KUDOS FOR KEFIR

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

Once you've mastered the art of making your own kefir, however, don't just use the body-building food by itself ...cook with it! Kefir makes a fine substitute for the dairy ingredients commonly used in many salad dressings, pie fillings, and soups. To begin, you might want to try out the recipes printed below ... then go on to work out a few "experiments" of your own. You'll undoubtedly find that-with its creamy, slightly fizzy taste-kefir adds a special zip to any dish ...while supplying even more nutrition than does fresh whole milk!

To make a healthful "smoothie", blend together 1 cup of kefir, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and 1 cup of chopped fruit (such as bananas, berries, or cantaloupe). For a combination shake, use a mixture of fruits ... or add one kind of fresh fruit (or its juice) to store-bought kefir that's already flavored in a complementary taste.

Kefir can also grace your breakfast table, believe it or not. Pour the creamy substance over a bowl of granola or hot whole grain cereal ...or add it to your favorite recipe for whole wheat pancakes or waffles. If you're in a hurry in the morning, a glass of plain kefir-with a little honey added and some wheat germ sprinkled over it-is about the most nutritious and satisfying quick breakfast you could have.

Fermented cultured milk makes a delicious base for salad dressings, too. Combine 1 cup of kefir with a tablespoon of vinegar, a teaspoon of lemon juice, and dashes of such seasonings as sea salt, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, cumin, basil, parsley, and chives. (For a thicker dressing, you might want to add 1/4 cup each of mayonnaise and ketchup to the recipe.) Put all the ingredients in a tightly sealed jar and shake them until they're thoroughly blended.

Kefir can even be a welcome addition to many soups. It's usually possible to simply substitute the cultured liquid for any water, milk, or stock that's called for in your favorite recipe ...but here are a couple of specific ideas you might like to try. Kefir gazpacho is a delightful variation of the traditional Spanish vegetable soup. First peel, seed, and chop a cucumber. Then buzz it in a blender together with 2 cups of kefir, 1 teaspoon of tamari, and a crushed garlic clove. Next, peel and chop 3 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, and stir them-along with a small diced onion, 2 tablespoons of chives, 1/2 teaspoon of dill, and a dash of cayenne pepper-into the pureed kefir mixture. Chill the gazpacho for several hours (until the flavors are well blended), and then garnish it with more chopped tomatoes, chives, or parsley before serving.

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print