Milk Kefir

Milk Kefir

If you're a regular reader at my blog, I'm sure you've wondered where I've been off to since this weekend. I hate to say it, but we're still very ill in this household. We found mold and had sprayed for it, but the kids have a nasty bacterial virus they'd picked up and spread to us, and my husband spent yesterday at the doctor's office being told he's going to be home with us for another week resting adn recuperating. Oy.
 
So, without further ado,  I'd like to talk about Milk Kefir with you.


What is Milk Kefir?

 The term kefir' is of Turkish origin, from köpür → köpük (foam)...
Kefir grains are a combination of bacteria and yeasts in a matrix of proteins, lipids, and sugars, and this symbiotic matrix forms "grains" that resemble cauliflower. For this reason, a complex and highly variable community of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts can be found in these grains.
Kefir grains contain a water-soluble polysaccharide known as kefiran, which imparts a rope-like texture and feeling in the mouth; it ranges in color from white to yellow, and may grow to the size of walnuts.
Wikipedia: Kefir

In addition to beneficial bacteria and yeast, kefir contains many vitamins, minerals, amino acids and enzymes. Particularly calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, B2 and B12, vitamin K, vitamin A and vitamin D. Tryptophan, one of the essential amino acids abundant in kefir, is well known for its relaxing effect on the nervous system. Because kefir also has an abundance of calcium and magnesium, also important minerals for a healthy nervous system, kefir in the diet can have a particularly calming effect on the nerves.
Seeds of Health: Fermenting Milk Kefir

 The numerous benefits of maintaining adequate B vitamin intake range from regulation of the kidneys, liver and nervous system to helping relieve skin disorders, boost energy and promote longevity. Kefir.net See also Nourished Kitchen: Milk Kefir

Shortly after I had purchased my first batch of tibicos and my Kombucha SCOBY from Wellness-Drinks.de, I heard about milk kefir. I've been battling some issues revolving around malabsorption issues that tend to accompany Celiac disease, and I have a very difficult time getting enough B vitamins.  I could eat all my vitamins plus supplement all the day long, and still not get enough with as damaged as my gut is. Milk Kefir, Tibicos and Kombucha to the rescue!!

Actually, I was thinking something more like "What the heck, it couldn't hurt, right? I'm already headed towards iron infusions!" - which is where I ended up for a good three months. Right now my numbers are ok, but I am continuing towards good health with the help of my little fermenting friends.

One thing that I have found is that Milk Kefir is way out there in the realm of awesome when it comes to baking gluten free baked goods. I haven't tried it with any Paleo or GAPS recipes yet, but I have had great success using it with variations of Bette Hagman's Featherlight Flour mix to make Mrsppmrxky's Featherlight biscuits.

Mrsppmrxky is my mom. If there is one thing she has encouraged since I've moved overseas, is to play around with her recipes and get back to her about changes I've made. I'm still trying to sell her on milk kefir. 

That's OK though. I'm loving it. So far, I've made sour cream, and thick yogurt with it. I've not ventured into any lacto-fermenting, mostly as I have no room in my kitchen, or anywhere else for me to allow that to take place, and I'm terribly worried it'd get knocked over and the mess would be everywhere, or, G-d forbid, it'd end up in a horrible moldy mess.

Without further ado, I'll share a few more sites about Kefir, and let you investigate this wonderful SCOBY and see if it is something that you would like to add into your life.

Milk Kefir when it's finished brewing

Kefir.org
Kefir Grains.info
Whole Traditions: Milk Kefir Instructions
Healthy Eating Site: Milk Kefir
Kombucha Floats Made With Kefir Ice Cream
Milk Kefir Yogurt
DIY – Butter, Yogurt, Kefir, Oh My!
Yemoos Milk Kefir Recipes
Nourish Kefir
Health Food Lover: 80+ ways & recipes to use Milk Kefir
I have not yet tried this recipe: Gluten Free Sourdough starter using Milk Kefir

I really like this video by Sloane Miller, who you might know as the "Allergic Girl".

One of these days I am so trying those recipes.

Kombucha Tea

My Kombucha Tea in an Ikea jar
Take note that there is no seal on this jar!!

Today we are going to talk about Kombucha Tea. Kombucha is a very helpful probiotic for anyone, but is especially helpful in a gluten free, Paleo, Primal, SCD or GAPS diet.

This is a long post, so be sure to snuggle up under a blanket and take your time watching the videos and reading all the links.

Just what is Kombucha exactly?

 Kombucha is an effervescent tea-based beverage that is often consumed for its anecdotal health benefits or medicinal purposes. Kombucha is available commercially and can be made at home by fermenting tea using a visible, solid mass of yeast and bacteria which forms the kombucha culture, often referred to as 酵母 (kombo, lit. "yeast mother", see etymology for disambiguation with 昆布, kombu, kelp).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kombucha 

Kombucha SCOBY. Source: Google

To your left is a Kombucha SCOBY. This is probably what yours will look like if you get it from a friend or purchase one online.

You may also get one that is "torn" or cut in pieces. Mine is apparently part of a larger SCOBY at the dealer I got it from, and was cut in quarters. Mine's just a little corner piece. It will float to the top and start making another SCOBY on top of itself every brew.

One thing you will want to do with your SCOBY is to be sure and handle it with washed hands, not just when you place it into the tea, but also while it is brewing.

  ...Kombucha has the ability to mutate to fit the needs of the person making the ferments. Handling the colonies leaves personal bacteria on the colony and hence in the ferment. Kombucha will either incorporate the 'good' bacteria or produce an anti-bacteria to fight the bad ones. The effect is that the kombucha ferment mutates to help the specific health of the person preparing it. I think this is why kombucha can apparently help so many diverse health conditions. I am not at all sure that kombucha is not a direct gift from God since it can not survive without direct help from man.)
http://users.sa.chariot.net.au/~dna/kombucha.htm

I've been asked many times what Kombucha tastes like. Well, it really depends on several factors. What kind of tea you are using, how long you are brewing it, how much air you have getting to it, and your current weather/temperature in your home.

I think the taste also changes depending on the type of glass you serve it in. I'd been drinking it in a narrow-mouthed glass and it tasted cidery. Same batch, different glass (brandy glass with a wider mouth and bottom) and it tasted more like nestea without "enough" sugar. Now - remember I grew up in Southern culture so sweet tea is the norm, 1 gallon with 1-2 cups of sugar in that mother. It's so sweet it will rot your teeth out of your head. This is just not that.

Q. What does kombucha taste like?

A. The taste of kombucha varies greatly depending on the amount of time it was allowed to ferment and whether or not flavoring was added. For example, fermentation time determines whether the kombucha tea has a very mild taste or a very strong vinegar taste (kombucha is made using a method very similar to the one used to make vinegar). If you desire a more sweet taste, we recommend a very short brewing period 5+ days. If the vinegar taste doesn't bother you, a longer fermentation process will allow the tea to fully culture. When first making kombucha, we recommend you taste the kombucha starting at day 7 (using a straw makes this easier) to determine at what point you wish to stop the fermentation process. Adding fruit or juice following fermentation can sweeten the kombucha. Alternatively, you can add water to the finished kombucha prior to drinking to cut the flavor. Click here for more information on influencing the flavor of homemade kombucha.
http://www.culturesforhealth.com/kombucha-tea-frequently-asked-questions-faq

It's hard to compare the taste of kombucha (comb-boo-cha) to anything else. Vinegary, fizzy, cider-y, or just plain nasty if you haven't given it a chance yet. Then again, some people (particularly those who drank vinegar as a kid) like it from sip one.
...The enzymes boost your energy without the post-caffeine lows and headachey shakes, making you feel rejuvenated, restored, and pretty happy. It has something to do with the "mother cell," a mini jellyfish-looking blob floating around, which, if you really want to know, is a yeast and bacterial colony where the sugars are digested. With the addition of tea, this microorganism party ferments into a tangy, sparkling drink.
http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/03/kombucha-fermented-tea-gts-honest-tea-brewing-drinks.html

I love this comment at the end of the article by a subby. I think it sums up nicely.

I really like Kombucha but it takes some getting used to. My mom used to try to get me to a drink a version of it when I was little, and let me tell you, it did NOT have fruit juice mixed in. It was smelly, warm and I wasn't having it.

These days I crave it at least once a week. I love the buzz it gives you and I think it tastes pretty good. 
Serious Eats article

 There has been some concern expressed by some friends and family about the alcohol content of Kombucha. Please read these if this is one of your concerns:

Alcohol content in Kombucha
Does Kombucha Have Alcohol Or Can Recovering Alcoholics Drink Kombucha Tea?

This SCOBY is making another Scoby. Notice the thin film on top.

This is my most recent SCOBY. It is about 1cm thick.

You will definitely need this link as you learn how to brew Kombucha:  5 signs of a healthy Kombucha brew.


Here is some information about Kombucha:

This may be out of order. (I hope not! I tried to get it right, but it is not numbered on youtube) This set of videos is from a Kombucha "camp" that explains everything you need to know to get started. Ms. Crum's site is http://www.kombuchakamp.com/

She mentions using spring water - I would say DO NOT use well water or tap water. I use Vittel or a similar brand of still mineral water. Always. Make sure you change your cloth often as it will attract fruit flies. So, keep fly-eating plants nearby, but do not brew anything else fermented or keep any house plants nearby that pollinate!


I have heard that you can also brew your  kombucha with Yerba Mate instead of tea. Below are a few videos about that.

Warning: very long schpiel. (16 minutes!)

 

This is my SCOBY when I first got it last year.
Notice how it is on the bottom. Generally, this
is where it will start before it begins floating.

• Don't ever wash your glass brewing jar unless you take a break or need to start over due to mold.
• If you get a batch that's too sour it makes an excellent marinade.
  
• I don't eat the fruit from the second brew, but you can.
  
• You can also eat the SCOBY. If you end up with lots of babies, it's 100% fine to consume them.
• There should always be a baby. Always. They can often be stuck to the mother but if there truly is no baby your culture is off. You should split them, not keep them together indefinitely.
• You can supposedly make kombucha with honey. I've never tried it, though.
• To be GAPS compatible you need to ferment away as much sugar as possible while still keeping it palpable. Most GAPSters do the first ferment a really long time then do a second ferment with fruit to make it more palatable.
• I don't use any spiced or flavored teas but some do. DO NOT use Earl Gray, the bergamot will kill your SCOBY. Orange pekoe is a variety of black tea. So is darjeeling.  Herbal tea will not work. You might get something but it won't be kombucha and it wouldn't be safe to consume.
• You can use a green tea as a portion of your tea but if you use 100% green tea, the SCOBY will not ferment the sweet tea properly.
• You can use these glasses, or Grolsch Beer glasses.
• A sour, ACV smell is a good sign. It will get stronger. Doing a second ferment with fruit will tame it a bit. The acidity is what keeps mold away.
• I don't follow all her rules and whatnot, but this is a decent site. http://www.laurelfarms.com/how_to_make_kombucha.html

This is my SCOBY Hotel.
Notice that there is tea in this from my last batch. 
The SCOBY in here is also from the batch of tea in the jar.

One thing you will want to do with your dear little SCOBY is make a SCOBY Hotel. This is a lifesaver, especially if you have issues with fruit flies, mold or other "oopsies" in your household. I once had to let a SCOBY go in the trash after it got infested last year with fruit flies. Somehow the flies got their eggs past my wash cloth barrier (this is why I now use the glass I use!!!) and laid their eggs right on top of my SCOBY. I cried buckets. I tore the baby off the mother. I washed the mother SCOBY very well and I began brewing again. At that point, I did not have a SCOBY hotel, because I only really had one SCOBY. Now, I always have a backup, because I know - as the saying goes - "Shit happens". It really, really does.

  SCOBYs are an investment here in Germany and I purchased mine through Wellness Drinks. You can get them from Kombucha Kamp in the USA. I also got my large brewing glasses and lids from them (you don't have to do that if you have other large glass jars you plan on using), and I purchased my Milk Kefir and Water Kefir (Tibicos) from them.  I'm really happy with my purchase, and they were not too expensive when you compare their prices and shipping with other shops here in Germany and the EU.

So, if you need any and you're here in Germany, one way to get a SCOBY is to ask a friend of yours that brews, or you can purchase from Wellness Drinks.  OR, you can brew your own by simply leaving some Kombucha tea out for a while in a glass jar. The SCOBY will form on the top of the tea.

Some time ago, people were recommending purchasing Kombucha Tea from the store to brew your own KT. This is no longer workable due to changes in the way bottled KT is allowed to be marketed in the USA.

Recipes:

How to brew your own Kombucha SCOBY
Kombucha Recipe [PDF]
Brewing Kombucha
Continuous Brew Kombucha
Double Fermentation Method
Kombucha FAQ
Kombucha recipes and ideas
Kombucha Float with Milk Kefir Icecream!
Aperol (liqueur) Kombucha drink


We had a question come up in our meeting with a nutritionist this fall - whether or not kombucha could be made with dextrose (Grape Sugar) or not. I looked it up, and if you do this - you have to do it 50-50 with the sugar of your choice. Otherwise, it will starve the kombucha. Info found here, a German site. 

UPDATE 7.1.2014  -  Kombucha: Myth vs Truth

Do you drink Kombucha? Feel free to share your stories and comments below.

Our Kindergarten Menu year 2012-2013

Tulip. Photo by A.Stahl, 2011

Hello and welcome back to another post! Today I want to talk about the Kindergarten Menu that we are doing this year. They attend for 5 hours a day, so normally food would be catered for them, for which we'd pay a small fee every day  - except with our dietary needs, they cannot cater to us.
There was some initial upset that we had meals that were different than the other kindergarten children, so we were given a copy of last year's and this year's catering menu to meet as best as we possibly can. In October, I was doing all of this dairy free. As of January, we have begun slowly swapping over things to make them more GAPS compliant.  Everything I have starred, is a change I was making in October to ensure all of this was dairy free. 

Week 1:
Noodles with meat sauce, green salad and yogurt.*
Chicken filet in cornflakes, fried rice w/veggies, icecream*
Cauliflower with breadcrumbs, turkey bratwurst, baked potatoes, Monte*
Spaghetti Carbonara, Salad, Fruit
Tomato Soup, Latkes, applesauce

Week 2:
Noodles with tomato sauce, fresh carrot salad*, chocolate pudding*
Turkey fillet (no breading), rice, yogurt sauce*, steamed carrots
Maultaschen (like ravioli sort of) in veggie broth, quark yogurt*
Turkey gyros, potato wedges, tzatziki*, coleslaw*, grapes
Milk-rice pudding*, cherries, sugar and cinnamon 

Week 3:
Cheese-leek soup with ground turkey meat*, baguette
Gnocci*, turkey bacon, cream sauce*, salad, fruit
Turkey breast filet (no breading), mashed potatoes*, green beans, Monte*
Broccoli with noodles, parmesean-cream sauce*, yogurt*
Salmon with creamed spinach* and noodles, cherry pie filling with vanilla sauce*

Week 4:
Chicken nuggets, fried potato wedges, tomato salad, ketchup and fruit
Steamed Salmon, rice, herbed sauce*, salad, pudding*
Turkey burgers, kohlrabi*, salted potatoes, yogurt*
Chicken soup with chicken meat and ribbon noodles, milk-rice pudding with sugar and cinnamon*
Cauliflower dollars (fried cauliflower cakes) with yogurt sauce*, waffles with powdered sugar*

Some of the breaded recipes can be changed to be GAPS compliant by using nut flours instead of breading/flour.  The Maultaschen recipe cannot be changed to be GAPS Compliant.  Potato wedges could be changed out for other vegetables baked in the oven - such as zuchinni or carrots.  I'm uncertain if there can be a change out for milk rice pudding. Perhaps chia pudding, but I'm not sure. The Pudding could be changed out for this recipe, and the yoghurt can be swapped out for milk kefir.

 Some of the parents at our kindergarten have complained about a few changes I've made, though the children have not at all minded. Its one of those things that you just have to play by ear or ask the teachers about.  I do not leave bread off, since that is an integral part of the meal and we haven't quite seen eye to eye about that bit since there are no yeast issues or additional allergies that prevent us from using bread. I'm OK with that, really, I am.

Noodles can be done by taking some carrots and zuchinni to a spiralizer and then following this recipe. I've done them similarly in spaghetti sauce, simply letting them boil a bit in the sauce before dipping it up.

Fried potato wedges can be  swapped out for other vegetables and cooked in lard or tallow, or oven roasted. (Maybe a recipe similar to this one?) We now make our own tallow and I do much prefer to do our frying in that. Tallow is actually much healthier than using vegetable fat to fry in.

Potato latkes could be easily swapped out for other vegetables. Such as this Zuchinni Latke recipe,  this Carrot Scallion Latke recipe, or these cauliflower "Not Potato" Latkes.

As we go along with the blog, I will feature a few of these recipes. So do keep a keen eye out, or be sure to ask in the comments after any recipes that you find particularly interesting.

Stay safe and well out there in cyber land! xoxox

This weekend

Unsure of the source of this. If it is yours, please let me know!

I wanted to give an update on this weekend. On Friday, I had to go back to the doctor. I've been sick since December 30 with back to back viral and bacterial infections. No surprise given my current gut health and all the other issues I've faced in the last three years.

One thing I was asked was if I drank enough water in the day. Well, I have no idea. I drink at least 1 liter of water a day, and then I supplement with other drinks. Orange juice, Tea, Milk, etc.  Instead of more medication,  I was given oral sublingual Vitamin D to take, as my body is doing what it needs to do, though it is very uncomfortable.

I found this image this weekend while looking into recipes to make to eat. And it's true. Water is SO important for our daily lives.

On Saturday, I slept until after noon. We decided  after I spent an hour making more Fruit Salad to make another Food Wishes recipe: Garlic Parm Hot Wings. I decided to add the side of Spiced Roasted Broccoli. I have never had either before, and I must say both are triple star for me, and definitely will want to do them again. For Chef John's recipe, we substituted Hazelnut Flour in equal amounts called for breadcrumbs, and we used drumsticks instead of wings. Honestly? I could not tell a difference. Were we to do it again for anyone nut allergic, we would simply leave that off of the recipe.  Both of these would work well for GAPS Stages 5 through the Full GAPS Diet, depending on whatever changes you want to make.

The children tried the chicken, and one child ate two drumsticks. One ate half of that, but ate a rather sizable bowl of broccoli. Both had some fruit salad as dessert and one insisted that my snack (Fruit salad) was his... how dare I eat his bowl. (how funny of him!)

In the mean time, I was really good at following my doctor's orders of every hour sublingual vitamin D. . . even during my Google+ Hangouts.

 For dinner, we had Chinese. I had my usual salad and some spring rolls. I know - not GAPS, but I'd been good all day long and I really needed some kind of comfort food. Our local Chinese Restaurant has rice wrappers and will alter their recipe for our needs (no onions, leeks or peppers) and use a dedicated wok and oil for only their spring rolls.  MOST restaurants do not do this, but will make theirs with a wheat based dough or fry it in recycled oil.




On Sunday, we had a repeat of fruit salad for breakfast. I decided that lunch should be rather easy, so we'd make some ground beef/lamb with gravy and mushrooms with a side of German Cucumber Salad and some carrots and peas boiled in beef bone broth.

German Cucumber Salad, J. Stahl's Recipe

• 4 Peeled Cucumbers, preferably organic
  (or two foot long EU Cucumbers)
• dill
• salt and pepper to taste
• mustard (we are still finishing our pantry stock of mustard)
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Milk Kefir

1. Peel your cucumbers and slice them thinly on a mandolin or either using your food processor's Mandolin Slicing attachment.
2.  Add your cucumbers to a glass dish, splash with a couple tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. 
3. Mix well.
4. Add about a teaspoon of mustard  and mix well
5. Add about a cup of kefir and your dill, salt and pepper generously.
6. Mix well and taste the salad. If it is not balanced enough, add a little more mustard or kefir to taste. It should be a slightly thin yoghurt type sauce with a tangy punch. 
7. Place in the fridge for about an hour before serving. Enjoy!

 I used some of our older canned peas and carrots, which simply have salted water in them. I drained those and used about 4 cups of bone broth to boil them in for about 20 minutes, before I took them off the hob and added about 4TBS of milk kefir to the broth and stirred. This is of course not acceptable if you are keeping Kosher, as meat and dairy are not to be mixed.  You could however make a vegetable broth instead and use the kefir in that - or you could simply skip that step if you are having this side dish with a Fleischig meal.  Our guts sorely need the probiotics AND the healthy bone broth.

The gravy recipe that I used was bone broth mixed with leftover duck fat from our duck recipe last week. It says "5 Minute Gravy" - THEY LIED. I was reminded of my new favorite movie, Julie & Julia.


Which then reminded me of my new favorite book by Rachel Held Evans, A Year of Biblical Womanhood.

... I’d grown overconfident, so the fact that I’d never in my life  used a pastry blender or a rolling pin didn’t stop me from going right  ahead and whisking together some flour, sugar, and salt, cutting in  two sticks of butter, adding some water, and then kneading it all  together to form two disks that looked exactly like the picture on page  438, thank you very much. Then I wrapped my pâte brisée in plastic  and put it in the refrigerator while I combined my (slightly browning) apples with sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.  A taste test proved I was on the right track.
“Assemble the pie,” commanded the directions.
No problem.
I dusted the counter with flour, placed the first pâte brisée on the  surface, took out my rolling pin, and began my slow break from sanity...
Rachel Held Evans: My “Biblical” Thanksgiving…


"It was only Gravy", I proceeded to tell myself, while it boiled away for over 30 minutes getting only slightly thicker than it was before. By the time the two cups of broth had boiled down and additional duck fat was added (YUM by the way!), I had been standing at the stove for an agonizing 40 minutes waiting on my broth to become "thick" like the recipe said it would. Again, they must not have taken into account what happens when you're the type of person who does not use gelatin (a pork by-product here) and can't find her agar-agar.  Oh well. Lesson learned. Next time I will be sure to include apple peels and boil my bone stock longer, and I'll have a more gel-like consistency when it comes time to repeat the recipe, no gelatin needed.



I have to admit I wanted to take photos of the kitchen to show the level of destruction we had in there, but I'm afraid it's a little too soon for the blog... what do you think? Leave a comment if you've not yet made the foray into GAPS and wonder what happens when you are baking and cooking your way through three meals daily in a small kitchen. I'll be more than happy to show you, as you've already seen how clean our kitchen can be. (hehe)


I wish you all a very happy and healthy Monday. xoxox

Water Kefir / Tibicos

Why yes, those are NOT GAPS Compliant recipe books behind my Kefir!

When I started my Water Kefir last year, I had 100g. When I took this photo, I had re-bottled them into the new bottles we got, I weighed it and had over 300g of Kefir. So, between the heat, the food source + sugar I am using, I am much loved. I split my grains, and the brew going  in the photo has fig (I think this one tastes like cream soda!) and one going with apricot. 

The kefir grains that I had left over, I went ahead and dehydrated for back up. At this point, I have not had any water kefir (aka Tibicos) going since December. I need to rehydrate and feed my kefir so I can start brewing again.

So, what are Tibicos?

Water kefir “grains” are actually not grains at all, but SCOBYs (symbiotic colonies of bacteria and yeasts), like tiny kombucha mothers or milk kefir grains. They are a mix of lactobacillus, streptococcus, pediococcus, and leuconostoc bacteria along with yeasts from saccharomyces, candida, and kloeckera held together by a polysaccharide matrix. They feed on sugar from dried fruit to produce lactic acid, alcohol (just a little), and carbon dioxide. When they’re done, you get a refreshingly tart, lightly carbonated, mildly fruit flavored probiotic beverage that kids love! 
The Liberated Kitchen

Water kefir is a pretty easy food pet, as food pets go. Water kefir is a lot like it's cousin, kombucha. It makes a kombucha like drink, but less vinegary, so if you aren't wild about kombucha then you might prefer this drink. It works quickly, more quickly than kombucha but it still is bubbly and slightly sweet and is easily flavored with fruit juices or vanilla extract. Instead of a large scoby, there are many tiny little grains, similar to dairy kefir. They look like unflavored gelatin and are firm and rubbery but will crumble if forced. They are self perpetuating and will reproduce and make more little grains to either compost or give away. 
Dyno-Mom

Water kefir is, in fact, a bacterial yeast culture (that looks like little odd-shaped jelly-pearls) that converts sugar into fructose and imparts incredible probiotic goodness into the water you keep it in.
Think of it as yogurt on steroids that masquerades as carbonated, healthy soda.


...my digestion is improved beyond measure – and my seasonal fall allergies are almost nil when I drink water kefir on a daily basis. When I forget for a day or two, the difference is overwhelming.
As a whole, though, all the health benefits you expect from yogurt, milk kefir, and kombucha, you can expect from water kefir, as well.
You can even wash your face with it! 
Crunchy Betty

One of the most entertaining parts of having Water Kefir is watching it work. Or, it is if you don't have any pets or small children to watch/tend to or you're extremely interested in "crunchy" science experiments such as this one. (ok, I'm nerdy, what's new?)

Here are two videos that show you what it looks like while it is brewing:

Q. I want to consume kefir but I'm allergic to dairy. Is water kefir a good alternative?

A. Yes! Water kefir contains no dairy (please note: water kefir grains are processed in a facility where dairy products are processed).

Q. Does water kefir contain gluten?

A. No, water kefir grains do not contain gluten (please note: water kefir grains are processed in a facility where gluten based products are processed).


Q. Are water kefir grains reusable?
A. Yes, water kefir grains are reusable. Once your kefir is finished culturing, simply remove the water kefir grains and place them in fresh sugar water, juice or coconut water.

Q. How long do water kefir grains last?
A. With proper care, water kefir grains should last indefinitely.
Cultures for Health

What are some of the health benefits of this tasty beverage, you ask? Kefir works by regulating the body, thus helping it become healthier. Water kefir has been known to regulate blood pressure and aid in weight control! In addition to being known to aid in such disorders as internal ulcers, kidney problems, anemia, eczema, dermatitis, and abdominal feminine discomfort , Water Kefir is an amazing intestinal purifier! When we have intestines that function optimally, we find that most of our disorders, go away! Remember, what shows up OUTside is a direct result of what’s happening on the INside! One will only need 8 oz’s a day to feel the benefits! For more severe disorders, see this CHART for the amount to drink on a daily basis. 
Girly Girl Amy

I'd mentioned that all of mine are dehydrated grains. SOMETIMES when you purchase tibicos, they will not arrive to you in any other fashion than dehydrated. This is how that process is done, should you ever have excess (and you will!) and you need backup (trust me, you ALWAYS need at least a little back up), or you ever want to share.

To dry them, just lay them on a piece of unbleached parchment paper and put them in a warm part of your house to dry (but not over 95 degrees). It usually takes a few days for them to dry. Once they are dry, you can store them in a zip lock bag in the fridge as a back up in case anything happens to your regular set of kefir grains. Also, some people eat the kefir grains (or blend them up in a smoothie).
Cultures for Health

Here is how to rehydrate your dehydrated grains:

Helpful links:
Water Kefir PDF
Water Kefir Recipes (Branch out! Look for more links!!)
Another FAQ
Alternative brewing instructions that include using egg shell for added minerals
Flavor Extracts
Ginger Ale

How to fatten your Tibicos

Interesting health articles:

June 27, 2011 Kefir Grains inhibit Ehrlich Carcinoma and Sarcoma 180 growth 

June 23, 2011 Kefir Grains cause increase in DTH response inhibiting tumor growth 

June 10, 2011 Anti-tumor Activity of Milk Kefir 

June 6, 2011 Kefir Grains Retard Tumor Growth 

May 31, 2011 Kefir Lowers Cholesterol

 

 I hope and pray that this has been both educational and helpful for you, and that you choose to add this very healthy probiotic into your life.  Stay GAPSy!

The many reasons for gluten free - Official Diagnosis or not

Above is a bit of paper I pulled together with some things that stood out to me as issues you commonly find alongside Celiac Disease.

If your first time hearing about Celiac Disease was from television or a movie, I'm sure you think that all Celiacs are "weirdos" or massively ill. I'd like to try and clear up some of these misconceptions, if I can.

One of your best resources for Celiac information will of course be your National Celiac Associations - not always can you trust your local or national media outlets. You almost never can fully trust the information contained in movies and television series about Celiac.   You can however, glean some interesting information from the national and local media outlets that you can follow back to their sources and find valid information behind. Sometimes, you can find reliable information from dietician's associations as well.(This would be a great start, for example: Nutrition Issues in Gastrointerology, Issue #16; Going Gluten Free: A Primer for Clinicians [PDF])

Truth be told, there are well over 300 different symptoms associated with Celiac Disease. This is why it typically will take someone 7-10 years to get an official diagnosis of Celiac, if they ever get a diagnosis at all. A lot of people give up, simply because their doctors are not taking them seriously.

Yes, there are severe cases, such as what was covered by recent news articles. (The Gluten Made Her Do It) I'm actually one of the severe cases, as are several members of my family.  I might go into that at some other time, but I won't on this post. I don't want to scare you unnecessarily.  What the news article describes though, is NOT out of the ordinary for certain parts of the Celiac community - so don't think it's über rare either.

To someone that is a beginner, I do think that this news article covers things accurately:

To avoid common beginners' mistakes, here are my three top tips on how NOT to go gluten-free.

1. Do not eat lots of food labeled "gluten free."... "Gluten-free" doesn't mean healthy.

2. Do not make "reasonable" assumptions at restaurants. ... It's better to be safe than sorry, so be your own advocate, and always ask your server.

3. Do not do gluten-lite versus gluten-free. It takes up to two weeks for gluten to leave your system, so if you're indulging once a week, you'll never get the benefits of removing it from your diet. Moreover, recent research shows that even a small amount of gluten negatively impacts inflammatory markers for six months.
Going gluten-free? 3 things you shouldn't do
See also: Go Gluten Free in 8 Easy Steps

Another thing to keep in mind if you have been gluten free for several months and not seen improvement, is that you could have an (or many) additional food intolerance or you may be having some cross-reactivity issues. Also, you may be having issues remaining completely gluten free. Before you say that you have seen no benefit of "going gluten free", do be sure to seek out your doctor's advice and get blood testing done. Even if you do not pop positive for Celiac (there is a high false negative result on the blood tests), you can find out what your base levels are and test yourself against that after three months of being gluten free and see if there has been any improvement at all.

Not all Celiacs have obvious symptoms. Many Celiac patients have latent or silent Celiac Disease and show now obvious outwards signs of Celiac. (article) Please keep this in mind if you are going gluten free but have not undergone testing. This is why testing is so very important.


If I could say just four things about going gluten free due to Celiac, Chron's, IBS, Dermatitis Herpetiformis, or whatever other reasons you have linked to CD - I would say:

• You cannot be "gluten light" and fully heal your gut. You MUST be truly gluten free.  This means removing all obvious and hidden gluten. This involves a learning curve that ranges between 3-12 months, and a lot of label reading. 
  You can find a list of safe ingredients here, and non-safe ingredients in food here.

• You will have to learn how to shop for real, whole foods.
  This will mean shopping around the perimeter of the store in an oval (egg-like) or C-type shape. This will place you outside of the main areas of processed foods and expose you to the areas with fresh produce, drinks, frozen and preserved items, spices and back out to the exit.

• You will eventually bake and cook with real, whole foods and gluten free grains. (unless you go Paleo/Primal, SCD or GAPS Diet)
  This requires a learning curve, and gluten free flour does not behave at all like gluten containing flours. You will not be able to substitute cup-for-cup on many recipes, especially if they require gluten in the grain + yeast to work. However, there are options out there that work nicely once your gut begins to heal and your tastes change. Have patience and take everything one day at a time
•  Give yourself time to adjust.
  You will likely go through several, if not all of the stages of grief, as our cultures and most of society revolves around food. Do not be shocked if your friends and family become complete jerks because you cannot/will not be eating from their kitchen any longer, because they cannot cook or bake for you.  Just let it roll of your back, and start learning how to make and bring your own food for yourself and your family. If you are in a big "food" community, know that you will be doing assorted festive meals for your own family or be serving from your food items constantly so as not to allow others to cross contaminate your baking supplies or food.

I would recommend this article if you are considering going gluten free and haven't been officially diagnosed. If you are looking for gluten free magazines, you can find a good listing of the current ones here. (which doesn't include Clean Eating Magazine) There are also a good many gluten free forums, and a helpful list has been compiled here.

If you are worried about work or school functions, there are work-arounds for those of us with food intolerance and Celiac Disease.  The Americans with Disabilities Acts,  information on IEP and 504 plans may be helpful to you. (See this article.) If you wish to go to a social function and food will not/cannot be provided for you, the company hosting the social event is obligated to allow you to bring in food that you may eat. It may require that you look into your local and state laws and print up information about the ADA prior to your visit to the local state park, your next sporting event or trip to a large theme park. Please, whatever you do, be respectful with the people in authority and send them all the information that you can (including a doctor's note) and refer them to reputable Celiac Associations* when faxing or emailing them information. One bad experience with someone who has Celiac Disease really can factor into how they deal with individual Celiacs in the future.

The good thing about going gluten free is - the diet is what you make of it. So, if you have a sour attitude and a can't-do feeling about the whole deal, it will be an unworkable, unmovable, unattainable situation for you.

If however, you have an open mind, the world is yours and it will be exactly how you want it to be. There are gluten free gourmets out there. NOTHING is impossible!!

For us, Gluten free at this phase of life will be less grains and mostly GAPS Diet. This means, less processed foods, less flour and more food preparation. During lunch, the children will have as high of a GAPS diet as I can make without there being complaints that I am not meeting the catered food requirements (matching what is catered), and enough that the kids will eat what is prepared.  For us adults, this means more GAPS than ever, but still baby-stepping it.

I would suggest though, that if you have recently gotten a diagnosis of Celiac Disease, that you go ahead and at least go through your pantry and donate everything you know is obviously gluten to your local food pantry, and that you make these changes to your kitchen IMMEDIATELY:

 
1. Replace toaster/toaster oven, waffle iron, etc. Never use the same products that gluten products have been used in.
2. Replace all cutting boards. Old boards may be kept separate for use with gluten foods.
3. Replace wooden or teflon cooking utensils. Old untensils may be kept separate for use with gluten foods.
4. Replace porous pots/pans/skillets. Teflon and cast iron are porous and retain gluten from past cooking.
5. Replace pans with seams. Past gluten products can easily be retained in the seam.
6. Never wash gluten and gluten free dishes in the same dish water.
7. Use disposable rags/sponges if your kitchen is not totally gluten free.
8. Many issues one forgets to look at:

can openers
colanders
pets (food, licking, pet care products)
stamp hinges (for collectors)
Cosmetics
Personal Care Products
9. Very important: silver drawer: there are always crumbs there.
10. shared tables/microwaves, kitchens - like at work.
11. Remember to wash your hands before eating finger food. There are so many potential contaminants in the house, especially for those of us with pets or kids, that you might not even realize you've touched something that's potentially dangerous.
12. bulk bins at the grocery: it has one of the most cross-contaminated areas.
13. At school
14. the conveyor belts at the checkout counters in supermarkets: for ex.: leaking flour bags, etc…
--Originally from Delphi Forums by way of Celiac Forums--

See also:
A Celiac is Coming to Dinner
Cooking gluten free for family or friends? Read this first!
Gluten Free Diet Boot Camp (invaluable information and regularly updated)
Additional Things to Beware of to Maintain a 100% Gluten-Free Diet
NFCA Celiac Resources
Hidden sources of gluten and cross-contamination

If you have been gluten free for a while, and are not seeing improvement on a gluten free diet; it may be time to consider other food intolerance or whether or not you are experiencing Gluten Cross-Reactivity issues.

"A recent study evaluated the potential cross-reactivity of 24 food antigens.  These included:

• Rye
• Barley
• Spelt
• Polish Wheat
• Oats (2 different cultivars)
• Buckwheat
• Sorghum
• Millet
• Amaranth
• Quinoa
• Corn
• Rice
• Potato
• Hemp
• Teff
• Soy
• Milk (Alpha-Casein, Beta-Casein, Casomorphin, Butyrophilin, Whey Protein and whole milk)
• Chocolate
• Yeast
• Coffee (instant, latte, espresso, imported)
• Sesame
• Tapioca (a.k.a. cassava or yucca)
• Eggs

They did not find cross-reactivity with all of these foods (as is implied by the Cyrex Labs gluten cross-reactivity blood test, a.k.a. Array 4).  But, they did find that their anti-gliadin antibodies (antibodies that recognize the protein fraction of gluten) did cross-react with all dairy including whole milk and isolated dairy proteins (casein, casomorphin, butyrophilin, and whey)—this may explain the high frequency of dairy sensitivities in celiac patients—oats, brewer/baker’s yeast, instant coffee (but not fresh coffee), milk chocolate (attributable to the dairy proteins in chocolate), sorghum, millet, corn, rice and potato." Gluten Cross-Reactivity UPDATE: How your body can still think you’re eating gluten even after giving it up.

There are currently several books out by American Nutritionists and Dieticians that I have heard are quite helpful. I'm currently in the process of trying to procure them here in Germany. The titles are: Real Life with Celiac Disease, Celiac Disease Nutrition Guide, Second Edition and Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide. I have also heard good things about Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic; Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health  and The Gluten Syndrome: is Wheat Causing You Harm?. 

 My mother and sister had gone to a local Celiac Food Vendor Fair, and sent me a copy of Columbia University Medical Center's latest book, The Ultimate Guide to Gluten-Free Living and a nifty packet that came with that in 2009. You probably can find more information about the guide by contacting them here.

I was recently forwarded some more information that I did not have previously with some very reputable articles about Celiac Disease at Shelly Case's website, The Gluten Free Diet; Today's Dietician, Diet.com on Celiac Disease, Real Life with Celiac Disease, The Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University, The Gluten Intolerance Group, and Celiac.com.

If you need any assistance in going gluten free, you're more than welcome to contact me and I'll do my best to assist you.

If you need food inspiration and are not yet ready to dive right in to GAPS (which would be great to heal your gut, by the way!!), below are the links I have had saved over the last 6 years of living in Germany for Recipe inspiration. (note that some of these are now inactive, but the recipes are good!)

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/
http://delightfullyglutenfree.com/
http://www.bookofyum.com/blog/
http://beyondthewheat.com/
http://gingerlemongirl.blogspot.com/
http://www.glutenfreecookingschool.com/
http://gluten-free-blog.blogspot.com/
http://glutenfree.wordpress.com/
http://www.glutenfreemom.typepad.com/
http://glutenfreesoxfan.wordpress.com/
http://glutenfreebay.blogspot.com/
http://www.gfdoctorrecipes.com/
http://glutenfreepregnancy.blogspot.com/
http://www.glutenfreebaking.com/
http://glutenfreefoodreviews.com/
http://goodwithoutgluten.blogspot.com/
http://www.heythattastesgood.com/
http://iamglutenfree.blogspot.com/ -- her new blog: http://www.glutenfreediva.com/
http://www.imglutenfreebaby.co.uk/
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/
http://myglutenfreecookbook.blogspot.com/
http://allergicgirl.blogspot.com/
http://glutenfreemommy.com/
http://accidentalvegetarian.blogspot.com/
http://www.theartofglutenfreecooking.com/
http://allergycookbook.blogspot.com/ new blog: www.cybelepascal.com
http://www.101cookbooks.com/
http://aglutenfreeguide.com/
http://digestivediva.blogspot.com/20...h-cookies.html
http://www.babycakesnyc.com/
http://glutenfreesteve.wordpress.com/
http://bbsupper.blogspot.com/
http://www.celiacdiseaseinfo.org/
http://www.beyondricecakes.com/
http://www.celiacchicks.com/
http://anewfit.blogspot.com/p/recipes.html
http://chefsillycooksagain.blogspot.com/
http://cindalouskitchenblues.blogspot.com/
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~coeliac/cook.html
http://thatlooksedible.blogspot.com/
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/reci...alDietTypeId=1
http://whisk-kid.blogspot.com/
http://www.wheatlessandmeatless.com/
http://www.wheat-free.org/recipes.html
http://www.wasabimon.com/archives/
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/might..._everyone.html
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/
http://stephsceliacdisease.blogspot.com/
http://www.nourishingmeals.com/
http://allergycookbook.blogspot.com/ - new blog: http://www.cybelepascal.com/
http://thesensitiveepicure.blogspot.com/
http://www.thekoshercupcake.com/search/label/challah
http://theglutigirls.wordpress.com/ new blog: http://www.theglutigirls.com/
http://veganza.com/
http://www.glutenfreehippie.com/
http://gfcfexperience.blogspot.com/
http://glutenfree-video-cookbook.blogspot.com/
http://www.foodphilosopher.com/index.cfm
http://wheat-free-meat-free.blogspot.com/
http://www.thebakingbeauties.com/
http://milkforthemorningcake.blogspot.com/
http://stephensrecipes.blogspot.com/
http://www.sprued.com/
http://www.recipesource.com/special-diets/gluten-free/
http://www.eatingglutenfree.com/
http://www.realfoodmadeeasy.ca/blog/
http://noglutennoproblem.blogspot.com/
http://blog.julesglutenfree.com/
http://mimistoast.blogspot.com/
http://mennonitegirlscancookglutenfree.blogspot.com/
http://www.livingwithout.com/topics/recipes.html
http://glutenfreesteve.wordpress.com/
http://www.kosherceliaccookery.com/
http://justnotdinner.com/
http://www.glutenfreeda.com/index.asp
http://www.glutenfrei-kochen.de/kb (this is in German - great recipes, but you will need Google Translate and an understanding of German measurements. This is great for traditional recipes though.) Ask me if you need help. You can email me or leave a message in the comments and I'll see what I can do to help you.
http://www.glutenfreeda.com/weekly-recipe.asp
http://www.fatfreevegan.com/gluten-free/index.shtml
http://glutenfreeveganfam.blogspot.com/
http://glutenfreehomemaker.com/2009/...-free-recipes/
http://www.elanaspantry.com/
http://www.food.com/cookbook/gluten-...recipes-112835
http://glutenfreeoptimist.blogspot.com/
http://glutenfreenyc.blogspot.com/
http://glutenfreelondon.blogspot.com/
http://glutenfreeislife.wordpress.com/
http://glutenfreegirl.com/
http://gf-gastrognome.blogspot.com/
http://glutenfreefun.blogspot.com/
http://www.peter-thomson.co.uk/glutenfree/
http://glutenfreebird.com/
http://glutenfreesoyfreevegan.wordpress.com/
http://www.101cookbooks.com/gluten_free_recipes/
http://www.glutenfreeoptimist.blogspot.com/
http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/...ry/gluten-free
http://www.glutenfreemama.com/
http://glutenfree-journey.blogspot.com/
http://www.heal-balance-live.blogspot.com/
http://www.gfgoodness.com/
http://www.glutenfreeforgood.com/
http://glutenfreecosmeticcounter.blogspot.com/
http://gfboy.blogspot.com/
http://gluten-free-blog.blogspot.com/
http://lgfc.ca/
http://glutenfreeeasily.com/
http://gfcfmommy.blogspot.com/
http://www.gluten.net/recipes/
http://getoffgluten.blogspot.com/
http://www.free-from.com/blog/
http://www.everythingfreeeating.blogspot.com/
http://nowheatnoworries.com/
http://easyglutenfreeliving.com/category/recipes/
http://deliciouslyglutenfree.blogspot.com/
http://conviviality.wordpress.com/
 

 I hope and pray this helps you along in your Gluten Free Journey. Best wishes!


*Celiac associations in the United States: http://www.celiac.org/ http://www.csaceliacs.info/ http://americanceliac.org/celiac-disease/  http://www.celiaccentral.org/