Milk Kefir delicious, healhy & homemade

Cultures For Health is a U.S. based company which provides information about homemade probiotics, and which sells a variety of products, including the various cultures, to allow someone to make their own home-fermented foods. Signing up for their e-newsletter provides you with links to eight free e-books providing instructions, information, and recipes for various different fermented foods. This is their book on Kefir. Learn how to make homemade milk kefir. Our Milk Kefir eBook features - 155 pages including 35 recipes - What is Kefir? - How to Make Dairy Kefir - How to Use Dairy Kefir - Creamy Herb Kefir Dressing - Blue Cheese and Walnut Kefir Dip - Chocolate Kefir Bread - Oatmeal Kefir Muffins - Kefir Ice Cream - Plus 30 more recipes using kefir INTRODUCTION TO KEFIR History .................................................................................................................................................... 12 Names and Pronunciations ................................................................................................................... 13 How it Works .......................................................................................................................................... 13 Basic Nutritional Information................................................................................................................ 14 Composition of Milk Kefir Grains: Bacteria & Yeasts............................................................................. 16 The Difference Between Yogurt and Kefir.............. 18 Incubation Type ..................................................................................................................................... 18 Types of Bacteria Present...................................................................................................................... 19 Kefir Contains Yeasts ............................................................................................................................. 19 Texture & Flavor..................................................................................................................................... 19 Choosing a Kefir Culture: Grains vs. Powdered Starter........................................................................ 20 Kefir Grains and Kefir Starter: What They Have in Common................................................................ 20 Bacteria Strains...................................................................................................................................... 20 Reusability.............................................................................................................................................. 21 Culture Care............................................................................................................................................ 21 Cost......................................................................................................................................................... 22 Bottom Line............................................................................................................................................ 22 Using Kefir in Everyday Recipes ........................... 23 Even More Creative Ways to Use Dairy Kefir ......................................................................................... 24 Savory..................................................................................................................................................... 25 Sweet...................................................................................................................................................... 26 Kefir: The Sustainable Dairying Culture ................ 28 MILK KEFIR from Cultures for Health 5 | P a g e Milk Kefir................................................................................................................................................. 29 Kefired Sour Cream................................................................................................................................ 29 Kefir Butter............................................................................................................................................. 30 Soft Kefir Cheese .................................................................................................................................... 30 Hard Kefir Cheese................................................................................................................................... 30 Next Up................................................................................................................................................... 31 INTRODUCTION TO KEFIR Rehydrating Milk Kefir Grains .............................. 33 Prepare the Rehydration Solution ........................................................................................................ 33 Activating the Kefir Grains ..................................................................................................................... 34 Signs the Rehydration Process is Complete ......................................................................................... 35 Signs of Problems during Rehydration ................................................................................................. 35 Kefir Culturing Containers ..................................................................................................................... 37 Covering the Culturing Container.......................................................................................................... 39 Other Optional Supplies for Making Dairy Kefir.................................................................................... 39 Animal Milk vs. Alternative Milks ........................................................................................................... 40 Fat Content............................................................................................................................................. 41 Homogenization..................................................................................................................................... 41 Pasteurized vs. Raw ............................................................................................................................... 41 Negative Effects of Freezing .................................................................................................................. 43 How This Affects Your Cultured Dairy Products.................................................................................... 44 Next Up................................................................................................................................................... 45 Prepare the Rehydration Solution ........................................................................................................ 45 Activating the Kefir Grains ..................................................................................................................... 45 MILK KEFIR from Cultures for Health 6 | P a g e Signs the Rehydration Process is Complete ......................................................................................... 45 Signs of Problems During Rehydration................................................................................................. 45 Next Steps............................................................................................................................................... 45 HOW TO MAKE MILK KEFIR The Basic Process ............................................... 47 Culturing the Kefir.................................................................................................................................. 47 How to Know It Worked ......................................................................................................................... 48 Normal Variations vs. Signs of Problems .............................................................................................. 49 Harvesting the Kefir ............................................................................................................................... 51 How to Make Kefir.................................................................................................................................. 54 Signs the Kefir is Done Culturing ........................................................................................................... 55 Reculturing the Kefir.............................................................................................................................. 55 Why Some Choose Goat Milk over Cow Milk ......................................................................................... 58 Is There a Difference in Procedure?....................................................................................................... 59 How to Make Goat Kefir ......................................................................................................................... 59 Coconut Milk Kefir.................................................................................................................................. 61 Coconut Water Kefir............................................................................................................................... 62 Water Kefir.............................................................................................................................................. 62 Ideas for Using Coconut Milk Kefir: ....................................................................................................... 65 Reducing the Lactose Content of Kefir.................. 66 What is Lactose?..................................................................................................................................... 66 Lactose in Kefir....................................................................................................................................... 66 How to Lower the Lactose Content of Kefir .......................................................................................... 67 MILK KEFIR from Cultures for Health 7 | P a g e BITS AND BOBS How to Take a Break from Making Kefir................ 71 Encouraging Milk Kefir Grains to Multiply ............. 71 Give Them an Optimal Temperature..................................................................................................... 72 Feed Them What They Need.................................................................................................................. 72 Feed Them Frequently........................................................................................................................... 72 Keep the Grains Smaller ........................................................................................................................ 73 Straining Kefir: Thick Kefir and Kefir Whey ........... 74 How to Strain Kefir................................................................................................................................. 74 Ways to Use Whey .................................................................................................................................. 74 Flavoring Milk Kefir............................................. 77 What is a Second Fermentation?........................................................................................................... 77 What are the Flavor Benefits of a Second Fermentation?.................................................................... 78 What are the Other Benefits of a Second Fermentation?..................................................................... 78 What Flavor Additions Can I Make in the Second Fermentation? ........................................................ 78 Troubleshooting & FAQ ....................................... 80 General ................................................................................................................................................... 80 Milk Kefir Grains ..................................................................................................................................... 88 HOW TO USE KEFIR Five Ways to Use Kefir......................................... 99 MILK KEFIR from Cultures for Health 8 | P a g e Salad Dressing........................................................................................................................................ 99 Ice Cream................................................................................................................................................ 99 Soup........................................................................................................................................................ 99 Smoothies ............................................................................................................................................ 100 Baking: Cakes, Breads and Muffins ..................................................................................................... 100 How to Use Kefir to Start Sourdough .................. 101 Make a Kefir Sourdough Starter .......................................................................................................... 101 Use Milk Kefir Directly as the Sourdough Starter................................................................................ 102 Benefits of Using Kefir as Leavening ................................................................................................... 102 The Amazing Variety of Kefir Dairy Products ....... 103 Kefir Sour Cream.................................................................................................................................. 103 Kefir Cream Cheese.............................................................................................................................. 103 Kefir Butter........................................................................................................................................... 104 Soft Kefir Cheese .................................................................................................................................. 104 Hard Kefir Cheese................................................................................................................................. 104 A Complete Guide to Cultured Smoothies............ 106 The Smoothie Base .............................................................................................................................. 106 Add-Ins.................................................................................................................................................. 107 Recipes ................................................................................................................................................. 107 Make Extra for Popsicles...................................................................................................................... 108 RECIPES Dips ................................................................. 110 MILK KEFIR from Cultures for Health 9 | P a g e Cultured Dairy Onion Dip..................................................................................................................... 110 Cultured Dairy Dill Dip.......................................................................................................................... 112 Cultured Dairy Ranch Dip..................................................................................................................... 114 Creamy Kefir Horseradish Dip ............................................................................................................. 116 Kefir Artichoke Dip ............................................................................................................................... 117 Turkish Kefir Dip................................................................................................................................... 118 Kefir Ranch Dip..................................................................................................................................... 119 Sundried Tomato, Basil, Hazelnut, and Kefir Dip ............................................................................... 120 Blue Cheese and Walnut Kefir Dip....................................................................................................... 121 Flavored Kefir Drinks ........................................ 122 Kefir Eggnog ......................................................................................................................................... 122 Chai-Spiced Milk Kefir.......................................................................................................................... 124 Pancakes ......................................................... 125 Apple Cinnamon Kefir Pancakes Recipe ............................................................................................. 125 Cultured Dairy Soaked Gluten-free Buckwheat Pancakes ................................................................. 127 Salads.............................................................. 129 Creamy Orange Kefir Fruit Salad......................................................................................................... 129 Kefir Cucumber Salad .......................................................................................................................... 131 Smoothies........................................................ 132 Instant Probiotic Smoothie ................................................................................................................. 132 Cranberry Smoothie............................................................................................................................. 134 Apple Pie Smoothie.............................................................................................................................. 135 Banana Smoothie ................................................................................................................................ 136 MILK KEFIR from Cultures for Health 10 | P a g e Basic Fruit Smoothie............................................................................................................................ 137 Blueberry Smoothie............................................................................................................................. 138 Healthy Smoothie ................................................................................................................................ 139 Orange Smoothie ................................................................................................................................. 140 Pumpkin Smoothie .............................................................................................................................. 141 Mango Smoothie.................................................................................................................................. 142 Watermelon Smoothie......................................................................................................................... 143 Tropical Smoothie................................................................................................................................ 144 Cantaloupe Kefir Smoothie ................................................................................................................. 145 Peachy Kefir Smoothie......................................................................................................................... 146 Tasty Treats ..................................................... 147 Kefir Ice Cream Recipe......................................................................................................................... 147 Chocolate Kefir Popsicles Recipe ........................................................................................................ 149 Cultured Ice Cream (and how to make it without a machine) ........................................................... 150 Kefir Dessert Sauce Recipe .................................................................................................................. 152 Whipped Cultured Cream to Top Your Dessert................................................................................... 153 Make a Cultured Enzyme-rich Breakfast Parfait................................................................................. 155