We love, love, love Kefir from the store. I tried to make it at home once and it always turned out--I don't know--slimy! That's the best word I can think of. None of the kiddos would drink it. I never figured out what I was doing wrong but finally stopped making it. We love it but it's pretty expensive at the store so we don't have it often. I'd love to figure out how to do it right at home.

Tracy in NC

Hi Tammy! :)

Our favorite way to have smoothies lately is with mostly kefir- about two cups, about three really ripe frozen bananas, and about 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries. It is so pretty and oh, so yummy! :)

Do you know about the cookbook Nourishing Traditions? It will teach you so much about nutrition, I highly suggest it. There is a recipe for pancakes where you soak the grains. There are enzyme inhibitors in grains consumed without soaking, traditional peoples always soaked their grains and it is only recently that people stopped doing it. Much like how most people still soak beans.

The pancake recipe starts out putting two cups of whole wheat flour with two cups kefir, mix it till it's all wet and cover and let sit at room temp for 12-24 hours. Then add two eggs, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 t salt, 2 T melted butter and cook as you would any other pancake. We add slices of banana or raisins or blueberries.

These pancakes are so good for you, much easier on your body to digest. Let me know if you have any questions- email me if I don't respond right away.

Love your blog! :)

Sounds yummy, except I have no idea what kefir tastes like or even is...lol, I just happen to like smoothies!

I love kefir! I've never had homemade though. I buy the Lifeway raspberry flavor when we want a special treat. A pint doesn't last long. I've been looking for some grains but the search so far has proved unsuccessful.

I've been making kefir since January and we love it. It has healed mine and my mom's guts (well that and combined with a Nourishing Traditions diet and God). I really like thick kefir, so for a long time I was just stirring in some flavored jello, strawberry, and we drank it that way. I've now moved up to the frozen sliced and sweetened strawberries and blending it up. Next I plan to do just fruit with the kefir and get away from so much sugar. Baby steps...let me also confirm that kefir makes the absolute BEST pancakes ever! I even substituted some of the oil called for in a carrot cake recipe with some kefir. Lovely stuff :)

You said something over in the comments on your kefir making poll about lactose and all that. I have issues as well and kefir works fine for me. Also, hard cheeses are more easily tolerated then soft (parmesan, romano, I can even handle cheddar).
If he wants a milk he can handle the lactaid is affective in controlling the lactose issue or there are fortified rice milks (Trader Joe's has the best price if you have one nearby).
Soured or fermented products are usually alright as the process consumes the lactose.
As always, your mileage may vary.
Kate

Hello, I feel really silly asking this but, Is kefir the same as yogurt? It sounds the same but no one has called it yogurt. thanks in advance.

Hi Tammy

I think this is my first time posting here. Love this site - inspirational!

I was wondering, can you make kefir with pasteurised and homogenised milk? I can't get hold of any raw milk.

Thanks.

In Him

Meredith in Aus

Some friends gave me my first culture and a crash course on how to make kefir and I never looked back. Now I have my own daily routine. I make about 2 cups at a time per day. I strain yesterday's batch in a plastic strainer into a pottery bowl. I then wash the kefir pot (it's a glass coffee pot from a dead coffee maker), add new milk and the kefir grains. I hardly ever wash the grains, maybe once a week if that. Then I cover the top with a dry washcloth tied with an elastic to keep the fruit flies out and set it in a dark spot.
I put the fresh kefir into two glasses, one for me and one for my husband, cover them with saran wrap and put them in the fridge for tomorrow, and pull out yesterday's kefir to drink today - we like it cold.
This works really well for us. I don't put fruit in it or use it in recipes. We like it very much just as it is. When we're away, I start a fresh batch and put the whole thing in the fridge. I've left it for up to a week that way. It's a little mad at me when I come back, and it takes a few days to get back to normal thickness. If we go away longer, I will try drying out the grains.

Hi Tammy,

Wow thank you for your kefir recipes. I'm now at indonesia, it's hard for me to find grains. But soon I have it, i will make it like what you said. Oya there is other source about how to make kefir more quickly and healthy, just check this out: http://www.howtomakekefir.com