Kefir Recipes

Kefir Recipes

KEFIR RECIPES, 2nd Edition

Copyright © 2011 by Cultures for Health. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, reproduction or utilization of this work in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying, and recording, and in any information storage and retrieval system, is forbidden without written permission of Cultures for Health.

First Publication: November, 2009. Current Edition: October, 2011.

Publisher: Cultures for Health 13023 NE Highway 99 Suite 7-4 Vancouver, WA 98686

This book is also available through the Amazon Kindle store.

For more information on making Kefir or other cultured and fermented foods, please visit culturesforhealth.com.

Disclaimer The ideas, concepts, and opinions expressed in this book are intended to be used for educational purposes only. This book is sold with the understanding that authors and publisher are not rendering medical advice of any kind, nor is this book intended to replace medical advice, nor to diagnose, prescribe, or treat any disease, condition, illness, or injury. It is imperative to use good judgment when consuming Kefir and to never consume any Kefir that looks, tastes, or smells unpleasant. Further, before consuming Kefir or any other fermented or cultured food, you should receive full medical clearance from a licensed physician. Author and publisher claim no responsibility to any person or entity for any liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly as a result of the use, application, or interpretation of the material in this book. If you do not agree with this disclaimer, you may return the book to the publisher for a full refund.

Contents

Basic Recipes Kefir Recipes 1 Disclaimer 2 Contents 3 S trained (Thickened) Kefir 6 Kefir Cream 6 Kefir Whey 7 Kefir Sour Cream 8 Kefir Butter 8 Kefir Cheese 9 Herbed Kefir Chees e 9 Kefir Leban in Ol ive Oil 10 S weetened Kefir 11 Fruit Kefir 11 Vanilla Kefir 12 Chocolate Kefir 12 Creamsicle Kefir 12 Creamy Grape Kefir 13 Carrot Kefir 13 Chai Kefir 13 Apple Pie S moothie 14 Banana Smoothie 14 Basic Fruit S moothie 15 Blueberry S moothie 15 Cranberry Antioxidant Smoothie 16 Orange Smoothie 16 Pumpkin S moothie 17 Watermelon S moothie 17 Pineapple Banana Smoothie 17 anana mango S moothie 18 Creamy Herb Kefir Dressing 19 Creamy Garlic Salad Dressing 20 Green Goddess-style Kefir Dressing 21 Creamy Kefir Black Peppercorn Dressing 21 Creamy Kefir Horseradish Dip 22 Kefir Ranch Dip 22 Kefir Artichoke Dip 24 Sun-dried Tomato, Basil, Hazelnut and Kefir Dip 24

Blue Ch eese and Walnut Kefir Dip 26 Turkish Kefir Dip 26 Kefir Biscuits 27 Kefir Banana Bread 28 Chocolate Kefir Bread 29 Apple Spice Kefir Bread 30 Cinnamon Kefir Bread 31 Dill Kefir Bread 32 Blueberry Kefir Muffins 32 Oatmeal Kefir Muffins 33 Whole Grain Kefir Pancakes 34 Apple Cinnamon Kefir Pancakes 35 Kefir Ice Cream 36 S oft Kefir Cookies 37 Kefir Chocolate Ch ip Cookies 37 Kefir Dessert S auce 38 Coconut Milk Kefir 39 Coconut Milk Kefir Ice Cream 40 Coconut Water Kefir 41 Blue berry-Pomegranate Water Kefir 41 Grape Juice Kefir 42 Water Kefi r Lemonade 42 Water Kefir Smoothie 43 Che rry Water Kefi r 43 Raspberry Jui ce Kefi r 43 Orange Zest Water Kefir 44 Cream S oda Water Kefi r 44 Herbal Infusi on Water Kefir 44 Fruit Flavored Water Kefir 45 Apple Juice Kefir 45 Water Kefi r “S oda” 46

Basic Recipes

Strainee d (Thicke Strain (Thickened) ned) Ke Ke fir

Ingredients:

• Milk Kefir • Cheesecloth or Tight Weave Dish Towel

Pour the Milk Kefir into the cheesecloth or tight weave towel. Hang above a bowl or jar and allow the whey to drain off for 2-4 hours depending on the thickness desired (generally the consistency of yogurt or sour cream).

Kefir Cream

Ingredients:

• Milk Kefir Grains (or Grains (or po powdered wdered Kefir Kefir Starter Culture Culture)) • Cream

Place the kefir grains in the cream and allow the cream to kefir for 12-48 hours. When the desired consistency and taste is achieved, remove the kefir grains and place the grains in fresh milk. Kefir Cream can be used to make Kefir Butter .

Kefir Whey

Ingredients:

• Milk Kefir • Cheese Cloth or Tight Weave Dish Towel

Pour the Milk Kefir into the cheesecloth or tight weave towel. Hang above a bowl or jar and allow the whey to drain off for 2-24 hours. The longer the draining period the more whey it will produce and the thicker the kefir will become. Use the resulting kefir in place of yogurt, spreadable cheese or cream cheese in recipes depending on the finished consistency.

Kefir Whey can be used for soaking grains or when culturing vegetables (e.g. sauerkraut, pickles, beet kvass, etc.) or making lacto-fermented condiments and salad dressings.

Kefir Dairy ProducTS

Kefir Sour Cream Make Kefir Cream with Heavy Whipping Cream. Makes a wonderful probiotic substitute for Crème Fraiche or conventional Sour Cream.

Kefir Butter

Ingredients:

• Kefir Cream

Remove the cream from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. If using a Kitchen Aid Mixer, place the bowl in the freezer for a few hours prior to making butter. Place the cream in the bowl and turn the mixer on as high as you can without splattering the cream. Watch the mixture carefully. Within a minute or two, the cream will have thickened a bit and you should be able to increase the mixer speed. Continue to watch the cream carefully as a cold bowl and room-temperature cream should set to butter quickly. Once this happens, it’s very easy to spray the remaining liquid (traditional buttermilk) all over the kitchen so be sure to turn the mixer down when needed. Once chunks of butter form, slow the mixture down to allow the chunks to come together.

If making butter by hand, simply pour the pint of cream into a quart size jar with a lid. Shake the cream vigorously (good job for kids) until small balls of butter form. Then slow down the shaking so the balls of butter can clump together.

Remove the butter to a small bowl (or just your hands). Wash the butter with filtered water, pressing out any remaining buttermilk with a spoon. When the water runs clear, the butter should be free of buttermilk. This portion of the process is very important as leaving buttermilk in the butter will cause the butter to spoil quickly.

Salt the butter if desired (Tip: if you accidentally over-salt the butter, just rinse it under water to remove the excess salt). You can also add herbs if desired.

Wrap the butter in wax paper and store in the freezer, fridge or on the counter (butter will spoil at room temp within a few days so use it quickly).

Ke fir Che Che e se

Ingredients:

• Milk Kefir • Cheese Cloth or Tight Weave Dish Towel

Pour the Milk Kefir into the cheesecloth or tight weave towel. Hang above a bowl or jar and allow the whey to drain off.

Soft Spreadable Cheese: Drain for 6-12 hours depending on the consistency desired.

Kefir Cream Cheese: Drain for 12+ hours depending on the consistency desired.

Har Hard Chee Chee se : Drain for 12+ hours then wrap the cheese in the cheese cloth and place in a colander. Weight the cheese down to press out more whey. Use a plate with canned food as weights. Start with minimal weight increasing the amount of weight every few hours until the cheese stops dripping. Hard kefir cheese is generally crumbly and can be grated like mazithra or similar-style cheese.

Herbed Kefir Cheese

Ingredients:

• Kefir Cheese (soft Cheese (soft spreadable consistency) • Fresh or Dried Herbs (use your favorites; French Herbs or Herbs de Provence work well)

Combine the herbs and cheese. Serve as a soft cheese spread on crackers, bread, etc. Also makes a wonderful vegetable dip.

Kefir Leban in Olive Oil

Ingredients:

• Kefir Cheese, well salted (cream cheese consistency) • 1 – 2 cups Olive Oil

Form the kefir cream cheese into balls about 1.5 inches in diameter. Place the kefir leban balls in a jar. Pour the olive oil in the jar to submerge the kefir leban balls. Be sure to leave an inch or two of head room. Place a tight lid on the jar. Store at room temperature for up to a few weeks.

Flavored Kefir Recipes

Sweetened Kefir

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Kefir • Sweetener of your choice to taste; options include: • 2 tsp. Sugar (Sucanat or Rapadura work well) • 1 tsp. Raw Honey or Agave • 1 tbsp. Maple Syrup

Blend together and serve.

Fruit Kefir

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Kefir • ½ cup – 1 cup Fruit (fresh or frozen) • ¼ tsp Vanilla Extract (optional) • Sweetener if desired (raw honey, agave, stevia)

Puree fruit in a blender until smooth. Add Kefir, vanilla and sweetener. Blend together and serve cold.

Vanilla Kefir

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Kefir • ¼ tsp Vanilla Extract • Sweetener if desired (raw honey, agave, stevia)


Chocolate Kefir

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Kefir • 1 tbsp Chocolate Syrup

Blend together and serve cold.

Creamsicle Kefir

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup Orange Juice • ¾ cup Kefir • Dash of Vanilla Extract • Sweetener if desired (raw honey, agave, stevia)

Blend together and serve over ice.

Creamy Grape Kefir

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon Grape Juice Concentrate or ¼ cup Grape Juice • 1 cup Kefir • Dash of Vanilla Extract (optional) • Sweetener if desired (raw honey, agave, stevia)

Blend together and serve cold.

Carrot Kefir

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup Fresh Carrot Juice • ¾ cup Kefir • Dash of Vanilla Extract • Sweetener if desired (raw honey, agave, stevia)


Chai Kefir

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup Liquid Chai • ¾ cup Kefir • Sweetener if desired (raw honey, agave, stevia)

Blend together and serve over ice.

Smoothie Recipes

Apple Pie Smoothie

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup Unsweetened Applesauce (best if chilled or frozen) • ¾ cup Kefir • Dash of Vanilla Extract • Dash of Cinnamon • Dash of Nutmeg

Add all ingredients to a blender and process until smooth. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Makes one serving.

Banana Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Kefir • 1 Banana • 1 tsp Vanilla • Sweetener to taste (1 tbsp raw honey or agave; small amount of stevia)

Add ingredients to a blender and process until smooth. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Makes one serving.

Basic Fruit Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Kefir • ½ cup Frozen Fruit (berries work well) • ½ Banana • Ice Cubes (can reduce amount or omit if Banana is frozen)


Blueberry Smoothie

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup Kefir • ½ cup Juice (orange and grapefruit work well) • 1 cup Blueberries • 1 Banana

Add all ingredients to a blender and process until smooth. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Makes one serving

Cranberry Antioxidant Smoothie

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Frozen Cranberries • 2 tbsp. Frozen Blueberries • 1-2 tsp. Lemon Juice (fresh is best) • ¼ cup Cranberry Juice • ½ cup Kefir • Dash of Vanilla Extract (optional)

Add fruit, juice and vanilla to a blender and process until smooth. Blend in kefir and serve chilled or at room temperature. Makes one serving.

Orange Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 2-3 tbsp Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate • ¾ cup Kefir • ¼ tsp Vanilla Extract • 1 cup Ice Cubes


Pumpkin Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Kefir • 2 tbsp Organic pureed pumpkin • Dash of vanilla extract • Pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg (to taste)

Add ingredients to a blender and process until smooth. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Can be served topped with a dash of cinnamon-sugar. Makes one serving.

Watermelon Smoothie

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup Seedless Watermelon Chunks • ½ cup Kefir • 3 tbsp Orange Juice

Use blender to puree watermelon until smooth. Add juice and kefir, process until blended completely. Makes one serving.

Pineapple Banana Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 Frozen Banana • 1 cup Fresh Pineapple • 2 tbsp Coconut Milk (optional) • ¾ cup Kefir • Sweetener (1 T. raw honey, Agave or Sugar; small amount of stevia)

Add all ingredients to a blender and process until smooth. Best served chilled. Makes 2 servings.

banana mango Smoothie

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup Banana • ¼ cup Mango, Papaya or Guava • ½ cup Kefir • Sweetener (1 tbsp raw honey, agave; small amount of stevia)

Add all ingredients to a blender and process until smooth. Best served chilled

DressingS, dips and spreads

Creamy Herb Kefir Dressing

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Mayonnaise (preferably lacto-fermented mayonnaise) • 1 cup Kefir • ½ teaspoon Dried Thyme • ½ teaspoon Dried Tarragon • 1/8 teaspoon Dried Rosemary, crushed • 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard • ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt • 1/8 teaspoon Pepper, freshly ground Wisk together the mayonnaise and kefir until smooth. Combine with the other ingredients. Cover and chill for several hours prior to serving.

Creamy Garlic Salad Dressing

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Mayonnaise (preferably lacto-fermented mayonnaise) • 1/3 cup Kefir • 1/3 cup Sunflower Oil or Grapeseed Oil • 1/4 cup Water or Milk • 2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar, White Wine Vinegar, or Kombucha (well fermented) • 1 1/2 teaspoons Fresh Lemon Juice • 1 1/2 teaspoons Raw Honey • 3/4 teaspoons Mustard • 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt • 1/2 teaspoon Pepper, freshly ground • 4-5 Garlic Cloves, minced Wisk together mayonnaise and kefir until smooth. Combine with the remaining ingredients. Let rest covered in the refrigerator for 2+ hours prior to serving to allow the flavors to meld properly.

Gree n Goddess-style Kefir Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Mayonnaise (preferably lacto-fermented mayonnaise) • ½ cup Kefir • ½ cup Fresh Parsley, finely minced • ¼ cup Fresh Tarragon, finely minced • 3 tablespoons Chives, finely minced • 3 tablespoons Anchovy Paste • 3 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar or Kombucha (well fermented) • 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice • 1 Garlic Clove, finely minced or grated • Salt and Pepper to taste Wisk together mayonnaise and kefir until smooth. Wisk in other ingredients. Cover and chill for several hours before serving.

Creamy Kefir Black Peppercorn Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Strained Kefir (consistency of yogurt) • 1 cup Cultured Buttermilk • 1 cup Mayonnaise (preferably lacto-fermented) • ¼ cup Fresh Parsley, minced or 2 tablespoons Dried Parsley • 2 tablespoons Chives, minced • 1 tablespoon Black Peppercorns, coarsely crushed • 2 tablespoons Fresh Basil, minced or 1 tablespoon Dried Basil • 2 teaspoons Fresh Tarragon, minced or 1 teaspoon Dried Tarragon • ½ teaspoon Fresh Thyme, minced or ¼ teaspoon Dried Thyme • ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt • 1/8 teaspoon Paprika Wisk strained kefir, cultured buttermilk, and mayonnaise together until smooth. Combine with other ingredients and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours prior to serving to allow flavors to meld.

Creamy Kefir Horseradish Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Strained Kefir (consistency of sour cream) • 8 oz. Cream Cheese, Kefir Cream Cheese, or Lebneh, softened • 3 tablespoons Salsa (non-chunky variety) • 2 tablespoons Prepared Horseradish • ½ teaspoon Garlic Salt Mix together the strained kefir and cream cheese. Combine with the other ingredients and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours prior to serving to allow the flavors to meld.

Kefir Ranch Dip

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Strained Kefir (consistency of sour cream or slightly thicker) • ½ cup Mayonnaise (preferably lacto-fermented mayonnaise) • 1 teaspoon Dill • 2 teaspoons Parsley • ¼ teaspoon Garlic Salt • ¼ teaspoon Onion Salt • ¼ teaspoon Pepper, freshly ground Mix together the strained kefir and mayonnaise. Combine with the other ingredients and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours prior to serving to allow the flavors to meld.

Kefir Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Strained Kefir (consistency of sour cream or slightly thicker) • ¼ cup Mayonnaise (preferably lacto-fermented mayonnaise) • ½ cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded • ¼ cup Yellow Onion or Shallot, finely chopped • 14 ounce can Artichoke Hearts, drained and chopped • Fresh Lemon Juice to taste • Black Pepper, freshly ground to taste Mix together the strained kefir and mayonnaise. Combine with the other ingredients and mix well. If serving cold, cover and refrigerate for several hours prior to serving to allow the flavors to meld. If a warm dip is preferred, place in an oven safe dish and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Sun-dried Tomato, Basil, Hazelnut and Kefir Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Strained Kefir (consistency of sour cream or slightly thicker) • ½ cup Hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped, divided • ¼ cup Sun-dried Tomatoes, chopped • ¼ cup Lightly Packed Basil Leaves, chopped • ¼ cup Green Onions, sliced • 2 Garlic Cloves, minced or grated Combine all ingredients together except 2 tablespoons of the hazelnuts. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours prior to serving to allow the flavors to meld. Just prior to serving, sprinkle with reserved hazelnuts.

Blue Cheese and Walnut Kefir Dip

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Strained Kefir (consistency of sour cream or slightly thicker) • 4 oz. Blue Cheese, crumpled • ½ cup Walnuts, toasted and finely chopped • Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste Combine all the ingredients and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours prior to serving to allow the flavors to meld.

Turkish Kefir Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Strained Kefir (consistency of sour cream or slightly thicker) • 2 tablespoons Fresh Dill, chopped or 1 tablespoon Dried Dill • 2 Garlic Cloves, mashed* • 1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper • 1/8 teaspoon crushed Red Pepper • Sea Salt to Taste • Olive Oil Combine all the ingredients except the olive oil and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours prior to serving to allow the flavors to meld. Just prior to serving, drizzle with olive oil. *Use a mortar and pestle to mash the garlic with a bit of sea salt for better flavor.

Bread Recipes

Kefir Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Flour • ¼ tsp Baking Soda • 1 tbsp Baking Powder • 1 tsp salt • 6 tbsp Butter (very cold) • ¾ cup Kefir (approximate)

12-24 hours prior to making biscuits, mix the flour and kefir together. Cover and allow the flour to soak. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut the butter into chunks then work it into the flour/kefir mixture along with the baking soda, baking powder and salt. Do not over mix. If the mixture is too dry, add a bit more kefir. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board. Gently pat the dough to ½ inch thick (this will yield lighter biscuits than using a rolling pin). Use a round cutter to cut out the biscuits. Place biscuits on a cookie sheet. If you want biscuits with soft edges (and a higher rise), place the rounds touching each other. If you want biscuits with crusty sides, place the rounds about 1 inch apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Makes 10 biscuits.

Kefir Banana Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Organic Sugar (Rapadura or Sucanat work well) • 2 Eggs • ½ cup Butter • 2 cups Whole Wheat Flour • 3 ½ cups Bananas, mashed • 1 ½ cups Kefir • 1 ½ tsp. Baking Soda • ½ cups Walnuts or Pecans, chopped (optional)

12-24 hours prior to making bread, mix the flour and kefir together. Cover and allow the flour to soak. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, butter, flower, bananas and nuts. Add the kefir and flour mixture and mix ust until blended. Add the baking soda and mix just until blended. Pour into a greased bread pan (generally there will be enough batter for 1 large bread pan, 2 medium bread pans or 3 small bread pans). Bake until an inserted toothpick comes out clean (exact time will vary depending on size of pan and number of pans baking at once).

Chocolate Kefir Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Organic Sugar (can use Rapadura or Sucanat) • ½ cup Butter, softened • 2 eggs • 1 cup Kefir • 1 ¾ cup Flour • ½ cup Organic Unsweetened Cocoa • ½ tsp Baking Powder • ½ tsp Baking Soda • ½ tsp Salt • 1/3 cup Nuts, chopped (optional)

12-24 hours prior to making bread, mix the flour and kefir together. Cover and allow the flour to soak. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of 8”x4” or 9”x5” loaf pan. In a large bowl, combine the sugar and butter, blend well. Add the eggs and blend well. Add the flour and kefir mixture. Add the cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Blend just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in the nuts. Do not over mix. Pour into the greased pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes before removing from the pan and setting on a wire rack. Cool the bread completely before serving. The bread should be wrapped tightly and stored in the refrigerator if it is not eaten immediately. Makes one loaf.

Apple Spice Kefir Bread

Ingredients:

• 4 cups Flour: White Flour, Whole Wheat Pastry Flour or combination • 2 cups Oats • 1 cup Brown Sugar • 2 tablespoon Baking Powder • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda • 1 teaspoon Sea Salt • 1 teaspoon Cinnamon • 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg • 6 Large Apples, peeled, cored, and diced • 3 Eggs, beaten • 2 1/4 cups Kefir • 1/4 cup Melted Butter, Ghee or Coconut Oil • 2 teaspoons Vanilla • 1/2 cup Pecans or Walnuts, chopped 12 hours prior to baking, combine the flour, oats, and kefir. Cover the bowl and allow the flour to soak. When ready to bake muffins, preheat the oven to 375°. Add the other ingredients except the apples. Do not over mix. Gently fold in the apples and nuts. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Pour the batter in the pan. Bake one hour or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean.

Cinnamon Kefir Bread

Ingredients:

• 4 cups Flour • 2 tsp Baking Soda • 1 tsp Salt • ½ cup Melted Coconut Oil, Sunflower Oil or Grapeseed Oil • 1 ½ cups Organic Sugar (Rapadura or Sucanat work well) • 2 cups Kefir • 2 Eggs

Topping and Filling: • 1 tbsp Ground Cinnamon • 1 cup Organic Sugar (Rapadura or Sucanat work well) • 2 tbsp Walnuts, finely chopped

12-24 hours prior to making bread, mix the flour and kefir together. Cover and allow the flour to soak. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the oil and sugar; add the eggs and mix well. Add this to the flour and kefir. Mix in the baking soda and salt being careful not to over mix. Fill two greased 8”x4” loaf pans (or 5 mini loaf pans) about 1/3 full. Combine the cinnamon and 1 cup sugar. Sprinkle half over the batter then top with the remaining bread batter (layered effect). Top the bread batter with the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture. Swirl the batter with a knife and sprinkle with nuts. Bake 45-55 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing the bread to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Dill Kefir Bread

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Flour • 4 tsp Baking Powder • 3 tbsp Organic Sugar (can use Rapadura or Sucanat) • ¼ cup Fresh Dill (can substitute 2 tsp. dried dill) • 2 tsp Dried Dill • 1 ½ tsp Baking Soda • ½ tsp Salt • ½ tsp Pepper • 1 ½ cups Kefir (approximate)

12-24 hours prior to making bread, mix the flour and kefir together. Cover and allow the flour to soak. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add the baking powder, sugar, dill, baking soda, salt and pepper to the flour and kefir mixture. Mix just until ingredients are combined and a soft dough forms. Place dough into a 9”x5” greased pan. Bake for 50 minutes until golden brown. Best if served warm. If you have leftovers, this bread makes wonderful croutons.

Blueberry Kefir Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Sifted Flour: White Flour, Whole Wheat Pastry Flour or combination • 1/2 cup Organic Sugar • 1 teaspoon Salt • 1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda • 2 1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder • 1/4 cup Melted Butter or Coconut Oil • 1 Egg, beaten • 1 cup Kefir • 1 cup Blueberries (frozen or fresh) 12 hours prior to baking, combine the flour and kefir. Cover the bowl and allow the flour to soak. When ready to bake muffins, preheat the oven to 425°. Add the other ingredients except the blueberries and stir to combine. Do not over mix. Gently fold in the blueberries. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake 20-25 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

Oatmeal Kefir Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Rolled Oats • 1 cup White Flour or Whole Wheat Pastry Flour (or combination) • 1 cup Kefir • 1 egg • 1/4 cup Honey • 1/2 teaspoon Salt • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda • 1/3 cup Melted Butter, Ghee or Coconut Oil 12 hours prior to baking, combine the oats, flour, and kefir. Cover the bowl and allow the grains to soak. When ready to bake muffins, preheat the oven to 425°. Add the other ingredients and stir to combine. Do not over mix. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake 15-20 minutes until the muffins are set and lightly browned. Makes 12 muffins.

Variation: Add 1/4 cup dried cranberries and 1/4 cup chopped pecans.

Whole Grain Kefir Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup Whole Wheat Flour • ¼ cup Oat Bran • 1 tbsp Cornmeal • 1 tbsp Brown Sugar (can substitute raw honey or agave) • 1 ½ tsp Baking Powder • ¼ tsp Baking Soda • ¼ tsp Salt • 1 cup Kefir • 2 large eggs, separated • 2 tbsp Grapeseed Oil, Sunflower Oil or melted Coconut Oil

12-24 hours prior to making pancakes, mix the flour and kefir together. Cover and allow the flour to soak. When you are ready to make the pancakes, mix the egg yolks and oil together. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Mix the oat bran, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and baking soda into the flour and kefir mixture. Stir in the egg yolk and oil mixture. Fold in the egg whites.

Lightly coat a skillet with butter or coconut oil and set over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, cook the pancakes using about ¼ cup batter for each. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Serve with butter, fruit and/or real organic maple syrup. Makes 12 pancakes.

Apple Cinnamon Kefir Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Kefir • 1 tbsp Melted Coconut Oil, Sunflower Oil or Grapeseed Oil • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract • ½ cup Oats, ground in blender or food processor (can substitute ½ cup flour) • ½ cup Flour • 1 Egg • 1 tbsp Butter, melted • 1 tbsp Raw Honey or Agave • 1 tsp Baking Powder • ¼ tsp Baking Soda • ¼ - ½ tsp Salt (to taste) • ¼ - ½ tsp Cinnamon (to taste) • 1 small apple, chopped • Chopped Nuts (optional)

12-24 hours prior to making pancakes, mix the flour, oats and kefir together (easier if done in a blender). Cover and allow the flour to soak. When ready to make the pancakes, mix in the oil and vanilla. Add the egg, melted butter and honey. Blend until smooth—do not over blend. Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt cinnamon and apple. Blend just until mixed. Drop ¼ cup for each pancake on a hot griddle greased lightly with coconut oil or butter. Top the baking pancake batter with a few chopped nuts if desired. Makes 12 pancakes.

Dessert Recipes

Kefir Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Kefir (can substitute yogurt, buttermilk or whole milk) • 1 cup Kefir Cream made with Heavy Cream (can substitute non-kefired Heavy Cream) • 2 eggs • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract • ¾ cup Organic Sugar (can use raw honey or agave but reduce the amount by approximately 40%)

Beat eggs together well then beat in sugar (start with a conservative amount of sweetener and add in small increments to taste; keep in mind that the finished ice cream will be slightly less sweet than the kefir mixture before it’s frozen). Blend in the kefir cream and vanilla. Transfer to the ice cream maker and follow the instructions that came with the machine.

Variations: • Chocolate: Add 2/3 cup Organic Cocoa Powder. Increase the amount of sweetener to taste. • Strawberry: Add ½ to 1 cup crushed strawberries. • Mint: Decrease the amount of vanilla extract and add 1-3 tsp. Mint Extract. If desired, add organic dark chocolate chips or a 3 oz. organic dark chocolate bar, chopped. • Turtle: Add toasted organic unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted organic pecans and organic dark chocolate chips or a 3 oz. organic dark chocolate bar, chopped. Drizzle with raw honey or homemade caramel sauce.

Soft Kefir Cookies

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Butter or Coconut Oil • ½ cup Organic Sugar (Rapadura or Sucanat work well) • ¼ cup Organic Brown Sugar • 1 Egg • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract • ½ cup Kefir (can substitute yogurt or buttermilk) • ½ tsp Baking Soda • 1 ¼ cup Flour

12-24 hours prior to making cookies, mix the flour and kefir together. Cover and allow the flour to soak. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Beat together butter, sugar and brown sugar until the mixture is fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix well. Add the mixture to the flour and kefir mixture. Add the baking soda and mix just until blended. Drop dough onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. Sprinkle the cookies with cinnamon sugar prior to baking if desired.

Kefir Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Organic Sugar (Rapadura or Sucanat work well) • 1 cup Coconut Oil, Palm Shortening (non-hydrogenated) or Butter • 2 Eggs • 1 ½ cups Kefir (can substitute yogurt or buttermilk) • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract • 4 cups Flour • 1 tsp Salt • 1 tsp Baking Soda • 1+ cup Chocolate Chips or Chunks (we prefer to use an organic 73% cocoa bar cut into chunks)

12-24 hours prior to making cookies, mix the flour and kefir together. Cover and allow the flour to soak. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream together the Coconut Oil/Shortening/Butter with the sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add the flour and kefir mixture. Add the salt and baking soda. Mix just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips/chunks. Drop dough onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.

Kefir Desse rt Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Kefir Cream or Strained Kefir (see Dairy recipe section; can substitute strained yogurt) • 1 tsp Vanilla • ¼ cup sugar, honey or agave (to taste)

Blend all ingredients. Cover and chill at least an hour in the refrigerator before serving. Serve over fruit, cake, etc.

Non-Dairy coconut Kefir Recipes

Coconut milk makes a wonderful alternative to cow or goat Milk Kefir. Kefir made with coconut milk can be substituted f or the Milk Kefir called for in the recipes in this eBook.

Coconut Milk Kefir

Ingredients:

• Coconut Milk • Milk Kefir Grains

Add the Milk Kefir Grains to the coconut milk and allow the milk to culture for 12-48 hours until the desired consistency and taste is achieved. Remove the kefir grains and place the kefir grains in fresh milk. Milk Kefir Grains can be used repeatedly in coconut milk but should be returned to cow or goat milk occasionally to revitalize them. Coconut Milk Kefir can be used in place of regular Milk Kefir in all the recipes in this eBook. Coconut Milk Kefir is also a wonderful addition to your morning coffee.

Coconut Milk Kefir Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Coconut Milk Kefir • 3-6+ tbsp. Raw Honey * • 1-3 tsp. Vanilla Extract Blend the coconut Milk Kefir, raw honey and vanilla extract well. Place in an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. *

Start with a conservative amount of honey and increase the amount to taste. Remember that once the ice cream is frozen, it will be a bit less sweet than the original mixture. Variations: • Chocolate: Add 2/3 cup Organic Cocoa Powder. Increase the amount of honey to taste. • Strawberry: Add ½ to 1 cup crushed strawberries. • Mint: Decrease amount of vanilla extract and add 1-3 tsp. Mint Extract. If desired, add organic dark chocolate ships or a 3 oz. organic dark chocolate bar, chopped. • Turtle: Add toasted organic unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted organic pecans and organic dark chocolate chips or a 3 oz. organic dark chocolate bar, chopped. Drizzle with raw honey or homemade caramel sauce.

Water Kefir Recipes The following recipes use Water Kefir Grains , a dairy-free, vega n alterna tive to Milk Kefir Grains. Water Kefir Grains can be cultured in sugar water, coconut water, or fruit juice.

Coconut Wate r Kefir

Ingredients:

• Coconut Water • Water Kefir Grains

Place the Water Kefir Grains in coconut water and allow the mixture to culture for 24-48 hours. You will generally need 3 tablespoons Water Kefir Grains to culture up to 2 quarts of coconut water. Remove the grains and drink the coconut Water Kefir as is or flavor it with fruit (fresh or dried), fruit juice or flavor extracts (e.g. vanilla extract).

Blueberry-Pomegranate Water Kefir

Ingredients:

• 1.75 quarts Water Kefir • 1 cup Blueberry-Pomegranate Juice

Mix the Water Kefir and juice together. Chill and serve immediately or bottle the mixture in an air tight container (such as a Grolsch-style bottle) for 24-72 hours (use caution when opening the bottle as the contents will be under pressure).

Grape Juice Kefir

Ingredients:

• 2 quarts Organic Grape Juice • 3 tbsp Water Kefir Grains

Add the Water Kefir Grains to the grape juice, cover (a towel or paper coffee filter works well) and allow the mixture to ferment for 12-72 hours. After the juice has fermented, remove the kefir grains. Chill the kefir and serve immediately or bottle the mixture in an air tight container (such as a Grolsch-style bottle) for 24-72 hours (use caution when opening the bottle as the contents will be under pressure).

Please note, the amount of sugar contained in the juice is sufficient to yield a decent amount of alcohol so please use caution when consuming. If making this drink for children, we strongly recommend only fermenting for 12-24 hours and using good parental judgment when determining if this is an appropriate beverage for your children.

Juice tends to be very hard on Water Kefir Grains. We recommend either waiting until your Water Kefir Grains multiply (being cultured in sugar water) so you can split them into two sets or keeping a second set of Water Kefir Grains just for using with juice.

Water Kefir Lemonade Ingredients:

• 2 quarts Water Kefir • ½ cup Lemon Juice

Mix the Water Kefir and juice together. Chill and serve immediately or bottle the mixture in an air tight container (such as a Grolsch-style flip-top bottle) for 24-72 hours (use caution when opening the bottle as the contents will be under pressure).

Water Kefir Smoothie Use Water Kefir as the liquid base in your favorite smoothie recipe.

Cherry Water Kefir

Ingredients:

• 1.75 quarts Water Kefir • 1 cup Cherry Juice

Mix the Water Kefir and juice together. Chill and serve immediately or bottle the mixture in an air tight container (such as a Grolsch-style flip top bottle) for 24-72 hours (use caution when opening the bottle as the contents will be under pressure).

Raspberry Juice Kefir

Ingredients:

• 2 quarts Organic Rasberry Juice • 3 tbsp Water Kefir Grains

Add the Water Kefir Grains to the grape juice, cover (a towel or paper coffee filter works well) and allow the mixture to ferment for 12-72 hours. After the juice has fermented, remove the kefir grains. Chill the kefir and serve immediately or bottle the mixture in an air tight container (such as a Grolsch-style bottle) for 24-72 hours (use caution when opening the bottle as the contents will be under pressure).



Orange Zest Water Kefir

Ingredients:

• Water Kefir • Orange Zest Add the kefir grains and several strips of organic orange zest (not the juice) to a standard batch of sugar water. It is important to use an organic orange to avoid exposing the kefir grains to pesticides. Allow the Water Kefir Grains to culture 24-48 hours. Remove and discard the orange zest. Remove the kefir grains and serve the kefir cold.

Cream Soda Wate r Kefir

Ingredients:

• 2 quarts Water Kefir • 1 – 3 tbsp Real Vanilla Extract

Mix the Water Kefir and vanilla together. Chill and serve.

Herbal Infusion Water Kefir Mix one part finished Water Kefir (kefir grains removed) with one part herbal infusion (e.g. Nettle Leaf, Red Raspberry Leaf, etc.). Herbal infusions can be made by combining a handful of fresh or dried herbs with one quart boiling water. Allow the herb and water mixture to sit for 6+ hours. Be sure the herbal infusion is completely cooled prior to mixing it with the finished Water Kefir.

Fruit Flavored Water Kefir

Ingredients:

• Water Kefir • Fresh, frozen, or dried fruit Make Water Kefir and remove the kefir grains. Add fresh, frozen, or dried fruit to the Water Kefir. If using fresh or frozen fruit, change the fruit out every 24 hours; dried fruit can be changed out as infrequently as once a week. Allow the fruit and kefir to sit for 1-7 days. Remove and discard the fruit. Please note, Water Kefir can be cultured and flavored it at the same time by having both fruit and kefir grains sitting in the sugar water. If using this method be sure to use low acidic fruits (i.e. avoid pineapple, orange, etc.) and confine either the kefir grains or the fruit in a small cloth bag to avoid the disintegrating fruit becoming intertwined with the kefir grains. Be sure to keep the cloth bag submerged in the liquid to avoid attracting mold!

Apple Juice Kefir

Ingredients:

• 2 quarts Organic Apple Juice • 3 tbsp Water Kefir Grains

Add the Water Kefir Grains to the apple juice, cover (a towel or paper coffee filter works well) and allow the mixture to ferment for 12-72 hours. After the juice has fermented, remove the kefir grains. Chill the kefir and serve immediately or bottle the mixture in an air tight container (such as a Grolsch-style flip top bottle) for 24-72 hours (use caution when opening the bottle as the contents will be under pressure).



Water Kefir “Soda”

Once the primary fermentation period is complete and the kefir grains have been removed, if you wish to add flavorings (juice, fruit, etc.) there are advantages to taking the time to allow the now-flavored Water Kefir a second round of fermentation. A second fermentation period allows the flavors to meld and achieve a deeper and more complex flavor profile. Further, if bottled in an airtight container (see below), the live yeast and bacteria in the kefir will continue to consume the sugar that remained after the primary fermentation process was completed and the culture was removed, along with any sugar from juice or fruit added for flavor. A by-product of fermentation is that the sugar is turned into carbon dioxide giving the Water Kefir a fizzy texture.

Instructions f or a Second Fermentation Period:

• Remove the kefir grains from the finished Water Kefir • Add the desired flavoring and mix to combine • Bottle the flavored Water Kefir in air-tight bottles (see below) • Allow the Water Kefir to remain bottled for 2-14 days at room temperature. • Once the secondary fermentation process is complete, the Water Kefir can be strained of the fruit or herbs if desired. The liquid can then be rebottled and stored on the counter or in the fridge.

Choosing bottles for Water Kefir. We recommend choosing glass bottles for storing Water Kefir. Technically stainless steel can be used but we find that glass is the least problematic material. We do not recommend using plastic. Plastic can be scratched or damaged and can harbor bacteria that can contaminate the Water Kefir. Plastic may also react to the acidic nature of the Water Kefir. While essentially any glass container with a lid can be used to store Water Kefir, to obtain the best level of carbon dioxide, which gives Water Kefir its characteristic fizzy texture, it is important to bottle Water Kefir in truly airtight bottles. For example, canning jars make wonderful storage vessels for finished Water Kefir but they are not truly airtight and carbon dioxide will leak from them resulting in flat-tasting Water Kefir. Better options include Grolsch-style (fliptop) bottles or old wine bottles fitted with new corks. Both adequately contain the building gas and keep the Water Kefir better carbonated.

Use caution when opening the bottle. Creation of carbon dioxide during the secondary fermentation period means the contents of the bottle will be under pressure and caution should be used when opening the bottle. We recommend covering the bottle with a cloth to catch any spraying liquid and to open the bottle slowly while applying downward pressure.

Kefir Recipes

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