Fermented foods are vital for our health and easy to make! Here are recipes to activate the kefir grains and make my fave ... coconut water kefir.
In a glass jar, prepare sugar water by combining 1/2 cup hot water and 1/4 cup of sugar. Allow sugar to dissolve and add 3 cups of cool water.
Empty the entire packet of dehydrated water kefir grains into the sugar water. Affix the thermometer to the the jar with a rubber band (I've used mine that way for years). It's very important that the grains be kept at a temperature between 68 degrees F and 85 degrees F. Any lower, it will take much longer to culture. Any higher, harmful bacteria will start to grow.
Cover with a coffee filter or cloth secured by a rubber band and let the grains rehydrate for 3 days at room temperature. Check on the temperature at least daily and adjust as needed by adding warmer water (it's 95 here every day lately, so no problem at this time!)
After 3 days, the grains should be plump, translucent, and ready to use. Strain out the grains with the strainer and discard the sugar water.
You can continue making the water kefir with sugar water as described above (and bottle the results) but I prefer using coconut water instead. Make sure that coconut water has nothing but that as an ingredient (I use Whole Foods 365).
Place coconut water in jar and affix thermometer, which should read between 68 degrees F and 85 degrees F. If too low, heat a small amount and return to jar.
Add strained grains. Cover with muslin or coffee filter and affix with rubber band. Place in a warm place for 24-48 hours or until bubbly. Place funnel into bottle with strainer on top. strain kefir into bottle, leaving at least one inch between liquid and stopper (you will need two). Affix stoppers and refrigerate.
Prepare water with sugar as you would do to activate grains. Make sure the temperature is right and correct as needed. Add strained grains. I also rinse the jar used to make the kefir with filtered water and add to jar so I get as many grains as I can (I LOVE my beasties!) Usually I make one batch of coconut water kefir to one or two batches of sugar water as recommended by Cultures for Health.
You may add flavors for a second fermentation (more on that later) or drink plain. Bottoms up!
0 servings
1 cup
* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.