Margarita Kombucha - Buzz Free!

I've been brewing up my own Kombucha for many years now and have never grown tired of it. The combination of flavors one can create is almost endless. I have to admit though that my all time favorite is this buzz free (no alcohol) Margarita Kombucha. 

With Thanksgiving in my sights I thought I would get an early start at putting up some bottles so we can have plenty to go around for this favorite family holiday! 

I'm not going to go into all the details about how to brew it and why because I already have a handy little guide you can pick up for free here.

So on to the recipe...

• 2 Quarts of freshly brewed and strained plain kombucha tea (more or less)
• 8 Tablespoons lime juice
• 4 Tablespoons raw honey (local if available)
• 4 Teaspoons salt (I use gray or himalayan)

Combine all the ingredients very well in a half gallon mason jar or a large pitcher. Fill your bottles, leaving 2-3 inches head room and clamp shut. I use swing top bottles but you don't have to. You just want to make sure you are able to easily open and close for burping purposes! And use glass bottles, no plastic or metal.

Now set your filled bottles out of direct sunlight on the kitchen counter or in another room for 1-4 weeks. I put mine in a cardboard box in a back room and burp them once daily for 4 weeks. Afterwards they go into the fridge to chill. They'll keep cold there for a quite a long time. I can't imagine anyone letting all that yummy goodness sit long enough to go bad - no way! 

When ready to serve use nice glasses and rub the rim with lime juice and dip in coarse salt like the picture up top. 

Cheers!! 

P.S. My free guide: Kombucha - How Do You Do is also in the side bar of this site → → →

KEFIR - My DIY Happy Drink

I first stumbled upon the wonders of milk kefir because I was desperate to find a remedy for my doggie Elvis' noisy (and I imagine painful) tummy. It's been many years now so I don't recall where I found the story but it was about a woman who helped her dog's digestive issues using milk kefir. The more I read about it the more I was convinced that I needed to make my own for him, and as it turned out, myself and family members too!

So What Is Kefir Anyway?

Milk kefir is a slightly sour and very creamy fermented milk drink. Sometimes people describe it as a drinkable yogurt but it has much more in the way of gut-friendly pre and pro-biotics than yogurt does. Needless to say, I fell in love with kefir and have shared grains with many others.

Grains? What The Heck Are Kefir Grains?

Kefir grains are a symbiotic culture of beneficial bacteria and yeasts that reside on the surface of complex polysaccharides. They are quite unique in appearance from other cultures used in fermentation and resemble miniature bits of cauliflower. They are rubbery in texture and will often clump together. In my house I simply call them my kefir babies (pictured) 😀. You will need kefir grains to make your own kefir at home. If you don’t have a friend who can get you started with some you can often purchase them from your local health food store. If that’s a no-go try my favorite on-line source here.

Have Kefir Every Day

My primary reason for having kefir every day is because it makes my digestive system happy. Fewer tummy aches and mad dashes to the potty room, less reflux and heartburn are good by me. The beneficial yeasts and bacteria that my digestion enjoys is also a tremendous boost to my immune system!

Donna Schwenk of Cultured Food Life is one of my favorite resources for kefir and she lists several reasons she stays on board with it. She says that kefir lowers blood pressure and blood sugar, aids in acid reflux, improves allergies, helps in detoxification (yay!), lowers cholesterol and has a calming effect on the nervous system. These are her own top reasons but there are many more. You can find her article and links here.

Do It Yourself!

You will need:

A tablespoon of kefir grains. This is a good starting amount but I have successfully made kefir with just ONE grain before.

Milk. I use raw fresh milk from a local dairy (jersey cows) with the cream skimmed off. To me, the next best option would be A2 milk that is NOT ultra-pasteurized. A2 milk’s protein is easier on digestion. Ultra-pasteurized milk has been heated to 280 degrees Fahrenheit.

A glass jar with a plastic lid. I just use a quart canning jar and lid. Some folks see no problem using a metal lid and some just use a cloth or coffee filter to cover. I’ve tried all these methods but it’s my preference to use a plastic lid.

A plastic strainer. You will need to separate the grains from the kefir for your next batch. Again, some will use a metal strainer. I was taught to use plastic and I prefer it.

Okay so here’s the hard part. Place your kefir grains in the jar. Pour milk over the top to at least half-way up the jar. Put the lid on. Set it out of the way on your kitchen counter for 24 hours. There you go… too easy!! Yes, that is all there is to it. The milk has fermented and your kefir is made.

All you need to do now is put your strainer in a bowl and pour your kefir through it to separate the grains. You can pour it from there into a glass to drink immediately but I like to put it in the fridge to get cold first.

Don’t forget to put your separated grains in a nice clean jar and pour fresh milk over them to start a new batch. You are well on your way to kefir heaven now!

  

A Few Tips

I often like to flavor my kefir before I drink it. I like it plain too but mixing it up with some blueberries, mango, or peaches, a bit of honey and cinnamon is the bomb for sure. There are so many tasty combinations, just be creative.

There are lots and lots of recipes that use kefir. Just search the web and you’ll get plenty of ideas. My favorites are salad dressings, cheese and ice cream. You are definitely not stuck with just drinking it every day. Find fun ways to use it up.

Already made kefir will last in the fridge quite some time, it just gets thicker and more sour the longer it sits.

You can put your kefir grains in “vacation mode” by just putting them in fresh milk and placing them in the fridge instead of on the counter. They will stay fine that way for a couple weeks or longer. If they stay that way too long they might seem to be dead the first time out on the counter but often if you will just give them a second round of fresh milk and set on the counter again they will perk up. Kefir grains are pretty forgiving. I even accidentally fridge-froze my kefir grains once and after about 4 jump starts on the counter they sprang back!

In the winter time I put a sock over my kefir while it ferments because my house is cold at night. It will eventually thicken up without it but I like to keep it cozy and clipping along. I would never set it on a seedling mat however... no, too warm. 

Caution: If you are allergic or sensitive to milk please avoid ingesting milk kefir. You might want to look into water kefir instead. Yep, that's a thing... 

References:

Donna Schwenk’s Cultured Food Life: 7 Reason I Have Kefir Every Day. Retrieved from https://www.culturedfoodlife.com/7-reasons-i-have-kefir-every-day/

Cultures for Health. Composition of Milk Kefir Grains: Bacteria & Yeasts. Retrieved from https://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/milk-kefir/milk-kefir-grains-composition-bacteria-yeast/

Healthline. A1 vs A2 milk – Does It Matter? By Atli Arnarson, PhD March 14, 2019. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/a1-vs-a2-milk#a1-concerns

  

Fire Cider - Super Tonic

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) recipes have been around for centuries! A simple internet search for recipes and verification of benefits will return with more hits than you can possibly take time for. Apple cider vinegar is apple cider that's undergone fermentation and like many ferments this results in health promoting enzymes and pro-biotics. To spare you the journey of research (unless that's your thing!) I'll just note a few of the long known proven benefits of ACV as noted by Organic Facts.

• Prevents acid reflux
• Assists in weight loss
• Reduces fasting blood sugar levels
• Reduces cholesterol and improves heart health.
• Helps to maintain healthy skin
• Helps to cleanse entire digestive system
• Relieves pain in joints and curbs progress of arthritis

Furthermore, Rosemary Gladstar mentions in her excellent Fire Cider book that it's also traditionally been used for leg cramps, stuffy noses, sore throats, fever, exhaustion, sunburn, fungal infections, heartburn and hair rinses! 

So you can see that apple cider vinegar can easily stand on its own as a fantastic friend to keep on hand in the pantry. But when you take it to the next level by adding some common kitchen ingredients that enhance the flavor and pack additional healthy qualities... well then you have what Rosemary Gladstar first called Fire Cider! 

"Although I may have used the name Fire Cider first, the formula wasn't fully original; it was based on several other formulas of the time. No Herbal formula is truly original or unique" - Rosemary Gladstar. 

One of the great things about Fire Cider is that you can take the base ingredients and tweak it to your own liking or purpose. Some add dried elderberries, pomegranates, hibiscus flowers, cranberries or black currents! There are many other options and that's what is so fun and rewarding about making your own.

The Basic Ingredients

• Apple cider vinegar
• Ginger
• Onion
• Garlic
• Cayenne peppers
• Horseradish

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a spicy and warming herb with a fiery nature - stimulating circulation and energy, it enhances the "fire" in the body that supports digestion, heart health, immunity and balance. Ginger is anti-emetic, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory.

Onion (Allium cepa) is pungent, sweet, salty, warm, moist and stimulating. It has drawing properties and is often used topically to draw out poisons, mucus and pus. Onions warm the chest, liquefy mucus and stimulate the cough reflex (especially if roasted and literally spread on a person's chest!). Raw onions, increase the flow of urine and are used for edema, to increase perspiration and quicken circulation.

Garlic (Allium sativum) is spicy, sweet, salty, heating, moistening (when fresh), oily (when fresh) and drying (when dry). It's antimicrobial, antibacterial, anti-fungal, antispasmodic, antiviral, diaphoretic, an expectorant and an immune stimulant. The volatile oils in garlic are excreted through the lungs and the antimicrobial nature of these oils makes it particulary helpful in cases of respiratory infections like bronchitis, catarrh, colds, flue and whooping cough.

Cayenne (Capsicum annuum, C. baccatum, C. chinensis, C. fastigiatum, C. frutescens, C. pubescens) is hot, pungent, biting, heating and moving. It's actions are analgesic, antiseptic, circulatory stimulant, diaphoretic, diuretic and digestive. 

Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) is widely appreciated as a condiment but is now widely grown, eaten, and used as medicine throughout the world. In small doses, taken internally, horseradish is a powerful stimulant, aperient and antiseptic for the stomach. It is traditionally taken with oily, rich meat or food, by itself or steeped in vinegar! Specific indications are for sluggish, torpid conditions, viscid, and tenacious mucus.

Directions

First of all you want to decide what other ingredients to add. The very first bottle I made was following a recipe I got in my herbal courses and I still use it today. In addition to the base it includes a lemon, an orange, some fresh rosemary, turmeric and honey. Choose your extras (if you want to) for taste and purpose. The following is what I used for my current batch and how I went about making it:

1/2 cup fresh grated ginger root
1/2 cup fresh grated horseradish (I couldn't find any fresh this time of year so had to order on-line)
1 medium onion, chopped
10 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped
2 cayenne peppers (or 1 tsp powder)
1 lemon, chopped
1 orange, chopped
Fresh rosemary - several sprigs (or 2 tbsp dried)
2 tbsp chopped fresh turmeric (or 1 tbs powder)
1/4 cup raw local honey to taste (I use this one if I can't get local)
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp astragalus
Unpasteurized apple cider vinegar (I use this one)

Prepare all the ingredients and place them in a glass jar - quart or larger. Pour in the apple cider vinegar until all the ingredients are well submerged. Cover with a tight fitting lid. If using a metal lid make sure to cover the jar opening with parchment or wax paper first so that the vinegar doesn't touch the metal. Shake daily. After 3-4 weeks strain the solids out of the cider using a cheesecloth. Now add the honey and stir to mix well. Taste the cider and add more honey until desired sweetness is achieved. Don't forget to label it with at least the name and date!

Tips: I do not refrigerate my fire cider, I just keep it tightly capped in a cool place in the kitchen pantry. I have noticed that some folks do prefer to keep their fire cider in the fridge and you can too if you like. I think fire cider is best consumed within 24 months but I can't imagine it lasting that long! And finally, although I love the taste of fire cider straight, I usually mix my dose (1-2 tsps) in a small amount of water and drink it down in a shot. Take as needed.

We usually take a bit of fire cider when we feel that familiar funky I-may-be-getting-sick feeling. Everyone is different and your intuition will guide you on how often to take it. Fire cider is a potent blend of vinegar, honey, healthy fruits, veggies and roots - it's a food but nevertheless, you know my motto... low and slow at first 😊

Other Ways To Enjoy: Experiment! Fire cider is tasty added to salad dressings, splashed onto sauteed greens, or used as marinades for meat. I absolutely adore Rosemary's book Fire Cider which has lots of fun recipes to explore.

Cautions: Don't use if you are allergic to any of the ingredients. Consult your doctor if you are taking medications and have a concern about contraindications.

References: 

12 Proven Health Benefits Of Apple Cider Vinegar by Meenaksi Nagdeve - February 28, 2020 - Medically reviewed by Vanessa Voltolina (MS,RD). Retrieved from: https://www.organicfacts.net/apple-cider-vinegar.html

Fire Cider! 101 Zesty Recipes For Health-Boosting Remedies by Rosemary Gladstar and friends. p. 2, 22-23

Herbal Academy. (n.d.) Ginger monograph, retrieved from https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/monographs/#/monograph/1012

The Earthwise Herbal Volume I - A Complete Guide to Old World Medicinal Plants by Matthew Wood. Allium cepa. Onion. p. 69

Herbal Academy. (n.d.) Garlic monograph, retrieved from https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/monographs/#/monograph/3049

Herbal Academy. (n.d.) Cayenne monograph, retrieved from https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/monographs/#/monograph/5144

The Earthwise Herbal Volume I - A Complete Guide to Old World Medicinal Plants by Matthew Wood. Armoracia rusticana p.107-109