Kefir!

I've been trying to write this post for quite some time now. I need to share the Kefir love. I was given some grains by a friend when I was only first mildly interested. Since then,  it has done nothing but impress me.

Kefir grains look like tiny heads of cauliflower. You put them in a sugary liquid and they eat up the sugar and  turn the liquid it into an effervescent, slightly alcoholic beverage that's actually good for you! Packed with millions of probiotics, tons of vitamins, minerals and yeast, it has been heralded as nothing less than a superfood. It cleans out the digestive system and helps your body absorb nutrients better, run more efficiently, improve immunity, curb unhealthy cravings and has a calming effect on nerves.

Dairy Kefir's sugar of choice is lactose. It thrives in any type of milk. Which is great because my son is allergic to cow's milk so I can make him his own out of goat's milk. If you're lactose intolerant you could probably still eat dairy kefir, as the grains pretty much eat all the lactose.

Anyways, all you have to do is throw the grains in a jar, fill it partway with milk and wait a day or 2.  Just as it starts to separate, strain off the "whey" and collect the curds.  Don't use a metal strainer, I use cheesecloth.
When I first made kefir I let it separate much to long. It gave it a sour, vinager taste. Now that I strain it on time it tastes pretty much like plain yogurt. I like to mix it in smoothies or with juice. My son LOVES it. Even plain.

Water kefir is a little different. It thrives on just plain water and sugar. Some people add molasses, lemon, ginger, banana, all kinds of things! My personal favourite is just putting it in straight grape juice. It comes out tasting much like a sweet wine or champagne, really, since it's fizzy. I don't have actual water kefir grains. I just converted my milk grains.

I'm thrilled to have found this because growing up I was on antibiotics. A lot. My immune system is fairly shot. So I'm working really hard to get my daily intake of kefir. (I think they say 8 oz a day? But work your way up to that.)
I'm 100% willing to share my grains with anyone, since they do grow and multiply. I'm starting to notice this lol. And the more grains you have the faster it ferments the liquid so. Lemme know if you want some! :)