Kefir Recipes: Buttermilk Dressing for Salads and Marinades

Once you have made living food part of your everyday life, you will be looking for ways to use your homemade kefir.  Once such way is as a delicious dressing.  We all know that commercially-prepared dressings are made with many undesirable and health-robbing ingredients.  This recipe I will share below is an excellent alternative to the bottled versions available in the store and far tastier as well.

Buttermilk Dressing for Life

• 1T. Fresh Lemon Juice, not bottled
• 2T. Chives, chopped
• 1T.  Italian Parsley, chopped
• Black Pepper to taste
• Sea Salt
• 2T. Olive Oil
• 1 Garlic Clove, Minced
• 1/4C. Plain Non-fat Greek Yogurt or homemade
• 1/4C. Mayonnaise
• 1C. Kefir

Method: In a blender combine all the ingredients except the olive oil.   A Ninja or food processor would also work great for this.  In a slow, steady stream drizzle in the olive oil as you continue the blending process.  Once the olive oil is incorporated continue blending another 30 seconds.  Pour into your desired container and refrigerate.  You can add a little cayenne pepper for some extra zip.  This also makes a great marinade for chicken breasts and is a great dip for the veggies you didn't ferment.  Let me know what you think.

Living Life for Him,
The Cultured Mom

Fermentation: the Key to Health and Fighting Antibiotic Resistance - Part Five

Fermentation History

• Humans all over the world have been fermenting food since ancient times.  Milk was the most predominant.  This is probably what the Bible refers to when Abraham served the angels that came to tell him he was to have a son.
• Winemaking dates back to 8,000 years ago in the Caucasus region of Georgia.
• 7,000 year old jars which once contained wine were excavated in the Zagros Mountains of Iran.
• Water kefir was probably part of the beverage that Jesus turned into wine at the wedding of Cana.
• Fermenting beverages in Babylon around 5,000 BC
• In ancient Egypt approximately 3150 BC
• Pre-Hispanic Mexico about 2000 BC, and Sudan 1500 BC
• Milk fermentation in Babylon about 3000 BC
  

  

Fermentation (or Culturing) Process

• Fermented food and drinks are alive with nutrients and flavor
• Stinky aged cheeses, tangy sauerkraut, rich earthy miso, smooth wines, tempeh, and tamari
• It preserves food
• Preserves nutrients
• Also creates new nutrients - microbial cultures create B vitamins, including folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, and biotin
• Have been shown to function as antioxidants, scavenging cancer precursors known as "free radicals" from the cells of your body

The vegetables already have many beneficial bacteria on them so be careful when washing.  You will see that fermenting vegetables is literally as simple as washing cutting and packing with no weird probiotics to sprinkle on or anything like that!

 

Living Life for Him,

The Cultured Mom

 

Is Kombucha Tea healthy?

Well...if you consider a strengthened immune system healthy, then read on.

We have all heard the claims that Kombucha is some kind of "Miracle Drink" or health potion, but what is it really?  When consumed within reason Kombucha tea is, at best, an enzyme-rich superfood and at worst, a superb alternative to chemical-laden sodas or fruit juices.  It really hits the spot when you are wanting that sharp bite and fizz in the back of your throat.  It provides sparkle and carbonation in a really healthy form.

Kombucha falls into the family of cultured/fermented foods and as such contains life-giving probiotics which will serve to aid your overall digestive health.  Additionally, you can expect to gain these four main health benefits from drinking Kombucha Tea:

1. Digestive system support due to the high amounts of active enzymes and probiotics
2. Cleansing and detoxification due to the Glucaric Acid that is produced in Kombucha: this acid has been shown to prevent cancer, increase energy, and detoxify the body in recent studies.
3. An excellent antioxidant due to the black tea it is made from which contains flavonoids: these have been show to boost fat loss and boost energy levels
4. Joint health and Ph benefits due to the high content of Glucosamines: terrific for athletes and those who suffer from arthritis to consume on a regular basis

 Consume a quality brand in moderation or make your own.  Just ask me how!

Living Life for Him,

The Cultured Mom 
 

How to Have a Healthy Gut

Having a healthy digestive system that is effective at throwing off candida, bacteria, and parasites is easy, I promise.  Perhaps the best start for your family is breastfeeding.  Yes, once again God knew best when He designed mothers to nurse their young.  Ideally babies should be breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months of life based on extensive research.  This will optimally prepare the gut lining and entire digestive system for the introduction of foods as well as unwanted invasions by parasites, bacteria, and viruses.
But what about after that?  There are a plethora of protocols, diets, books, supplements, et cetera in the marketplace that claim to benefit and/or cleanse the gut.  You are likely to have come across many opinions on how to deter candida, bacteria, and parasites in your search for good health for your family.  The reality is that candida, bacteria, and parasites can wreak havoc on our bodies in ways we may not be aware of yet.  Eventually it can become systemic by entering your bloodstream and affecting different organs, your pituitary and thyroid, or even your hormones in general, your liver health, pancreas, or your adrenals.  We also need to keep even our neurotransmitters in this consideration because 95% of our serotonin is manufactured in the gut!  No wonder you don't "feel" good.  When your gut is not well you won't feel well, you may not have good sleep cycles, you may be depressed or moody, issues we as moms need to avoid if we are to effectively carry out our daily tasks.

While the available books, diets, and protocols may have varying degrees of effectiveness for different people, what I have found to be effective in almost all cases is the daily inclusion of cultured vegetables, water kefir, and raw milk kefir.  Even those who have dairy issues seem able to tolerate milk kefir.  Why is this?  It is due to the fact that there are so many strains of beneficial bacteria in it.  For example, the yogurt you may purchase in the store has up to 5 different strains of bacteria in it - that is the "good stuff" from the healthy section, not the regular dairy aisle.  the kefir you can buy in the store has 12 different strains of beneficial bacteria, but the kefir that I make at home from kefir grains has 30 different strains of bacteria!  Talk about good - better - best, kefir takes digestive wellness to a whole new level.  You and your family really can experience a marked improvement in their overall wellness with the inclusion of pro-biotics in their diet.  How can I help you get started today?
Living life for Him,

The Cultured Mom
www.theculturedmom.com 
 

Sauerkraut for Dummies...or Smarties: Fermented Vegetables

Sauerkraut is a love of mine and always has been.  I love it's vinegary, pickly taste.  Perhaps if you do not share my affections for this lowly vegetable it is because you have tried the store-bough varieties.  That stuff pickled in brine and lying there limp on in the can or bag is no longer what I consider to be sauerkraut.  It looks dead because it is.  Put aside what you thought sauerkraut was and relish with delight every bite of your new-found love...cultured cabbage.  Fermenting foods is one of the oldest methods of food preservation.  The liquid that is given off by the fermentation process becomes lactic acid.  It is one of the necessary components and is also responsible for helping your body more readily assimilate the nutrients you are feeding it.

Method One - the simplest.  This is my Basic Sauerkraut Recipe.  Nothing fancy, mellow flavor.  Click here for a great demonstration found on YouTube.

Tools you will need:

• Get the kids involved.
• 3-4 Heads of organic cabbage.
• Large stainless steel bowl.
• A smasher, hammer, or mallet-like object for breaking down the cabbage.
• Sharp knife
• Fermentation crock or jars
• Salt
• Filtered, boiled water - to your liking, up to 3.5 cups

Method:

1. Use the knife or food processor to shred the cabbage...all of it.  If you use the knife be certain to slice into thin ribbons in order to create a small surface area which is broken down faster.
2. Place the cabbage in the bowl in batches, depending in the size of the bowl and really work to break it down.  Let the kids squeeze and smash and smoosh and twist to get the cabbage to give up as much liquid as possible.
3. Mix in up to 3T of Real Salt or Pink Himalayan Salt.
4. Begin to pack your container(s), push down, stuff in some more, until you have about an inch of space at the top of the vessel and liquid completely covers the entire surface area
5. Press down the jarred cabbage once more and add any additional cabbage from bowl in order to pack tightly and
   
   
   
    help it stay submerged under the liquid.
6. Put the lid on jars (if using) with the bands loosely tightened to allow the gases to escape.
7. Put on the counter for 7,-28 days, depending on your tastes, then refrigerate.

Living Life for Him,
The Cultured Mom