Kefir
In a nutshell, kefir is a cultured milk drink, kind of like a thin plain yogurt but it is supposed to be much better for you. It is VERY easy to make as it cultures at room temperature and requires no special equipment. My whole family have been eating it, even my baby since January 2013. If you drink smoothies already, it is a cinch to incorporate kefir into your diet. Also if you like dip, Kefir makes a great dip base. All you have to do is strain the kefir through a coffee filter and you will get a soft cream cheese like product to which you can then add any seasoning you like to. Very easy to make.
A good site to look at is Dom's Kefir site. It has a wealth of information I could never top. Check it out if you are interested.
For information:
http://users.sa.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.htmldcg
To learn how to make it:
http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/Makekefir.html
A recipe for a fresh tasting kefir dressing created by yours truly:
(The ingredient quantities are estimates of what I used. Feel free to change it to your tastes.)
1 cup mild tasting kefir cheese
1 cup sour cream (used simply because I had some to use up)
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 ice small ice cube of frozen fresh dill
1/2 cup (a couple of handfuls) frozen fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste (I really don't know how much I used)
2-4 cloves garlic
3 Tbsp dried onions (I used these as I had no onion powder on hand)
1/5 a package cream cheese (use more if you want a cheesy flavor)
Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
If you want a smoother dressing add some kefir or some of the kefir whey you strained out to make your cheese or more oil.
Letting the dressing sit for a day in the fridge will help blend the flavors but it was still good when eaten after an hour.
A good site to look at is Dom's Kefir site. It has a wealth of information I could never top. Check it out if you are interested.
For information:
http://users.sa.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.htmldcg
To learn how to make it:
http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/Makekefir.html
A recipe for a fresh tasting kefir dressing created by yours truly:
(The ingredient quantities are estimates of what I used. Feel free to change it to your tastes.)
1 cup mild tasting kefir cheese
1 cup sour cream (used simply because I had some to use up)
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 ice small ice cube of frozen fresh dill
1/2 cup (a couple of handfuls) frozen fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste (I really don't know how much I used)
2-4 cloves garlic
3 Tbsp dried onions (I used these as I had no onion powder on hand)
1/5 a package cream cheese (use more if you want a cheesy flavor)
Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
If you want a smoother dressing add some kefir or some of the kefir whey you strained out to make your cheese or more oil.
Letting the dressing sit for a day in the fridge will help blend the flavors but it was still good when eaten after an hour.