It’s hard to believe, but 2012 is about to end! In a little over a week, many of us will be attending New Year’s Eve parties, shooting off fireworks and smooching our honey as the clock strikes midnight to ring in the brand New Year!
My hope is that 2013 will prove happier and healthier for all of us than at anytime in years past. Of course, one key to making it happy and healthy is establishing a consistent routine for Real Food meal preparation for ourselves and our families in the comfort of our own kitchens.
Fermentation of food to increase enzymes and nutrients as well as to add beneficial probiotics is a critical skill to master and when you are ready to take the plunge, there is no better food for fermentation newbies to start with than dairy.
Last week, I announced the start of the Make Your Own Kefir or Yogurt Real Food Challenge with over $600 in prizes that my sponsor, Pleasant Hill Grain, and I teamed up to bring you to encourage those who haven’t ever fermented dairy before to learn how – today!
It’s so very important to make your own kefir or yogurt if you wish to enjoy the health benefits of fermented dairy because commercial dairy just does not have the strength of probiotic cultures necessary to make much of an impact on your gut health – which is the main reason we consume fermented dairy in the first place, isn’t it?
Two videos and one written tutorial were provided in the kick off post for the Real Food Challenge in order to provide you with the necessary information to get started quickly with your first batch of kefir or yogurt.
I am thrilled at how many of you picked up the gauntlet and accepted the challenge to learn something new in the kitchen especially during the busy holiday season!
As further encouragement to those who perhaps haven’t entered the challenge just yet, I wanted to share with you some pictures of those who have entered the challenge already and are getting awesome results.
Amanda Molnar’s Perfectly Fermented Kefir
Notice the kefir grains are visible in this picture just before Amanda transfers them to a new batch, which will earn her another entry in the challenge!
Lorraine Carlstrom’s Colorful Raw Kefir Smoothie
Lorraine added coconut oil, egg yolks, and fruit to her morning raw kefir smoothie!
Kristin Marlin’s Incubating Raw Yogurt
Not one to start slowly, Kristin Marlin entered the challenge with 3 batches of yogurt at once! Notice how she has her raw yogurt nestled in with thick towels to keep them warm to allow the culture to firmly establish itself during the fermentation period. Love those gorgeous fermentation vessels too!
Miranda Meador’s Yogurt Breakfast
Miranda Meador made this lovely bowl of yogurt for breakfast … but it ended up being for lunch instead!
Bailey Keenan’s Supercharged Kefir Smoothie
Bailey’s creation contains kefir, a little water, a banana, an apple, some frozen strawberries and blueberries, a little chlorella powder, some bee pollen and flax seeds, and a couple of big spoonfuls of coconut oil. YUM!
Carey Blinn’s Jars of Fermenting Kefir
For 25 years, Carey battled daily bouts of indigestion, bloating and acid reflux. She used to use Tums or Di-Gel constantly to settle her stomach. Carey originally started into Traditional Cooking after finding my videos on YouTube and now she is a fermenting queen. Raw kefir, in particular, has changed her life and health in amazingly positive ways!
It’s Not Too Late To Join the Challenge!
If you haven’t joined the Make Kefir or Yogurt Real Food Challenge yet, it’s not too late to join the fun! Over $600 worth of prizes will be awarded to the top 2 winners.
First place is the gorgeous Bosch Universal Mixer with Meat Grinder attachment, a $565 value! The second place winner will receive the sleek, black Kuhn Rikon Vase Grinder for grinding herbs, sea salt, and pepper!
You can enter the challenge with your very first batch of either kefir or yogurt but you get additional entries to win with all subsequent batches until the challenge ends at midnight on December 21, 2012.
To get started, simply log in to the widget below and add your entry each time you make a batch of yogurt or kefir!
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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{ 74 comments… read them below or add one }
Yes! But I keep forgetting lately.
Making kefir is my husbands favorite hobby! My son and I are having a kefir smoothie today
lol…. feeling dumb here since I forgot to ever go enter the contest! But the good news is I have been fermenting up a storm. lol… keep up the good work, Sarah!
I look at that beautiful picture of Amanda Molner’s kefir and wish I had that many grains! I am down to one hardworking grain (by accidental ingestion of the others), but it is a workhorse and gets the job done!
I entered once and now I am trying to re-enter again and the site isnt allowing me to. I dont know what I am doing wrong.
I’ve just entered another entry and it seems to be testing just fine. I’ve extended the contest by one day so you folks who couldn’t enter additional batches can make sure to get them entered.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Eating Local and Organic on Food Stamps
The widget doesn’t seem to allow for multiple entries. I entered once, but can’t enter again. I made our newest batch of yogurt yesterday.
Made a batch of kefir last night. I usually use it in smoothies.
I’m with the commenters above me. I have made 6 total batches of yogurt and kefir- but have only been able to enter once.
Just had my kefir smoothie with blueberries and coconut butter – yum!
Hi. I made kefir but was wondering if my grains are working.
1. first batch was watery – I expected that and composted it
2. second batch is thick and creamy but the kefir grains are on the bottom.
3. I have been taking the kefir out and starting another batch..and put the done batch in the fridge. It gets kind of grainy there.
I’ve tried kefir several times and I just don’t know if I’m drinking clabbered milk, or kefir!
have only been able to enter once,
Please help! I would like to start this process. I”ve never done it, but I don’t understand how to find the Kefir grains once the yogart has processed? HELP?
With yogurt, you use some of the existing yogurt to make the next batch. With kefir, the grains look like little pieces of cauliflower and if you put your kefir through a plastic sieve then you will find your kefir grains and can move them to the next batch. Use plastic spoons to do this.
Since the contest began, I have made two gallons of yogurt and one gallon of kefir. As a large family, we depend on lots of fermented dairy in our diet. Like other readers, I have only been able to enter the contest once, though I have made many “batches”.
I’m new to making kefir and so far only purchased a “kefir kit” but I’d like to know where people buy live cultures? I live in Florida and would love any info on anything local to the Tampa Bay area.
I’m only on my third batch so far!
I forgot to do this every day. I don’t even know how many batches I’ve made since my first and only entry. I just put some einkorn/kefir/sourdough puff pastry in the fridge to make sausage rolls for dinner tonight. I have too much kefir and too much sour dough starter. It’s taking over my kitchen!
Well, it finally let me record another entry! Yay!!! But I have not been able to record entries many times…sad. I drink green smoothies made with raw kefir enery morning after 10:00 A.M. It’s easier in the summertime than during the cold winter months, but I am faithful!!! Yum!
I’m wondering if I try making my yogurt in the microwave, will it stay at a consistent temperature if I do not have control over my light inside. I do have a slow cooker, but I have no idea how hot it gets and I see the picture above with the towels but what exactly are the towels for, so the mason jars are not sitting directly on the heated portion? I feel like I have the tools, but I need a little more guidance.
Made some yogurt today- nearly finished, so will make more soon!
I also gave my milk kefir some nice fresh milk…..
I made a new batch of kefir!
I Made Kefir!!
I made kefir again today!
Same here; I’ve made a batch of milk kefir each day of the contest (my routine is one quart per day, year round), but was only able to enter once. Today I am making sourdough bread. I use 1 cup of starter and 2 cups of kefir whey in the sponge, which goes overnight. I enjoy kneading by hand, and kneading this dough is like kneading silk. The bread is amazing. Just ready to punch down and pan my loaves in the midst of an Iowa blizzard. Happy Christmas to all. Sure would like that Bosch under my tree next week!
Could you give me the receipe for your sourdough bread it sounds delicious. i am new to making bread but i would love to try it also where did you get your sourdough starter from.
Thank you for your help
Gabriele
Gabriele – I just returned from Christmas travel. Are you still there? If so, I’ll be glad to give you my sourdough bread recipe. I wonder if there is a way to get together by email rather than posting off-topic comments here? Either way. Let me know if you are still there. —Mary
Having same issue with not being able to enter more than one. I have made 4 more batches since last entered.
How do you mix coconut oil into your smoothies without it making oil lumps in the finished product? The cold kefir and fruit make it harden!
I was not able to sign on and enter again but I have another batch of yogurt going.
Also just made another quart of kefir.
Last night I made yogurt from whole raw milk, and buttermilk to use as the base to awesome homemade ranch dressing.
I live in Canada and in my area I do not have access to raw dairy. Can I still ferment an organic pasteurized yogurt and begin making my own yogurt and kefir? Help!
sure you can, i cannot afford raw milk and use pasteurized all the time..though is not as nutritious as the raw milk, but better than the store bought one.
I rotated another batch of milk kefir today. Drinking kefir helped settle the very upset stomachs of my husband & myself after a holiday party this week. We may have warded of food poisoning. We’ll never know for certain, but that’s what the upset felt like in addition to the timing and coincidence. Hubs hates kefir, (I brew it long & strong), but he’s convinced of its powers now!
I made a batch of organic, whole milk greek yogurt.
Had a go at it, first time. Didn’t like it plain but toddler loves it. Good in a smoothie. Thanks for the challenge!
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I am just finishing a quart jar of homemake yogurt – make mine in the oven overnight with the oven lights on, and just got my UPS shipment of water keifer and milk keifer starter, and have started both of those this morning. It is exciting to be able to make this at home and have it very fresh and to be able to add flavors that we like.
Two quarts of raw whole milk kefir working as I type – I plan on doublle fermenting one of these with Blackberries and the other will become Cream Cheese for Christmas Bread. Yes thank you for the challenge.
My family loves yummy smoothies made with kefir.
I was able to get raw milk at a reduced price since it was about to expire. I made a batch of yogurt in my crockpot with it, making sure to only warm the milk. I then unplugged the crockpot and put it in the oven with the light on overnight. In the morning we had beautiful raw yogurt. It is sooooo good. We added a little raw honey to it to eat.
Made two batches of milk kefir tonight (one for me and one for my neighbor’s dog!) AND a batch of Kombucha!
I made homemade yogurt! I took a picture of how I store it too…just trying to figure out how to share it:)
Made another batch of kefir! It’s so easy!
I make cold kefir soup with fermented beets, cucumber, eggs and fresh dill.. With side of fried on COil potatoes.. My American husband loves it.. It is very comforting and yummy!!
I just made a new batch of kefir this morning.
Anther batch of kefir.
I made another batch of cocnut milk kefir and I don’t know how to add the picture I took of it. It looks so pretty!
I also have Kombucha, but I do continuous brew!
Where can I find Kefier grains
The widget is working! Catching up and entering my second batch of kefir.
Catching up the widget for my third batch of kefir.
Fourth batch of kefir. Frozen fruit smoothies are delicious, but sure make me chilly in the winter.
Catching up one more quart of kefir. Feels good to do something so healthy.
Two more batches of milk kefir. Not sure how many actually got counted with the questionable widget, but here’s hoping!
Thanks Sarah!
Another batch of kefir. Going to have to freeze more grains soon. They grow so happily!
Ginny, my coconut oil is solid this time of year, too. If you have a good blender, it will break it up and blend it right in!
I made kefir
I let my kefir sit too long, so I made cheese and whey, and then I accidentally ate my grains! They never did get very big, so I didn’t notice them as I was stuffing myself with the cheese!
just took the grains our of the fridge where they have been hibernating. now in the cupboard awaiting smoothies in the morning!
This is a picture of laban matbukh that I made. It is a traditional Arabic soup made with yogurt and considered very healthy. It is often fed to women after they have children, guests and on Fridays. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4838669882565&set=a.2534119550247.2142266.1171309191&type=1&theater
I’ve been doing a batch of kefir every day. My baby’s eczema is getting better just because I’m drinking some every day. Smoothies are so yummy!
We had our kefir pineapple, blueberry and swiss chard kefir smoothie today. Oh and I added a little hemp seeds today.
I made some but found out my husband and daughter won´t eat it because it smells funny… what can I do to get rid of that strong smell? :S
Ana Medina Blend it into a smoothie with some fruit and maybe a bit of honey if need be.
Totally just made 5 batches of kefir.
I also just made a huge batch of raw yogurt!
Egle, That sounds complicated, were did you get the idea or recipe? Thanks…
When and where does the winner get announced? I haven’t gotten a notice yet.
Was a winner announced? I keep looking, but I haven’t seen who won.
I have an excess of raw kefir grains… I would love to know how to use them or to pass them on to someone who needs them.
Okay. Can someone please. Tell an ignorant person(myself) HOW DO YOU MAKE KEFIR FROM SCRATCH? I mean how HOW how do i make the cauliflower looking thingy (culture/grain)? Can someone take a few seconds and tell me CLEARLY how do i make a culture so I can make batches of Kefir? All the videos I’ve seen start from ALREADY HAVING A CULTURE, without telling where or how to make one. -Frustrated one
Hi Steve, You can’t make the culture from scratch. You need to get some of the grains from someone who is making it. Try Craigslist to see if anyone in your area has any to share. It multiplies like rabbits so people who make it usually have extra. If no one has any there you can purchase it on ebay or from Cultures for Health. Sarah has a link on her resources page to their website. They also have videos there on making it once you have the grains. Sarah has a video on making it too.
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