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 Three

Pass or Pass On the burger and fries?

When we run through the drive-thru "just this once" are our children consuming any healthy enzymes?  Is this meal doing anything to promote health via healthy bacteria.  I think we all know the answer to this.  In fact, the fries contain a neurotoxin and the hamburger contains antibiotics (a poisonous mold) which are going to kill the normal flora inside your child's gut.  Just protect him by giving him a diet Coke, right?  JOKING!  Seriously though, the diet Coke breaks down into aspartame which is a neurotoxin which also serves to destroy the normal bacteria in his gut.  In essence, his only protection has been wiped out, his brain is not going to work correctly, his immune system won't be able to break down nutrients - so his body is going to store it, which may lead to an obesity problem.  Sadly, this is the fate of 14% of our kids who end up in special needs schools.

70% of all antibiotics use is in agriculture.  Say what?

• bacterial adaptation and resistance were reported soon after antibiotics were first used. 
• Correcting the overuse of antibiotics in human medicine has gradually become a priority, with slow but heartening progress being gained in this race.
• The rise of multidrug resistance and the ready transfer of resistant traits among pathogens require heightened action if we are to prevent increasing outbreaks of infections that become more difficult, or even impossible, to treat. - Western Journal of Medicine.  January 2002

Does this mean that every time I ingest commercially produced meat I am ingesting antibiotics? Yes.
Does this mean that every time I ingest commercially produced animal products it is poisonous to my gut flora? Yes.  Remember 80% of your immune system is your gut flora!!
Poll time again, what do I do for a bacterial infection?  Kill the bad. No. NO. NOOO!  You add the good.

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 
 

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