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**Please note: If you recently received kefir grains from us, you'll probably have to give it a few cycles before the kefir is at a regular consistency. You can use the first few batches in pancakes, baking, or smoothies mixed with yogurt to thicken.
There's been a resurgence in interest in kefir and raw milk, so Mark and I put together some videos, and I'm re-posting this entry from Green in a Pink World.
What is Kefir?
On my quest to eating a traditional diet, I discovered kefir - a fermented drink that resembles milk and yogurt. It's made of milk and kefir grains, which are really a mother culture of lactic bacteria and yeast. It's amazing for digestion and filled with probiotics. The benefits of kefir are multifaceted. It has been said to help in numerous ways, from eliminating acne in adolescents, to lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, to enhancing immune function. It's also touted as a gastrointestinal "friend," and Mark's Crohn's symptoms disappeared after one week of consuming kefir smoothies - and haven't returned!
Our experiences with the grains
I tried buying Kefir grains a year ago, and ended up with a sour, nasty mess that smelled like a dead mouse, so I threw away the mother culture and dismissed the idea that I was capable of success. Fast forward 8 months, and I grew interested in kefir again, with a renewed sense of determination. I can brew this myself. I ordered some grains from someone in the Kefir-making yahoo group, and she sent them almost immediately, and for free! I began fermenting my kefir with 1 T of grains and 1-1.5 c of raw milk. The first few batches were almost intolerably tangy, and thin, but I made smoothies out of them and knocked it down. However, now my kefir is thicker and milder. I've begun to acquire a taste for drinking it plain, and use it to pour over my morning granola! Mark's favorite use though, is smoothies.
The parenting process
Our grains are like our children. They require daily care and feeding. However, the kefir making process is really easy. You take a glass pint or quart jar, or anything else that may work, and add about 1 T of grains to 1 c of milk.
Leave the jar covered for about 24 hours, until you see a separation of the curds and whey, and the kefir has a yeasty, almost beery smell.
Then, with a small holed strainer, strain out the grains, and the result is a ready to drink kefir! You should leave the kefir loosely covered at room temp for 1 - 4 days to maximize the nutritional profile. The folic acid content goes through the roof! (When/if I get pregnant, I will be consuming this bioavailable source of FA instead of the less effective capsules.)
Save the grains, put them back into the jar, and pour in some more milk, and you'll have another jar of kefir ready the next day. Watch out though, as the grains multiply! You can play around with the ratio, ferment time, and temperature, as you like!
This was a very basic tutorial, but Dom's Kefir site is the bible of kefir making. It must be checked out to fully appreciate the benefits of kefir. My grains are great and multiply weekly, so please let me know if you would like to share!
Note: Commercial kefir can be found for $4 per pint or so at the grocery store, but the price is exorbitant and commercially made kefir is really just a sugary drink with vitamins added back into it. It is made with only a few strands of yeast and bacteria, thus not giving the benefits of the active, reproducing grains.
Showing posts with label Week 4: Dairy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Week 4: Dairy. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Week 4: Yogurt 101
Yogurt is one of my comfort foods. When I need something sweet, I go for yogurt; creamy, yogurt; sour, yogurt. I use it to bake and cook, as a base for smoothies, and for a meal with yummy add-ins, like nuts, coconut, chia seeds, fruit, and cocoa.
I used to buy Dannon yogurt with apple and cinnamon added to it, but now I find that too sweet for my taste. I've posted this in a few different places, but it bears repeating - full fat yogurts, with natural sweetners, such as vanilla, honey, or maple syrup, are best. Your yogurt should have 2-3 ingredients - milk, some strand of probiotic or culture, and a natural sweetener, if desired. Make sure your yogurt says "Contains LIVE cultures." They don't do much good if they've been cooked away...
What are probiotics and how can they help?
Probiotics, meaning literally "for life," are microorganisms that help to maintain the intestinal flora and health. Basically, they're bugs that help us digest our food, and they beat up on the "bad" bugs. (If you've been taking antibiotics, your gut has essentially been sterilized, so not only do you lack the bad bugs, but your good ones are gone too!) The benefits of probiotics are numerous. In the last decade, lactobacilli, a particular strand of probiotics, have gained the respect they deserve. Here are just a few of the touted benefits of our microbial friends (Taken from Oprah's website):
*Ameliorate vaginal (bacterial and yeast), urinary tract and bladder infections.
*Ameliorate inflammatory intestinal disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
*Ameliorate food allergies and inflammatory, allergic conditions like asthma and eczema.
*Reduce several risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
*Reduce several risk factors for intestinal cancers.
*Reduce the duration of gastroenteritis and rotavirus-induced diarrhea in infants.
*Reduce the rate of childhood respiratory infections.
*Ameliorate microbe-induced traveler’s diarrhea.
*Help prevent tooth decay.
Food or Supplement?
Many people have heard about these benefits already, and actually pay a decent amount of money on probiotics supplements. Mark and I both did this, until we realized that yogurts, fermented foods, and especially kefir, could much more efficiently and economically supply us with living strands of probiotics. I'll try not to go into my vitamin and supplement industry tirade, but suffice it to say I am disgusted with the marketing gimmicks that have convinced millions of people that nutrition comes in a bottle. There is no scientific evidence that probiotic supplements are able to supply our body with the needed microorganisms to replenish the gut. Eating nutrient dense foods to nourish our body is the best way to achieve this goal.
Challenge
I encourage you to add a full fat yogurt with live cultures and a natural sweetener! If you're wondering why I keep advocating full fat dairy products, check out this quote from the Real Milk website:
"Butterfat contains vitamins A and D needed for assimilation of calcium and protein in the water fraction of the milk. Without them protein and calcium are more difficult to utilize and possibly toxic. Butterfat is rich in short- and medium chain fatty acids which protect against disease and stimulate the immune system. It contains glyco-spingolipids which prevent intestinal distress and conjugated linoleic acid which has strong anticancer properties."
I used to buy Dannon yogurt with apple and cinnamon added to it, but now I find that too sweet for my taste. I've posted this in a few different places, but it bears repeating - full fat yogurts, with natural sweetners, such as vanilla, honey, or maple syrup, are best. Your yogurt should have 2-3 ingredients - milk, some strand of probiotic or culture, and a natural sweetener, if desired. Make sure your yogurt says "Contains LIVE cultures." They don't do much good if they've been cooked away...
What are probiotics and how can they help?
Probiotics, meaning literally "for life," are microorganisms that help to maintain the intestinal flora and health. Basically, they're bugs that help us digest our food, and they beat up on the "bad" bugs. (If you've been taking antibiotics, your gut has essentially been sterilized, so not only do you lack the bad bugs, but your good ones are gone too!) The benefits of probiotics are numerous. In the last decade, lactobacilli, a particular strand of probiotics, have gained the respect they deserve. Here are just a few of the touted benefits of our microbial friends (Taken from Oprah's website):
*Ameliorate vaginal (bacterial and yeast), urinary tract and bladder infections.
*Ameliorate inflammatory intestinal disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
*Ameliorate food allergies and inflammatory, allergic conditions like asthma and eczema.
*Reduce several risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
*Reduce several risk factors for intestinal cancers.
*Reduce the duration of gastroenteritis and rotavirus-induced diarrhea in infants.
*Reduce the rate of childhood respiratory infections.
*Ameliorate microbe-induced traveler’s diarrhea.
*Help prevent tooth decay.
Food or Supplement?
Many people have heard about these benefits already, and actually pay a decent amount of money on probiotics supplements. Mark and I both did this, until we realized that yogurts, fermented foods, and especially kefir, could much more efficiently and economically supply us with living strands of probiotics. I'll try not to go into my vitamin and supplement industry tirade, but suffice it to say I am disgusted with the marketing gimmicks that have convinced millions of people that nutrition comes in a bottle. There is no scientific evidence that probiotic supplements are able to supply our body with the needed microorganisms to replenish the gut. Eating nutrient dense foods to nourish our body is the best way to achieve this goal.
Challenge
I encourage you to add a full fat yogurt with live cultures and a natural sweetener! If you're wondering why I keep advocating full fat dairy products, check out this quote from the Real Milk website:
"Butterfat contains vitamins A and D needed for assimilation of calcium and protein in the water fraction of the milk. Without them protein and calcium are more difficult to utilize and possibly toxic. Butterfat is rich in short- and medium chain fatty acids which protect against disease and stimulate the immune system. It contains glyco-spingolipids which prevent intestinal distress and conjugated linoleic acid which has strong anticancer properties."
Monday, February 2, 2009
Week 4: Milk 101
Raw milk sounds like a disease waiting to happen right? When I tell people that I drink raw milk, I might as well have told them that I'm a Christian, or that I voted for George W. Bush...twice. It's the gateway to becoming a social pariah, a little like admitting to leprosy. Am I a bit dramatic? Perhaps, but perhaps not. The reactions I receive when people hear that I drive 40 miles once a month to purchase unpasteurized, unhomogenized milk for $8.50 a gallon are about the same as admitting to any of the above statements. Most people, I find, are uneducated about both the benefits and safety of raw milk, and the alternative toxicity of pasteurized milk, as I was. Of course I'm a huge believer in raw milk, but more than anything, I'm a believer in knowledge, and empowering people with the ability to make a choice, rather than blindly doing what "the man" has steered them into believing is correct. My goal is simply to dispel some myths about raw milk, and perhaps shed some light on Big Dairy's dirty little secrets...
The Real Milk website does a great job of expounding on all my ideas (or rather I do an OK job of summarizing theirs =), so I strongly recommend visiting it. The site has a list of raw milk dealers in all states, as well as ways to get involved in changing legislation to make raw milk legal. I recently read an article that deals with the politics of raw milk. It goes into some of the Big Dairy issues too.
Aren't all milks created equal?
Perhaps not. We're beginning to see pasteurized milk as a factor in or cause of many contemporary diseases - from Irritable Bowel and Crohn's disease, to allergies, heart disease, and cancer. Milk is heated to a high temperature to kill all of the harmful bacteria such that all of the enzymes, nutrients and helpful bacteria are killed off as well. So, they add back in the vitamins, but we're receiving synthetic versions of those vitamins, namely vitamin D3, which is considered toxic and linked to heart disease! Baby calves that are fed pasteurized milk fare poorly and often die! Raw milk, on the other hand, is more easily digested, contains lactic-acid producing bacteria that protects against pathogens, and has a full array of in-tact amino acids and proteins.
Now, I agree that back in Louis's day, when people moved in droves to the cities and we couldn't keep the milk clean due to over-population and lack of technology, pasteurization may have been a necessary evil. But today, we have the ability to keep the milk sources clean and free of harmful bacteria, and that is exactly what Terri Lawton of Oake Knoll Ayrshires in Foxborough, MA does. She is visited by government regulated dairy inspectors regularly, and her milk has been found to have no traces of harmful bacteria. She posts their results, so customers can feel safe and confident about her milk. Interestingly enough, farms that pasteurize their milk have far dirtier milk than raw milk dealers, "knowing" that there is room for error because of the heating process. However, that's not always the case. Just last year, four MA residents died of listeriosis from drinking PASTEURIZED milk. There are many cases where this has happened. Do some research and you'll be surprised!
What does this mean for me?
Certainly Terri is not the only conscientious dairy farmer, so if raw milk interests you, I encourage you to find a local farm! I'm more than happy to buy milk for people and meet you somewhere to do the exchange. Supporting small farms is about sustainability, accountability, and community. For me, it's been worth the money, and the effort. When it seems crazy, I like to remember that much of the rest of the world does NOT pasteurize their milk. And as for some fear tactics that the media or even friend try to impose, I think--far more people have died in the Iraqi conflict than from drinking raw milk...
The Real Milk website does a great job of expounding on all my ideas (or rather I do an OK job of summarizing theirs =), so I strongly recommend visiting it. The site has a list of raw milk dealers in all states, as well as ways to get involved in changing legislation to make raw milk legal. I recently read an article that deals with the politics of raw milk. It goes into some of the Big Dairy issues too.
Aren't all milks created equal?
Perhaps not. We're beginning to see pasteurized milk as a factor in or cause of many contemporary diseases - from Irritable Bowel and Crohn's disease, to allergies, heart disease, and cancer. Milk is heated to a high temperature to kill all of the harmful bacteria such that all of the enzymes, nutrients and helpful bacteria are killed off as well. So, they add back in the vitamins, but we're receiving synthetic versions of those vitamins, namely vitamin D3, which is considered toxic and linked to heart disease! Baby calves that are fed pasteurized milk fare poorly and often die! Raw milk, on the other hand, is more easily digested, contains lactic-acid producing bacteria that protects against pathogens, and has a full array of in-tact amino acids and proteins.
Now, I agree that back in Louis's day, when people moved in droves to the cities and we couldn't keep the milk clean due to over-population and lack of technology, pasteurization may have been a necessary evil. But today, we have the ability to keep the milk sources clean and free of harmful bacteria, and that is exactly what Terri Lawton of Oake Knoll Ayrshires in Foxborough, MA does. She is visited by government regulated dairy inspectors regularly, and her milk has been found to have no traces of harmful bacteria. She posts their results, so customers can feel safe and confident about her milk. Interestingly enough, farms that pasteurize their milk have far dirtier milk than raw milk dealers, "knowing" that there is room for error because of the heating process. However, that's not always the case. Just last year, four MA residents died of listeriosis from drinking PASTEURIZED milk. There are many cases where this has happened. Do some research and you'll be surprised!
What does this mean for me?
Certainly Terri is not the only conscientious dairy farmer, so if raw milk interests you, I encourage you to find a local farm! I'm more than happy to buy milk for people and meet you somewhere to do the exchange. Supporting small farms is about sustainability, accountability, and community. For me, it's been worth the money, and the effort. When it seems crazy, I like to remember that much of the rest of the world does NOT pasteurize their milk. And as for some fear tactics that the media or even friend try to impose, I think--far more people have died in the Iraqi conflict than from drinking raw milk...
Week 4: Dairy
I'm a little behind in my postings, but I will be doing a dairy 101 post soon. In the meantime, check out Real Milk. It's a storehouse of information about milk and dairy.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Week 4 Shopping List
We'll be learning about the benefits of raw dairy this week. Here's the list if you're following the meal plans!
Meat
whole chicken
1lb ground beef
Produce
1 bag small onions (about 6)
1 bag carrots
1 bunch celery
several potatoes
garlic
bananas
*items to put in muffins AND crepes (cranberries, blueberries, apples etc.)
1 medium zucchini
2 lemons
1 bunch broccoli
2-3 seeded Anaheim (for mild vegetarian chili) or jalapeno (for hot vegetarian chili) peppers
Canned or Dried Items
2-3 c millet
whole wheat berries (if grinding your own flour) or WW flour
3 cups dried lentils OR dried peas
3 16oz cans diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
Oatmeal (try steel cut!)
jar of tahini (or if making homemade, 2 c sesame seeds)
raisins
cashews
Note on beans:
Most people do not want to soak and cook beans. If you fall into that category, canned beans are an option. Try to buy organic, no salt added. If you would like to save a little money and soak and cook your own beans, you'll need ROUGHLY half of the amount of dried beans to equal the amount cooked. For example, about 3/4 c dried beans equals 1 can. I always make more though - beans are versatile and full of protein and nutrients.
1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
2 cans chick peas
Dairy
~2 c (raw) Parmesan or Cheddar cheese
cage free eggs
naturally sweetened or plain yogurt (Seven Stars Farm, Hawthorne Family Farm)
organic cream cheese BUT--
**homemade cream cheese can be made by letting your yogurt sit for 12 hours with cheesecloth and a bowl
..and does anyone want some raw milk?? Post a comment and let me know.
Other staples
coconut oil (favorite source - Mountain Rose Herbs: $41 for 1 gallon of unrefined or $22 for refined, which will last forever!)
Rapadura - unrefined sugar
spices: cumin, oregano, turmeric, coriander, allspice
Meat
whole chicken
1lb ground beef
Produce
1 bag small onions (about 6)
1 bag carrots
1 bunch celery
several potatoes
garlic
bananas
*items to put in muffins AND crepes (cranberries, blueberries, apples etc.)
1 medium zucchini
2 lemons
1 bunch broccoli
2-3 seeded Anaheim (for mild vegetarian chili) or jalapeno (for hot vegetarian chili) peppers
Canned or Dried Items
2-3 c millet
whole wheat berries (if grinding your own flour) or WW flour
3 cups dried lentils OR dried peas
3 16oz cans diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
Oatmeal (try steel cut!)
jar of tahini (or if making homemade, 2 c sesame seeds)
raisins
cashews
Note on beans:
Most people do not want to soak and cook beans. If you fall into that category, canned beans are an option. Try to buy organic, no salt added. If you would like to save a little money and soak and cook your own beans, you'll need ROUGHLY half of the amount of dried beans to equal the amount cooked. For example, about 3/4 c dried beans equals 1 can. I always make more though - beans are versatile and full of protein and nutrients.
1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
2 cans chick peas
Dairy
~2 c (raw) Parmesan or Cheddar cheese
cage free eggs
naturally sweetened or plain yogurt (Seven Stars Farm, Hawthorne Family Farm)
organic cream cheese BUT--
**homemade cream cheese can be made by letting your yogurt sit for 12 hours with cheesecloth and a bowl
..and does anyone want some raw milk?? Post a comment and let me know.
Other staples
coconut oil (favorite source - Mountain Rose Herbs: $41 for 1 gallon of unrefined or $22 for refined, which will last forever!)
Rapadura - unrefined sugar
spices: cumin, oregano, turmeric, coriander, allspice
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Week 4 Menu
This is the week of the crockpot! There are at least 3 crockpot recipes this week, but if you don't have one, a stock pot will do. I've been known to leave a stock pot cooking for days (yes, unattended.) Just makes sure the flame is on low!
In efforts to streamline meal preparation, take advantage of the weekly features. The menu plan will include use of a large pot of grains, bread, a soup, and snack. Additionally, all of the meals will include enough for two nights' dinners, for two people, so you'll be preparing dinner just three evenings (or if you're like me, all in one day to minimize cooking!). Adjust recipes accordingly if you are cooking for more than two.
Features
Prepare these early in the week so you have them on hand for recipes and munching!
Grain - Millet--Reserve 1 cup uncooked
Bread - Pitas
Soup - Lentil or Pea Soup
Snack - Soaked muffins
Prep: Before the week, slow cook a chicken, and some veggies. This can serve as a quick lunch and will also provide you with the carcass for stock!
Day 1
Breakfast - Soft boiled eggs with bacon and sourdough
Lunch - Crockpot chicken and veggies
Dinner - Vegetarian Crockpot Chili
Day 2
Breakfast - Muffins and Smoothies
Lunch - Crockpot chicken (either with veggies, or add mayo, seasoning, and celery to chicken and make a chicken salad!)
Dinner - Left over chili
Day 3
Breakfast - Oatmeal
Lunch - Lentil/Pea Soup
Dinner - Easy Palestinian Synia
Day 4
Breakfast - Dirty Scrambled Eggs (scrambled eggs with bits of veggies mixed in)
Lunch - Yogurt Parfait
Dinner - Left over Synia
Day 5
Breakfast - Muffins and Smoothie
Lunch - Tuna tahini sandwich (mix 1 can of tuna with 1 cup of tahini sauce from Synia)
Dinner - Chickpea Millet Stew
Day 6
Breakfast - Breakfast Crepes
Lunch - Lentil/Pea Soup
Dinner - Chickpea Millet Stew
Day 7
You'll probably have enough leftovers to take you through the day! Most people enjoy a meal or two out once a week as well, so these recipes should take you through.
Snacks
Power Bars
Crispy or sprouted nuts
Natural yogurt (no added sugars or "vitamins") with unsweetened coconut, soaked nuts, and cocoa powder
Hummus with veggies or crackers
Homemade popcorn, popped on stove in coconut oil
celery with all natural peanut butter and raisins
potato skins or sweet potato fries
In efforts to streamline meal preparation, take advantage of the weekly features. The menu plan will include use of a large pot of grains, bread, a soup, and snack. Additionally, all of the meals will include enough for two nights' dinners, for two people, so you'll be preparing dinner just three evenings (or if you're like me, all in one day to minimize cooking!). Adjust recipes accordingly if you are cooking for more than two.
Features
Prepare these early in the week so you have them on hand for recipes and munching!
Grain - Millet--Reserve 1 cup uncooked
Bread - Pitas
Soup - Lentil or Pea Soup
Snack - Soaked muffins
Prep: Before the week, slow cook a chicken, and some veggies. This can serve as a quick lunch and will also provide you with the carcass for stock!
Day 1
Breakfast - Soft boiled eggs with bacon and sourdough
Lunch - Crockpot chicken and veggies
Dinner - Vegetarian Crockpot Chili
Day 2
Breakfast - Muffins and Smoothies
Lunch - Crockpot chicken (either with veggies, or add mayo, seasoning, and celery to chicken and make a chicken salad!)
Dinner - Left over chili
Day 3
Breakfast - Oatmeal
Lunch - Lentil/Pea Soup
Dinner - Easy Palestinian Synia
Day 4
Breakfast - Dirty Scrambled Eggs (scrambled eggs with bits of veggies mixed in)
Lunch - Yogurt Parfait
Dinner - Left over Synia
Day 5
Breakfast - Muffins and Smoothie
Lunch - Tuna tahini sandwich (mix 1 can of tuna with 1 cup of tahini sauce from Synia)
Dinner - Chickpea Millet Stew
Day 6
Breakfast - Breakfast Crepes
Lunch - Lentil/Pea Soup
Dinner - Chickpea Millet Stew
Day 7
You'll probably have enough leftovers to take you through the day! Most people enjoy a meal or two out once a week as well, so these recipes should take you through.
Snacks
Power Bars
Crispy or sprouted nuts
Natural yogurt (no added sugars or "vitamins") with unsweetened coconut, soaked nuts, and cocoa powder
Hummus with veggies or crackers
Homemade popcorn, popped on stove in coconut oil
celery with all natural peanut butter and raisins
potato skins or sweet potato fries
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