Eating Right: Water Kefir

I love Kefir. I've made my own yogurt for years and after my honeymoon in Greece, came back with the idea of straining yogurt long before "Greek yogurt" was the fad it is today. Making yogurt takes time and the way my children eat, my evenings can be filled just making yogurt.

I am looking for an easy solution with yogurt's similar healthy probiotic nutrition. My research told me that Kefir was a fermented product that would "cure" right on my pantry shelf. That is certainly something that I can do. I envision no more washing pans from heating milk, no more watching the temperature to make sure its reached the right cooling temperature and no more fridge full of small yogurt containers.

Though Milk Kefir is what I eventually want to make, I thought starting with Water Kefir would be an option to take soft drinks off my kids "most wanted" list. A healthy, bubbly drink Water Kefir is also full of healthy probiotics as well minerals, enzymes, easily-digestible sugars, beneficial acids and vitamins such as a range of B vitamins, vitamin K as well as folic acid.  

Kefir means "feel good" in Turkish. The  correct pronunciation for Kefir is  "Kuh- fear" though I've been guilty of pronouncing is as "Kee-fer") This fermented product is made from a combination of a yeast and bacteria that forms a culture.  Here is a history of Water Kefir, if you are interested.

I didn't know anyone that was making Kefir so I bought my Water Kefir grains from Yemoos Nourishing Grains. 

I also bought Milk Kefir and Ginger Beer grains. With my existing sourdough starter (that did come from a friend) my pantry is a bubbling, yeasting science experiment of healthy goodness!

We'll find out how it all turns out.

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