Category Archives: recipes

Kefir soda

food preservation, Intentional Spending, lacto fermentation, nutrition, recipes

>>What do you guys drink? Just water, or do you make other drinks? What drinks do you make, and how? <<

This was a very timely question, since I was planning to post about our newest adventure in culturing. 🙂 

Generally, we drink only water.  That doesn’t include milk or kefir for breakfast, and we have herbal teas in the winter, but basically that’s it.  I very rarely buy juice – maybe twice a year at the most.  I never buy soda – never.  This past winter, I got some juice concentrate, thinking it would be the most efficient way to mix the vitamin C powder the kids take when they’re starting to feel under the weather; rather than buying and wasting a large prepared container of juice, I could just take out a spoonful at a time.  But BH, it was a healthy winter and we didn’t need to take vitamin C often so the concentrate has stayed in the freezer and I was wondering what to do with it, except use it to make juice sweetened jam.

It occurred to me that I could transform a very low quality food (the juice concentrate) into something of nutritional value if I cultured it.  Before Pesach, a friend offered me water kefir grains but it wasn’t until a few days ago that I got them.  Water grains are used for culturing juices or a water/sweetener/fruit mix.  I mixed up the grains with a can of concentrate and a quart or so of water, and let it sit on the counter for a day.  As it cultures, the sugar is ‘eaten’ by the kefir bacteria. Then we strained out the grains and drank it – couldn’t be easier!

This is a new project so I can’t give you lots of different recipes I’ve tried.  So far I’ve made it three times with orange juice concentrate, and the kids really like the results.  It becomes fizzy and less sweet as it cultures and turns into kefir soda (though you don’t want to leave it too long because it can become alcoholic).  How long you culture it will depend on the temperature in your home –  our house is pretty warm in the summer since we don’t use air conditioning so it cultures very quickly.  

 When I run out of concentrate, I’ll use the following recipe: 

  • 1-2 tablespoons water kefir grains
  • Filtered water (I didn’t use filtered water but it doesn’t seem like I killed my kefir grains; I’ll try to remember to next time)
  • 1/4 cup sucanat or sugar
  • 1 teaspoon molasses (only if you’re using white sugar)
  • Piece of an egg shell, rinsed (half of the egg shell will do)
  • 1/4 c. fresh or frozen fruit, whatever flavor or combination you like – there are lots of possibilities

    • There are a couple of ways to do this:  1) Some people like to mix all of the ingredients at once and do a one time ferment.  This means putting everything together in a glass jar and leaving it on your counter until it tastes ready to you.

    2) Others prefer to do two separate ferments.  That means first culturing all the ingredients except the fruit, straining out the grains and then using the fermented water together with the fruit for a second ferment.  Supposedly this keeps the kefir grains pure. 

    After the kefir soda is ready, I put it into a glass jar in the fridge.  If you want to be fancy you can get glass bottles that you can fill individually.  This is a good juice or soda substitute because it’s filled with good probiotics, so not only does it taste great but it’s good for you!  And it’s very inexpensive, too!

    Avivah 

    Pumpkin Pudding

    recipes

    Here’s a yummy breakfast food – it seems like it should be a dessert but it’s so good for you that we serve it for a regular meal!

    Pumpkin Pudding

    • 1 – 2 c. pumpkin puree (can use any kind of winter squash)
    • 2 T. coconut oil
    • 1/2 t. cinnamon
    • 1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice (I use a splash of ginger and nutmeg)
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 T. honey/agave nectar

    Blend everything together, and put into a greased baking dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Simple and yummy!

    Avivah

    Curried Carrot Sauerkraut

    food preservation, lacto fermentation, recipes

    Here’s the recipe for my latest fermented vegetable experiment which I slightly adapted from Baden:

    Curried Carrot Sauerkraut

    • 1/2 head green cabbage, finely chopped or shredded
    • 1/2 head purple cabbage, finely chopped or shredded
    • 6 – 7 carrots, shredded
    • 1 small onion, finely chopped
    • 1 – 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 1/2 – 2 T. curry
    • 2 t. salt (I use coarse Celtic)

    Mix all of the vegetables together, and then mix in the curry.  Pack the mixture into glass jars. Add filtered water until the combined vegetable juices (if any) and water just cover the vegetables; add sea salt to the top.  Make sure that all of the vegetables are covered with liquid.  When there isn’t enough liquid, the vegetables on top will get moldy instead of fermenting.  Leave about an inch between the top of the liquid and the jar to allow room for the juices to expand.

    Cover with a tight lid or a cheesecloth and rubber band/ canning jar ring – the second option allows the gasses that build up to be released so you don’t find liquid leaking out all over your counter the next morning.  Sally Fallon of Nourishing Traditions says that because lacto fermentation is an anaerobic process, once the fermentation has started the presence of oxygen will ruin the final product, but I’ve tried it both ways (with tightly fitting lids and with cheesecloth) and haven’t found that to be the case.  Leave it on your counter to ferment for a few days or as long as it takes until the vegetables are all soft.  If the cabbage kind of squeaks in your teeth when you eat it, it needs to ferment more.

    There are a couple of things to be aware of in the summer.  The first is that because of the heat, the liquid will evaporate more quickly from the jar, so if you don’t use a tightly fitting lid you need to check it daily to be sure that the vegetables are still covered.  The other thing is that things ferment much more rapidly in the heat.  The faster something ferments, the stronger the flavor will be.  Cabbage needs to ferment longer than some vegetables;  I like to let it ferment for 4 – 5 days on the counter, and then transfer it to the fridge to continue the fermenting.  Since it continues fermenting in the fridge, but more slowly, it has a more mellow flavor.  If you ferment it at room temperature in hot weather, the flavor will be stronger.

    You don’t have to use a mixture of green and purple cabbage, but I think it looks pretty so that’s why I did it.  It has a nice medium purplish color when it’s done.  This is meant to be eaten as a relish or condiment to your meals; I enjoy it in small amounts but find the flavor gets to be too much if I have a large serving.

    Avivah

    Breakfast shakes

    nutrition, recipes

    >>Shakes for breakfast are my favorite things. What do you put in yours?
    I generally like to put in either yogurt or milk or leben, whatever soft fruit i have in the house, like strawberries, grapes, peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, etc… bananas (preferably frozen, but non frozen is also ok), and lately i’ve also been adding wheat germ, whole sesame seeds, and flax seeds. Depending on the sweetness of the fruit i either may or may not add some sort of thing to sweeten it. It comes out delicious.<<

    What’s great about shakes is that they’re so versatile, easy, and tasty!  You can put just about anything in and it will turn out great!  For my shake today I’ll have 1 c. raw whole milk, 1/2 c. kefir, 1 raw pastured egg, 2 bananas, and 1/2 oz coconut oil.   For the kids I’ll be using bananas, milk, and peanut butter for the kids, with some coconut oil thrown in.  But really it can be anything that is around the house – if I had to say a recipe, it would be milk/kefir/yogurt with fruit and some kind of fat.  (Sometimes I prefer to have the coconut oil separately because when I use frozen fruit it clunks up into tiny pieces. )  I don’t add any sweetners – a ripe banana adds a good amount of sweetness. 

    I find that a shake is a super breakfast – it’s very filling, packed with nutrients, and especially helpful to me with a month old infant, easy to make and to drink. 

    Avivah

    Green Popcorn

    recipes

    This is a fun light meal since it feels like a snack, but is loaded with healthy fats that fill you up.  Extra virgin coconut oil has a coconut flavor that isn’t always appreciated but I like to use it when making popcorn – it’s a good way to sneak in extra nutrition and it tastes great!

    Green Popcorn

    • 1/4 c. popcorn
    • 2 T. coconut oil
    • 1 T. vegetable broth
    • 1 t. spirulina
    • 1/4 c. shredded cheese
    • 2 – 4 T. melted butter

    Pop the popcorn in coconut oil. Mix the remaining ingredients, and stir into the popcorn.  I’ve only made this once, so there’s probably a better way to mix this al up, but this worked for today.

    Avivah

    Crustless Broccoli Quiche

    recipes

    Here’s the recipe for the quiche that was such a big hit at ds’s birthday dinner this evening:

    Crustless Broccoli Quiche

    • 1 onion, diced
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 c. chopped fresh broccoli (can use frozen, too)
    • 8 oz cheese, shredded or diced
    • 4 eggs, beaten
    • 1 c. milk
    • 1/2 c. mayonnaise
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Saute the onion and garlic in butter.  I cooked the broccoli in butter, too, but you don’t have to do that – I think it adds a good flavor, though.  Then mix the cheese, eggs, milk, mayonnaise, and spices together, and add to the vegetables.  Pour into a pie pan, and bake at 350 degrees for thirty minutes or until set.

    Alternatively, you can use 1 1/2 c. milk instead of a combo of milk and mayo – I’ve been using mayo in quiche since I was married, and like how it sets.  But if I was out of it, I’d use the full amount of milk instead of making a batch of mayonnaise just for this recipe. 

    We quadrupled this recipe, and it made three regular pie pans and one very full 9 x 13 pan.  That was just the right amount for dinner for us.  I also added a handful of chopped plantain leaves to the veggies that were sauteeing – nothing like having freshly harvested greens to add nutritional value to your meals!

    Avivah 

    Really Good Vegetarian Meatloaf

    recipes

    Really Good Vegetarian Meatloaf

    Soak 2 c. of water and 1 c. dried lentils overnight.  In the morning, drain off the liquid, and boil 2 c. water for each cup of soaked lentils in a saucepan.  Simmer covered for 25 – 30 min, or until soft.  Drain and partially mash lentils.  Cool slightly. Stir in:

    • 1 small onion, diced
    • 1 c. quick oats
    • 3/4 c. grated cheese or bbq sauce

    Add remaining ingredients:

    • 1 egg, beaten
    • 4 1/2 oz tomato sauce
    • 1 t. garlic powder
    • 1 t. basil
    • 1 t. parsley
    • 1 1/2 t. seasoning salt or to taste (can use regular salt)
    • 1/4 t. pepper

    Mix well, and put in a greased loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 – 45 minutes until the top of the loaf is dry, firm, and golden brown.  Cool ten minutes before slicing.

    Avivah

    Challah instructions and recipe

    recipes

    >>Would you be able to post your challah recipe? I am tired of the one I am using and figure yours is probably really good. i always like your recipes. <<

    My dd14 has taken over the challah making in our house – when she moves out one day, I might have to relearn how to bake challah!  But since I’ve made it for so many years, I think it’s more likely to be like riding a bicycle – once you learn you never forget. 

    We use hard white wheat for most of our baking.  People always know that there’s whole wheat flour in our challah, but never guess that it’s all whole wheat.  The whole wheat flour you buy in the store is generally from hard red wheat kernels, and is darker in color, with a stronger flavor.  You can buy King Arthur’s white whole wheat, which is basically the same as what we use, but not as good quality because it’s not as fresh.  Nutritionally red and white wheat are comparable.

    >> i have switched to coconut oil and palm oil (the same brands you mentioned in your previous posts), but the one area i am having difficulty in adapting to these new oils is challah. I don’t want coconut tasting challah and I cannot find the right measurement for the palm oil. <<

    I use expeller pressed coconut oil for when I’m baking something that I don’t want to have a coconut flavor.  Expeller pressed coconut oil doesn’t have a smell or flavor of coconut.  (It’s also not as healthy as the raw coconut oil that retains the coconut smell and flavor, but it’s still very good for you.)  I like coconut a lot, but there are some foods where it just doesn’t enhance the final result!  We melt it first if it’s cold in the house; when it’s warm it melts so it’s not necessary.  We’ve found that it works just like regular oil, though I think the challah stays fresh for longer with coconut oil, but that’s my subjective opinion.  After the coconut or palm oil is melted, use the same amount that the recipe calls for. 

    Here’s the recipe we’ve been using for the last year or two – it’s the amount that we make every week, but it’s a large recipe and most families will probably want to halve it.  You could make this size recipe and freeze of the challahs for the following week, but it’s best made fresh.  

    • 8 c. warm water
    • 4 T. yeast
    • 3 T. salt
    • 2 c. sugar (1 regular cup, 1 overflowing – we use sucanat)
    • 1 c. oil (I use expeller pressed coconut oil)
    • 21 – 25 c. flour (I use all whole wheat, but suggest you start off with half whole wheat and half white because it’s easier to be successful with; of course you can use all white if you like, too!)

    Mix the warm water and yeast; add salt, sugar, and oil.  Add flour bit by bit – the stickier the dough is, the better the final result, but you can’t have it so sticky that’s it’s impossible to work with.  Let dough rise for an hour, punch down, then braid.  Put in loaf pans or on a baking sheet and let rise for an hour or until doubled.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes for loaf pans, longer for larger challahs – dd rotates the pans so that they’re on the top rack for 15 minutes, then the bottom rack for 15 minutes to ensure even baking.  My dd prefers how the challahs come out when baked in a loaf pan.  The challahs will look underdone when ready, but sound hollow on the bottom when tapped.   This makes 6 – 7 loaf sized challahs.

    I’ve learned that making challah is about getting a sense for what the dough should feel like when it’s ready – you can follow a recipe exactly, but you won’t get the same challah every time because it depends on a number of variables.  When using all whole wheat flour, this is even more important, because it’s easy to make the dough too heavy and then the final result will be dense.  

    My dd said to tell you not to get discouraged if it doesn’t turn out great the first time.  You have to get a sense of what the dough feels like when it’s just right, but once you’ve got that, your challah will turn out amazingly!

    Have a good Shabbos!

    Avivah

    Red raspberry pregnancy tea

    pregnancy, recipes

    Here’s the recipe for the pregnancy tea that I’ve mentioned drinking.  I got it from bulkherbstore.com.  I try to drink at least a cup a day in the last month, though I’ve seen it recommended to drink up to to 5 cups a day starting at 37 weeks.  One precaution I would make is that if you do drink a lot of this, to increase the amount of water you drink, as red raspberry leaves can be a diuretic.

    I personally wouldn’t drink it until the end of the first trimester, and not more than a cup or two a day until the last month.  I’m aware of women miscarrying because they drink huge amounts of this daily in the early part of pregnancy, maybe under the misguided belief that if a little is good, a lot must be better.  This is a wonderful uterine toner, but like everything, should be used as it’s meant to be used, not indiscriminately.

    • 8 parts red raspberry lea
    • 3 parts alfalfa
    • 3 parts peppermint
    • 2 parts nettle (I usually leave this out)

    You can make a cup of hot tea by adding 1 or 2 teaspoons of the premixed herbs to 1 cup of boiling water. Let it steep for 5 to 10 minutes, strain, and add honey (raw is best) to taste.

    To make a pitcher of tea for storing in the refrigerator, use 10 teaspoons or so of the premixed herbs for 8 cups of boiling water. Let it cool for a while and strain. Discard the used herbs, and put the tea in the refrigerator to drink over ice or reheated.

    If you use this in labor, then you’ll drink it as an infusion instead of as a tea.  Only drink an infusion in labor or when you’re ready to be in labor.  To make it, take one ounce of the herbs (it will be a lot), and pour two cups of boiling water over it.  Let it steep about 30 minutes, and drink as hot as you can, when active labor has started. 

    Avivah

    Homemade laundry detergent

    Intentional Spending, recipes

    At the beginning of this week I finally ran out of the laundry detergent that I bought a year ago at a salvage store.  Before that, we had successfully once tried making our own detergent (a very large batch) and were quite happy with it.  I asked my ds to make this, and he enjoyed doing it.  It doesn’t take long at all and it’s very satisfying to know how to make something like this yourself!  And of course, it’s very economical. 🙂

    Homemade laundry detergent 

    • 1 1/2 c. borax
    • 1 1/2 c. washing soda
    • 1 bar soap, grated (Ivory, Fels Naptha, Zote – I use Ivory because it’s easily available in my store)
    • optional – add 1 c. Oxyclean

    Use 1 tablespoon per regular load, 2 T. for heavily soiled loads.

    You might not have heard of washing soda or borax, but they are more common and thus easily found than you’d expect.  I was able to find the washing soda and borax in the laundry detergent of the local supermarket.  It might seem a bit pricey initially when you add up the cost of the supplies, but because you only need 1 – 2 T. of the homemade detergent (vs. 1/4 – 1/2 c. of store detergent), it lasts a long time and is actually very inexpensive if you figure out the cost per load compared to your regular laundry detergent. 

    Avivah