Kefir cheese

I have been making my own Kefir for a while now. I am up to 3 quarts a day. We use one for smoothies so I had to figure out what to do with the rest. I decided to make cheese. First let me say, cheese is a term I use loosely because its really more like a sour cream. The cool thing is you can use the "cheese" many ways. I use it plain as a sour cream. I puree fruit and mix it in the cheese for a yogurt. I have put honey and fruit in it for a breakfast. I have also heard you can use herbs and spices and use it as a cream cheese. The last one I havent tried yet. Ok so let me show you how I make it.

First you need Kefir.
 Click here for my "How to make Kefir" blog. 

Here is my unstrained kefir.

You need a strainer and something to catch the whey. This is what I use,  my strainer just happens to fit nicely into this large measuring cup. 

This is a nut bag. I used to use cheese cloth before I found this. I make this too often to keep buying cheese cloth. I found this nut bag on Amazon for under $10. 

So I take my plastic strainer I bought at Walmart for $1.00, I wrap the bag around it and hold the handle tightly. Then I strain my kefir right into the bag just like I would in the blender for smoothies. Once I am left with just the grains, I start the kefir making process all over. 

I put this in the fridge overnight, or sometimes a couple nights to drain. 

The whey drains out and you are left with a soft cream cheese consistency.

It looks like this. I put it in a container and use it however I want.

The other cool thing about making this, is the whey thats left. Its full of nutrients and good stuff for you.  There are also many things to do with this but I choose to put it in my garden and dilute and water my houseplants. One of these days I will venture out and use it for other things but for now its helping me grow food :).

How I make Kefir

About six months ago, we put our two youngest on the GAPS diet. We have learned so much since starting that journey, and probiotics are one of them. While trying to detox their bodies of the bad stuff, we need to put some good bacteria back in. On the GAPS diet, you pretty much make everything from scratch. So instead of buying kefir from the store, I learned to make it.

The first thing you need are kefir grains. I got mine from a friend, and if any of you in Vegas want some let me know. Kefir grains are like the amish friendship bread of the "health" world. The grains will keep reproducing and you will have to start another jar or give some away. If you don't live in Vegas you can buy them online, just google search because there are a few options out there. The grains look like this, pretty much like cottage cheese.

 Put the grains in a clean mason jar. 

Pour in organic milk.

Fill to about here. You want to leave room because as it ferments it fills up and you don't want it to spill over.

Put a clean coffee filter on, and secure it with a rubber band. You want to keep it covered because it will attract bugs, but the cover needs to be able to breathe. Then put it on your kitchen counter for 24 - 48 hours. The longer you let it sit the more it ferments, so it will get more sour. I make smoothies for my kids usually everyday so mine sits about 24 hours. I have left it for out for longer though, and its fine.

When mine is ready it looks like this. The curds separate from the whey. The grains are mixed in with the curds. 

I take a plastic spoon (do not use metal) and give it a quick stir before straining. It makes it easier for me to strain the grains. 

Use a plastic strainer (no metal). I bought a pack of strainers at Walmart for $1.99. I strain mine straight into the blender because I make smoothies for the kids. Just pour and stir, you will see the grains, its jellylike cottage cheese. 

You end up back here again with just the grains and you start all over again at step one.

It's so easy! It's become my morning routine. The kefir is a bit sour so the key to yummy smoothies my kids love, is to put atleast 2 bananas in. I also put whatever fresh or frozen fruit I have on hand and a tablespoon of honey. You can use other sweeteners but honey is the only GAPS legal sweetener. If I have any left over I put them in popsicle molds and the littles eat those for an afternoon treat.