WHEN YOU SECOND FERMENT MILK KEFIR IT TRANSFORMS INTO A CREAMY AND SWEET PROBIOTIC-RICH DRINK, THIS MAKES IT PERFECT FOR CHILDREN! HERE ARE TWO SECOND FERMENTED KEFIR SMOOTHIES RECIPES THAT EVERYONE LOVES.
If there is one food that I choose to make daily for my family it is milk kefir. I make milk kefir by adding our jersey raw milk to kefir grains which are available to buy here. The jar of raw milk and kefir grains ferments at room temperature for 24 hours. When the fermentation process is complete, the kefir grains are strained out of the kefir and a new batch of kefir is started by adding milk to the strained kefir grains. The fermented dairy product KEFIR is now ready to drink, store in the refrigerator, or use it to make second ferment kefir smoothies.
BENEFITS OF DRINKING SECOND FERMENT DAIRY KEFIR
- B vitamins increase
- Calcium and magnesium are increased as well as your ability to absorb them
- Creamier Kefir
- Less tart taste
- Less lactose
- More carbonation which makes drinking second ferment kefir very enjoyable
- Higher levels of probiotics
- You can add flavoring to second ferment kefir, something you can not do when fermenting kefir without damaging the kefir grains. This enhances the taste and makes kefir enjoyable for all!
KEFIR: THE CHAMPAGNE OF MILK
Our farmstead places a special importance on kefir not only for its health benefits but also because It provides food security. Raw milk (which we have lots of) and kefir grains are fermented together for 24 hours to make this wonderful digestive tonic; no refrigeration needed. Kefir grains will live forever as long as you take care of them. We have been drinking milk kefir for many years and love it and believe it has a profound impact on our health. We even make kefir cheese flavored with garlic and peppercorn for a healthy spread on sourdough einkorn crackers. Please check out our Kefir playlist on YouTube. Dr. Axe has a great overview for those new to kefir, read here.
Kefir is even known to be protective against cancer (source), anti-bacterial, a great source for B1, B6, folic acid, and biotin which increases the bio-availability of B vitamins. Kefir’s probiotics enhance digestion and intestinal health. Furthermore, kefir has up to 61 different strains of bacteria, while yogurt only has 7-10, therefore making kefir the healthier option. If you want to read about the science of kefir from the “National Institute of Health”, check out this article.
Often it takes time to develop a taste for kefir, so if you are introducing kefir to your family I highly recommend starting with second fermented kefir smoothies. Second ferment kefir smoothies are one of my favorite breakfast and lunch meals and will be yours too. Luscious, creamy, higher nutrition profile, less lactose, and less tangy taste is what second fermentation brings to kefir.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE SECOND FERMENT SMOOTHIES
- 1 QUART OF FERMENTED MILK KEFIR
- 1 CUP OF FROZEN OR FRESH FRUIT (YOUR CHOICE) PER CUP OF KEFIR. *FOR THE PEACH SMOOTHIE I USE ONE FROZEN PEACH PER CUP OF KEFIR. OUR PEACHES ARE FROZEN IN HALVES. *FOR THE PINEAPPLE, BANANA, WITH COCONUT CREAM SMOOTHIE I USE ONE FRESH OR FROZEN BANANA,1-2 CUPS OF FROZEN PINEAPPLE CHUNKS, AND 2 TABLESPOONS OF TROPICAL TRADITIONS COCONUT CREAM PER CUP OF KEFIR. HOWEVER FEEL FREE TO USE WHATEVER COCONUT CREAM YOU USUALLY USE.
- BLENDER OR STICK BLENDER-WE ARE USING A BLEND-TEC WHICH HAS A SMOOTHIE SETTING
- CANNING JAR-WE USE A HALF GALLON BALL JAR
MILK KEFIR
If you are going to second ferment kefir then first you need milk kefir. We make ONE QUART of kefir every morning using our raw milk and kefir grains. After straining out the grains after 24 hours we end up with 3-4 cups of probiotic-rich kefir. Our raw milk is produced from clean, disease-free, grass-fed jersey cows so we feel good about using it to ferment. If you buy raw milk it is best to ask them if they test their herd for these 8 disease that you can read about here.
You really should make your own milk kefir because it is very important to control the ingredients in your food, and it’s also very cost-efficient. I have only made second ferment kefir with homemade kefir. Of course I wish all of you had your own family milk cow but if not maybe you can find a raw milk dairy in your area. Here is a good place to look: Weston A. Price.org (go to the FIND FOOD tab and click on Realmilk.com).
If you need to buy your milk from the grocery store to make milk kefir just make sure you use pasteurized milk not ultra-pasteurized. Do you best to buy organic and grass-fed milk.
Here is where I bought my kefir grains: Cultures for Health. You will be very glad you bought your own kefir grains because they will last forever if you take care of them. They are definitely worth the time and financial investment. What could be more important than your family’s health!
FRESH FRUIT OR FROZEN FRUIT TO USE IN SECOND FERMENT KEFIR SMOOTHIES
Use your favorite fruits you would normally use to make a smoothie. I like to use one cup of frozen or fresh fruit per one cup of kefir. Use more or less, your choice.
In the first recipe we are using peaches from our orchard this summer that we froze. If you need a tutorial to see my simple way to freeze them then watch this:
In the second smoothie recipe we are using a frozen banana and 1-2 cups of frozen pineapple chunks.
IDEAS FOR FLAVORING SECOND FERMENTED KEFIR
- Creamsicle-organic orange peel with vanilla
- Strawberry-Banana
- Blueberry-Honey
- Mango-Coconut-Banana
- Blackberry-Banana-Honey
- Dates-Chocolate
HOW TO MAKE SECOND FERMENT SMOOTHIES
STEP 1
Make a quart of kefir. You will end up with 3-4 cups of kefir. Please see our video tutorials on how to make kefir.
STEP 2
Add one cup of frozen or fresh fruit per one cup of kefir to your blender. We have a Blend-tec that has a smoothie setting.
STEP 3
Blend until smooth and pour into a half gallon Ball canning jar with a lid and ring. Just sit the lid on the jar, don’t tighten it. Remember I use raw milk and organic fruit therefore my fermentation is very active and rapid so I don’t tighten the lid. Leaving the lid loose creates an anaerobic environment, resulting in the build up of carbonation. However, after the 1-3 hours of fermentation at room temperature I do tighten the lid when I put it into the refrigerator.
STEP 4
Leave the jar out at room temperature anywhere from 1-3 hours. As with all fermented foods the ambient temperature of your home will determine the rate of fermentation. As you can see In the video, our smoothie fermented very rapidly which could be due to the biodynamic nature of the organic peaches and raw milk. We also live in Texas which is a warmer climate.
Factors that may affect rate of fermentation
- ambient temperature
- raw milk kefir vs. pasteurized milk kefir
- fresh or frozen fruit, it will take the frozen fruit longer to warm up than fresh fruit
- amount of fruit used in smoothie
STEP 5
Check the second ferment kefir smoothie starting at one hour looking for visible signs of the fermentation progress. I like to stop fermentation before I see the smoothie separating. In our video you can see an example of this. However the length you ferment is your choice. Remember the second ferment kefir smoothie will continue to slowly ferment in the refrigerator therefore I recommend consuming it within 1-2 days.
When fermentation is complete you can drink it or put it into the refrigerator to get it cold before your drink it. I like to drink it for lunch then store the rest in the refrigerator.
How long will second ferment kefir smoothies keep in the refrigerator?
As with all fermented foods there are many factors that affect the progress of fermentation. I add lots of fruit to my smoothies therefore they will ferment more quickly and you will see separation faster. If fermentation moves quickly because of an abundance of fruit sugar and warmth, then you may see separation fairly quickly like in the video. When you put your second ferment kefir smoothie into the refrigerator it will continue to slowly ferment, but will eventually separate and develop a bitter taste with time. In conclusion, I recommend consuming your refrigerated smoothie within 1-2 days due to the larger amount of fruit used in this recipe. The less fruit you use in your second ferment kefir smoothie the longer storing time you will have before separation and developing a bitter taste.
HOW TO KNOW THE SECOND FERMENT KEFIR SMOOTHIE IS READY TO DRINK
- Bubbles along the jar
- Froth on the top of the smoothie
- Very Creamy and light
- I like to stop fermentation before I see separation in the jar
MILK KEFIR SECOND FERMENTATION SEPARATION
If you see separation then it is time to drink your smoothie or secure the lid on the jar, then refrigerate for 1-2 days. Just keep in mind if you leave it very long in the refrigerator it will separate because fermentation is still taking place, just at a slower rate.
If the ambient temperature is warm then fermentation will move along more quickly than if it is cool.
The more fruit you use in the smoothie, the faster it will ferment.
SECOND FERMENT DAIRY KEFIR
In conclusion, we only use our raw milk to make the kefir used to second ferment dairy kefir. Lastly, raw milk is very biodynamic. Therefore when using raw milk to ferment kefir, fermentation will take place at a faster rate than when using pasteurized milk. Also, the kefir grains will increase more rapidly when fermenting with raw milk.
KEFIR PROBIOTIC SMOOTHIES
These two recipes have powerful probiotics which aid in gut health. Drinking second ferment kefir smoothies is a great way for your family to get gut-healthy probiotics.
STEP 1 Make a quart of kefir. You will end up with 3-4 cups of kefir. Please see our video tutorials on how to make kefir. STEP 2 Add one cup of frozen or fresh fruit per one cup of kefir to your blender. We have a Blend-tec that have a smoothie setting. STEP 3 Blend until smooth and pour into a half gallon Ball canning jar with a lid and ring. Just sit the lid on the jar, don't tighten it. Remember I use raw milk and organic fruit therefore my fermentation is very active and rapid so I don't tighten the lid. When you tighten the lid this creates an anaerobic environment. As a result this helps build carbonation and you might want to do this. However, after the 1-3 hours of fermentation at room temperature I do tighten the lid when I put it into the refrigerator. As a result, the second ferment kefir will continue to ferment slowly in the refrigerator. STEP 4 Leave the jar with the kefir and fruit smoothie out at room temperature anywhere from 1-3 hours. As with all fermented foods the ambient temperature of your home will determine the rate of fermentation. As you can see In the video our smoothies fermented very rapidly which could be due to the biodynamic nature of the organic peaches and raw milk. We also live in Texas which is a warmer climate. STEP 5 Check the second ferment kefir smoothie starting at one hour looking for visible signs of the fermentation progress. I like to stop fermentation before I see the smoothie separating. In our video you can see an example of this. However the length you ferment is your choice. Remember the second ferment kefir smoothie will continue to slowly ferment in the refrigerator therefore I recommend consuming it within 1-2 days. When fermentation is complete you can drink it or put it into the refrigerator to get it cold before your drink it. I like to drink it for lunch then store the rest in the refrigerator. STEP 1 Make a quart of kefir. You will end up with 3-4 cups of kefir. Please see our video tutorials on how to make kefir. STEP 2 Add one cup of frozen or fresh fruit per one cup of kefir to your blender. We have a Blend-tec that has a smoothie setting. STEP 3 Blend until smooth and pour into a half gallon Ball canning jar with a lid and ring. Just sit the lid on the jar, don't tighten it. Remember I use raw milk and organic fruit therefore my fermentation is very active and rapid so I don't tighten the lid. When you tighten the lid this creates an anaerobic environment. As a result, this helps build carbonation and you might want to do this. However, after the 1-3 hours of fermentation at room temperature I do tighten the lid when I put it into the refrigerator. The second ferment kefir will continue to ferment slowly in the refrigerator. STEP 4 Leave the jar with the kefir and fruit smoothie out at room temperature anywhere from 1-3 hours. As with all fermented foods the ambient temperature of your home will determine the rate of fermentation. As you can see In the video our smoothies fermented very rapidly which could be due to the biodynamic nature of the organic peaches and raw milk. We also live in Texas which is a warmer climate. STEP 5 Check the second ferment kefir smoothie starting at one hour looking for visible signs of the fermentation progress. I like to stop fermentation before I see the smoothie separating. In our video you can see an example of this. However the length you ferment is your choice. Remember the second ferment kefir smoothie will continue to slowly ferment in the refrigerator therefore I recommend consuming it within 1-2 days. When fermentation is complete you can drink it or put it into the refrigerator to get it cold before your drink it. I like to drink it for lunch then store the rest in the refrigerator.PEACH SECOND FERMENT KEFIR SMOOTHIE
Ingredients
Instructions
HOW TO MAKE SECOND FERMENT SMOOTHIES
Factors that may affect rate of fermentation
PINEAPPLE-BANANA-COCONUT CREAM SECOND FERMENT KEFIR SMOOTHIE
Ingredients
Instructions
Factors that may affect rate of fermentation
WE HOPE WE HAVE INSPIRED, EDUCATED, AND HELPED GUIDE YOU IN LIVING A SIMPLE INTENTIONAL LIFE.
BEST,
Caren
PROVERBS 31: 27: She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness. 28: Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her.
