 pages of directions. Thanks co-worker's wife!
    Kefir is supposed to be really good for the digestive system and be able to cure lactose intolerance and help with allergies among other things. For more information you can link HERE.

The starter I received just looks like milk in a glass jar, although, I know the "grains" are in there as well. It's supposed to take 24-48 hours to make when left out at room temperature.

Start time: 2200 hours on 4/20/2011
End time: 2235 hours on 4/21/2011 and it looks like this:

 Mmm, yum right? Ha, your yogurt and cheese looked like this at one point too.

 You then pour the contents of the jar into a strainer over another container to strain everything but the Kefir "Grains".

The kefir can never come in contact with metal so this is a plastic bowl over a glass measuring cup and I used plastic or wood utensils.

 

The jar on the right is where the original Kefir was. The measuring cup in the back has the drinkable (after the 1st batch) Kefir. The jar on the left is the Kefir grains I strained out plus half the strained content plus an equal amount of warmed milk. Then the lid with the plastic wrap (because the lid is metal) goes back on the jar and 24 hours I do the same thing.

i.e. kefir jar + 24 hours then strain out grains. Add grains back to the jar plus half the strained Kefir liquid plus an equal amount warm milk.

The first batch from newly gained Kefir grains is not drinkable. Throw out the half you didn't put back in the jar. The second batch is drinkable.

I used in my cereal a bunch of mornings and in a yummy green fruit smoothie and on top of my eggless tahini french toast stuffed with strawberries and cream cheese.