Kefir is cultured milk, similar to yogurt. I worked at a deli that made plain and fruit kefir and it was made by culturing the milk typically for one day(milk plus kefir starter packet), then blending it with whole fruit and honey to sweeten it. So it is a raw food, but traditionally not vegan. I never tried it where I worked since they made it with cows milk, but I've heard great things about coconut, nut and seed milk kefirs. Gabriel cousens has recipes for it and as soon as I get some coconuts I'm gonna brew one up! It's incredibly beneficial as it helps to colonize your gut, awesome for candida suffers out there! Hope that answers your questions...
Another problem is the kefir starter isn't vegan either... sorry
Coconut pulp and water blended until combined will ferment in the refrigerator or just leave it on the counter top, then you have your own version to flavor as you desire... smile
BTW... I store mine in a glass canning jar for fermenting...
Waterbaby- thanks for the coconut recipe. Yeah I forgot to mention that kefir starter is generally not vegan. I think there's one I came across that was...the brand has slipped my mind though...
Chiffon- cool site! Thanks for the link. the recipies look promising.
True kefir is cultured using kefir grains which look like lumps of cauliflower not starter. Starter isn't self-replicating and supposedly doesn't have the same range of pro-biotics. Water kefir is a completely different grain that's looks like little crystals. It grows in a water and sugar/juice combo. You can use milk kefir grains to make water kefir but they will never turn into water grains. Personally I don't like the taste of water kefir. It's just a little too dry wine flavored for me but milk kefir grains can be used for coconut or nut milks. The only thing is they stop replicating when not used in regular milk, so eventually you'd have to replace them. I made a variety of yogurts, kefirs, sourdoughs, and kombucha for a couple of years but I just stick mostly to kefir now. I've been meaning to start a gallon of kombucha for a while. I have a mother left that may still be good. If you're looking for good cultures you should join one of the groups on yahoo and find someone who has extra or for kombucha just grow your own mother from GT.
Randommara- So you can make kefir with kombucha? I'm brewing some at the moment and have several mothers..how exactly would i make kefir from it? Thanks for clearing the whole thing up for me.
Actually I asked at the health food store. It is to make fizzy fruit drinks with bacteria. You use the fruit kefir grains and put them in a liter of water with 8 sugar cubes and the juice of one lemon or the fruit of your choice.
I guess they are calling it fruit kefir instead of kumbucha culture. And it is 6 euros! Pretty expensive.
But will it help with constipation? I am having problems after a dry fast (12 hours). I did not ease back into food, I should have just had fruit. Now I am scared to eat more, not even hungry. It has been two days with minimal movement.
I'm thinking of going to get a bottle of kumbucha....
sharing raw, vegan recipes and advice
I think it's a raw yogurt drink. It's not vegan. Pretty sure that's what it is...
Not sure if it's really really raw though.
Kefir is cultured milk, similar to yogurt. I worked at a deli that made plain and fruit kefir and it was made by culturing the milk typically for one day(milk plus kefir starter packet), then blending it with whole fruit and honey to sweeten it. So it is a raw food, but traditionally not vegan. I never tried it where I worked since they made it with cows milk, but I've heard great things about coconut, nut and seed milk kefirs. Gabriel cousens has recipes for it and as soon as I get some coconuts I'm gonna brew one up! It's incredibly beneficial as it helps to colonize your gut, awesome for candida suffers out there! Hope that answers your questions...
Another problem is the kefir starter isn't vegan either... sorry
Coconut pulp and water blended until combined will ferment in the refrigerator or just leave it on the counter top, then you have your own version to flavor as you desire... smile
BTW... I store mine in a glass canning jar for fermenting...
Hi everyone
This water kefir recipe seems interesting
http://www.weim.net/homeovet/Docs/water%20kefir.pdf
Waterbaby- thanks for the coconut recipe. Yeah I forgot to mention that kefir starter is generally not vegan. I think there's one I came across that was...the brand has slipped my mind though...
Chiffon- cool site! Thanks for the link. the recipies look promising.
True kefir is cultured using kefir grains which look like lumps of cauliflower not starter. Starter isn't self-replicating and supposedly doesn't have the same range of pro-biotics. Water kefir is a completely different grain that's looks like little crystals. It grows in a water and sugar/juice combo. You can use milk kefir grains to make water kefir but they will never turn into water grains. Personally I don't like the taste of water kefir. It's just a little too dry wine flavored for me but milk kefir grains can be used for coconut or nut milks. The only thing is they stop replicating when not used in regular milk, so eventually you'd have to replace them. I made a variety of yogurts, kefirs, sourdoughs, and kombucha for a couple of years but I just stick mostly to kefir now. I've been meaning to start a gallon of kombucha for a while. I have a mother left that may still be good. If you're looking for good cultures you should join one of the groups on yahoo and find someone who has extra or for kombucha just grow your own mother from GT.
Randommara- So you can make kefir with kombucha? I'm brewing some at the moment and have several mothers..how exactly would i make kefir from it? Thanks for clearing the whole thing up for me.
Actually I asked at the health food store. It is to make fizzy fruit drinks with bacteria. You use the fruit kefir grains and put them in a liter of water with 8 sugar cubes and the juice of one lemon or the fruit of your choice.
It ferments into a fizzy drink.
I guess they are calling it fruit kefir instead of kumbucha culture. And it is 6 euros! Pretty expensive.
But will it help with constipation? I am having problems after a dry fast (12 hours). I did not ease back into food, I should have just had fruit. Now I am scared to eat more, not even hungry. It has been two days with minimal movement.
I'm thinking of going to get a bottle of kumbucha....
Vidéo to learn how to make the Kéfir.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xal6rz_kefir-user-guide-how-to-...