Invest In Your Health:
Kefir
You are probably wondering, “What on earth is Kefir?” Well, I’m glad you asked. 8)
Kefir is a cultured milk beverage that comes from the Northern Caucasus Mountains. The word comes from the Turkish work “keif” which means “good feeling.” The people there have been drinking it for hundreds of years. The drink itself is like a cross between buttermilk and yogurt with a slightly tart taste and is sometimes effervescent. It smells slightly yeasty.
Kefir is easy to digest and helps strengthen your gut to be able ward off any bad bacteria trying to take up residence there. Kefir is probiotic and contains several major strains of friendly bacteria not commonly found in yogurt, Lactobacillus Caucasus, Leuconostoc, Acetobacter species, Streptococcus species and more. Kefir is rich in vitamins B1, B12, K and phosphorus.
According to Body Ecology, when used regularly, the naturally occurring bacteria and yeast in kefir combine symbiotically to replenish our intestinal flora and boost our immunity. Among its many restorative powers, kefir will:
People who normally cannot drink dairy products can digest kefir because it breaks down the lactase in the milk. (My husband and children who are sensitive to dairy do fine with the kefir.)
Traditional kefir is made using kefir grains (a small gelatinous particle that resembles cauliflower) to culture any kind of milk (except soy milk) at room temperature. It takes 12 to 24 hours for the milk to be transformed into kefir. There are also kefir powders available and kefir is also available in health food stores in the dairy section. Kefir made from the grains is by far the healthiest choice offered and it is so easy to make. The kefir grains multiply and soon you’ll have enough to share with your friends.
There are some great websites that you can find out more about kefir. My favorite is Dom’s Kefir Site http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html. Dom also has a yahoo group list from which you can attain kefir grains.
Invest in your health and add kefir to your daily diet.
Recipe:
Kefir Pancakes
By: Krystal Bickel
Makes 16 pancakes
2 cups spelt flour -- freshly ground
1 teaspoon baking powder -- aluminum free
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon honey
2 eggs
2 cups kefir
4 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
Sift dry ingredients in a large bowl
Separate the eggs. Whisk the whites into the kefir and the yolks into the coconut oil. Mix all the wet ingredients together.
Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients stirring just enough to combine. Let soak for a few minutes.
Heat griddle or skillet to 350 degrees. Pour 1/4 cup of batter per pancakes. Cook for 2 minutes per side.
Variations:
Use whole wheat flour
Blueberry pancakes: sprinkle blueberries on each pancake while cooking on the first side
Banana Walnut pancakes: Add 1 cup mashed bananas & sprinkle each pancake with walnuts
You could easily double this recipe and flash freeze the leftovers for delicious pancakes another day.
Copyright 2005 Binary Kingdom Enterprises