The fermented milk drink, kefir (KEE-Fur) has been around for thousands of years but is gaining popularity in the US now. It is said to help promote gut health because of the “good bacteria” – aka the Probiotics. The good bacteria of keifer stays in the digestive track and can heal a damaged gut.

Make your own kefir with this easy recipe.

NEEDED:

  • 1 TBS White curd-like starter grains
  • 1 cup of milk (raw or organic whole)
  • One pint size glass jar with plastic lid or use coffee filter/rubber band to cover
  • One plastic mesh strainer

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Pour milk into glass jar
  2. Add starter grains
  3. Cover with plastic lid (or coffee filter/rubber band).
  4. Sit on countertop out of direct sunlight for 18 hours.
  5. 18 hours later…
  6. It will look creamy at top, liquidy in the middle, and grains at the bottom.
  7. Pour contents through strainer into a glass jar (if you plan on storing in fridge) or in glass cup (if you plan on drinking now.
  8. Grains will be left in your strainer.
  9. Put leftover grains in your jar and add a new cup of milk to repeat the above process on the countertop.
  10. Grains will eventually double in size.

*NOTE: if left out too long (24 or more hours), it is best to make cheese out of it or use it in a smoothie because it won’t taste good just drinking it.

TO FLAVOR YOUR KEFIR:

  • Add real fruit or sliver of rind of a citrus to the strained kefir.
  • Let sit for 2 hours before drinking.  Strain it before drinking if you prefer no clumps.
  • Longer fermenting gives you a more tangy taste. 
  • Longer fermenting soaks up more sugar from the milk.

TO TAKE A BREAK FROM FERMENTING:

Just put your grains in a small jar and cover them with milk (app ½-1 cup) and keep them in the fridge.  They will stay dormant for  up to 7 days before you need to add more milk.