How to Make Water Kefir, Choc Chip Oat Pecan Cookies, Freezing Rain, Ice and Snow's Coming...

How to Make Water Kefir-
I had heard about Kefir years ago, but I only found out about Water Kefir a month or so ago. A friend introduced me to it, and she thought it might help me. I'll try any kind of holistic stuff, so I tried this! This supposedly has all/most of the probiotics you could ever want, and you can make it cheap.
I watched my pal make it at her house, she gave me a batch, then I made some at home. It's easy to make, and it's kind of like sourdough- you just keep some of it alive for the next round. Basically you can make it indefinitely, unless you kill it. It has helped my acid reflux. I'm hoping over time it will help y allergies and asthma. When I don't take it things spike back up. I drink about 4 oz. on an empty stomach first things in the morning. You can add flavorings to the batch that's ready to drink. You can buy the grains online if needed. My friend got hers from another mutual friend, who bought hers from Cultures for Health I'm going to make fermented pickles this summer with some of their cultures. It's pretty simple, but there are a couple of strict things-

1- Treat this like canning- everything has to be STERILE. Jars, strainer, spoons, etc.
2- Disinfect your counters tops when done, as this is a type of BACTERIA.
3- Best to use organic ingredients.
4- You can leave it at room temp for up to 72 hours, and then you need to make more and separate it. It eats up all the sugar. If you don't want to make it that often, putting it in the fridge will slow it down.

I make mine about every 5 days, using a qt. canning jar. I use Sucanet and raw sugar, spring water, unbleached coffee filters. That's it. It's really cheap to make.

Do your own research before you start this. There are many health benefits, and NO dairy, but it may not be for everyone. Some use small amounts for the dogs and cats. I give Anya about 1/8 teas. every few days.

So here's how I do it- sterilize everything, lay all on top of a clean towel. The "recipe" for the sugar water may vary depending on personal preference (flavor) and the grains you buy. My version tastes like diluted brown sugar water. The kefir has no flavor of it's own. Many people add a citrus peel, grated fresh ginger, or whatever to the ready-to-drink batch.

My two sugars

For 1 qt. I use-
3 TBL. Turbinado sugar, and 1 TBL. Sucanet sugar,  1 qt. spring water. NEVER use tap, or home filtered. You need the minerals. If you have our own, clean well, or spring water, all the better. Mix all this well in a sterilized jar, and leave about 1" head space. Shake well til dissolved.

Sugars and water ready to shake

Strain the existing Kefir water into a new sterilized jar, using a fine mesh strainer, or coffee filter, set aside.

strained

ready to drink

Kefir grains, sorry no macro lense

Cover new batch to drink with a coffee filter, so it can breathe, flavor if you wish. Set aside.

Now take your kefir grains, about 1 TBL and add to your new sugar water. Do NOT shake.

Kefir grains floating

Kefir grains at the bottom

covered and ready to sit for 72 hours

I run the excess grains down the sink. Cover with filter and set aside for up to 72 hours. Then repeat. I keep my two jars in separate spots in the kitchen. Enjoy!

Choc Oat Chip Cookies-
While the cookies baked I made kefir. I like these the best as they have oatmeal and some good fiber, etc. I used 1/2 w.w. pastry flour. They're awesome!!! Choc Oat Chip Cookies recipe. I added 1 cups pecans.

Freezing Rain, Ice,  and Snow's Coming...
Just when you think the weather can't get worse... we're going from WEEKS of a foggy, bad air inversion, highs in the 20's to....FREEZING RAIN, THEN SNOW. OMG, I'm so hoping for a ...

Snow Day!!!