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

 

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 
 

Should I eat fermented foods?

Here are a few reasons I think you should eat fermented foods on a daily basis:

1. Fermented foods combat the daily attack placed on our body's immune system from chlorinated water
2. Fermented foods aid digestion
3. Fermented foods restore the proper balance of good bacteria in the gut
4. Raw, fermented foods are rich in enzymes
5. Fermenting food actually increases the vitamin content
6. Eating fermented foods helps us to absorb the nutrients we are consuming
7. Fermenting foods helps to preserve it for longer periods of time
8. Fermenting food is inexpensive
9. Fermenting food increases the flavor

Do not use chlorinated water for fermenting food!

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