"Freshca" (Water Kefir with Grapefruit) (Vegan)

This delicious, cultured probiotic beverage has completely replaced my desire and need for any kind of carbonated soda. It is delightfully bubbly all on its own—it develops a natural effervescence during the second brewing, and it also retains some sweetness even as the fermentation process proceeds.

I have at least a couple of batches of this brewing in my kitchen at all times, and it even travels with us when we go on trips. It is the finickiest of the cultured beverages we make, and I have better success if I don't try to leave it too long or put it into dormancy.

MAKING WATER KEFIR

1) Acquire some active water kefir grains from a reliable source. A healthy set of grains is always multiplying during the culturing process, so you can ask a friend who makes it regularly, or you can order them through various online sources.

2) Prepare a sugar water solution in a wide-mouth quart jar by dissolving 1/4 C. organic cane sugar with a little bit of very hot water from your tap. Stir until dissolved, then fill the jar to near the top with room-temperature filtered water. (The total volume will now be 3-4 cups of sweetened water.)

3) Drain your water kefir grains from the previous batch and add them to the sugar water solution in your quart jar, taking care to only use about 1 heaping Tbsp. of kefir grains per batch. (When they have multiplied beyond this quantity, remove the extra grains to share with a friend or start another batch!)

NOTE: It is very important to use only plastic, mesh, and glass containers and utensils when handling and working with your kefir grains. Never use metal strainers, spoons, or other equipment when working with kefir grains. Remember, your kefir grains are alive and must be cared for properly to continue to thrive.

4) Cover the jar with a coffee filter or cloth secured by a rubber band. Set aside to culture in a warm spot (68-85 degrees F) for 24-48 hours.

IMPORTANT: If you are culturing other fermented foods in your kitchen, you must keep them in separate areas from one another. Milk, water, and juice kefirs can brew in the same area—though we do use different starter cultures/grains for each—but all kefir should be kept separate from other culturing foods (including kombucha, sauerkraut, sourdough, yoghurt, or cheese) during the fermentation process. Intermingling the different cultures by storing them near one another during the culturing process will yield some very unfavorable results in flavor and texture—or sabotage the fermentation process entirely, in some cases! Make separate fermenting areas several feet away from one another for culturing each of these probiotic foods and beverages.

NOTE: If you need to leave your water kefir culturing for longer than 1-2 days—i.e. life is busy and you don't have time to move onto the second fermentation yet—you should add a couple of organic raisins to the jar to extend the time your grains can survive without a new feeding. This is very important, as the grains will run out of enough nutrients if left in just the sugar water solution for more than a couple of days.

Note that doing this may change the taste of your final product, as you are technically culturing the beverage for twice as long as usual before pouring it up and bottling it for the second fermentation. Although still delicious, this will result in a stronger, more sour-tasting beverage.

5) If you prefer your water kefir without the natural effervescence produced during the second ferment, you may pour it up at this point and drink it plain or with added fruit juice. However, we enjoy the carbonation produced in this next step, so we always continue with a second ferment under pressure.

FLAVORING AND BOTTLING WATER KEFIR

6) You can use a variety of flavorings for your second ferment, but the one that works best for us and which we strongly prefer is fresh grapefruit juice. Slice the grapefruit in half and remove any large seeds that are visible, then use a hand juicer to extract as much juice and pulp as possible.

7) Pour the grapefruit juice into your prepared kefir—this is the liquid you strained the grains out of earlier—and then skim off any tiny seeds that are in the mix using a miniature sieve. (Note that this sieve can be metal because it isn't touching any live kefir grains.) 

Take care to leave as much of the pulp as possible. It is this juice and pulp that will feed the kefir during the second ferment.

NOTE: It is important to purchase Grolsch-style flip-top bottles designed especially to handle the pressure of fermented and carbonated beverages. (I purchase Lorina sparkling lemonade and then re-use these bottles for second fermenting our "freshca" soda, but you can order or purchase them from any craft beer store or online. Just be certain they're safe for brewing or they will explode on you!)

8) Carefully inspect your flip-top bottle for any signs of cracks. Finding none, pour all of the prepared kefir/juice mixture into your flip-top bottle and clamp it sealed. 

NOTE: If you are using the small grapefruits that are about the size of a large orange, you will need the juice from the entire grapefruit. If it is one of those huge grapefruits with the thick skins, you may get away with just a half. At any rate, you will want to add just enough juice to the finished water kefir to bring the liquid level in your flip-top bottle to near the top. If you leave too much headroom, you may build up too much pressure and your bottle may explode. (I have done this. It is not pretty, and it is a huge mess of juice and fruit and broken glass to clean up from all over your kitchen!)

10) You can refrigerate it at this point if you do not want carbonation. If you do want carbonation, clamp the bottle securely and let it sit at room temperature for 24-72 hours or until it carbonates. 

It is important to burp the bottle once a day to avoid excess pressure build up. Just open the seal and lift the cap ever so slightly and let the pressure release very slowly. (Otherwise your soda may "bubble up" out of the bottle and all over your counter. If it seems like it is going to do so, clamp the bottle shut again very quickly and move to the sink before opening again. Let just the slightest air out very slowly until the pressure has released enough to let go and open the bottle fully. When it is this fizzy, it is ready!)

11) Refrigerate your bottles of water kefir ("freshca" around here), and continue to burp them once daily until consumed. (I set a daily alarm on my watch so I never forget!)

12) Enjoy! 

Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread (Vegan)

For those accustomed to making wheat sourdough, this gluten-free version will feel awkward and unfamiliar, and it will not taste quite as fabulous to you as your usual wheat sourdough. (My wheat sourdough is the most delicious bread I've ever eaten in my life, hands down!) But for those needing to eat gluten-free, this will be a delicious and satisfying way to get bread back into your life! Just set what you know about wheat sourdough baking aside for a while, as this is a good bit different.

NOTE: I created a gluten-free starter using the method outlined below (twice!) and then I let it go again (twice!) because it was just such a pain to keep both sourdough starters alive and fed. I have since done some research and verified through experience that those who experience challenges with gluten and need to eat gluten-free sourdough can eat regular sourdough, provided the following conditions are met:

1) The wheat flour used is organic.

2) The sourdough cultures and "ferments" for at least 24 hours (at least 12 hours initially and then 12 hours secondarily in the fridge).

3) Rice flour is used to "process" the bread at the end stages when it will no longer be culturing for a long period. In other words, when you pour up the dough and put it in for the second rise, you mustn't use more wheat flour but use rice flour. 

4) Eat it in moderation.

If you do all of that, the regular organic sourdough should work fine for you!

On with the original post, utilizing the GF sourdough starter I created (twice) but no longer have to share with you because I no longer use it. Let me know if you want some of the organic wheat one, which everyone I know who needs to eat GF can have!

Making the initial gluten-free sourdough starter:

Sourdough starters mature and ripen with age, so getting some established starter from a friend is always preferable. (I'm happy to give you some, if you live nearby!) But if you don't have a friend who can share with you, you can always create your own using this process: 

Day 1: Start with 1 C. King Arthur Measure-for-Measure gluten-free flour blend and stir in 3/4 C. filtered, room-temperature water. Set aside, covered with cheese cloth or another "breathable" fabric.
Day 2: Discard half of your budding starter. Feed the rest with the same mixture as above.
Day 3: Measure out 100 grams of the starter and combine it with 100 grams of filtered water and 100 grams of GF flour blend. Continue this process daily—for however long it takes—until the mixture is doubled in bulk after 24 hours. Mine took three days, but it can take up to seven. (Your starter is gathering natural wild yeast from the air! How cool is that!)

Caring for your gluten-free sourdough starter longterm:

Unless you are making bread daily, you will store your sourdough culture in the refrigerator. Feed it once a week or so using a 1-1-1 ratio of starter, water, and flour. (I use King Arthur Measure-for-Measure gluten-free flour blend.) 

Start with 100 grams of starter and "feed" it by stirring in 100 grams of water (preferably filtered, but not cold) and 100 grams of gluten-free flour blend. It is very important to keep the ratio consistent at 1-1-1. Do not use more starter than flour and water. This will cause the starter to not have enough "food" to remain healthy over time. If you're not planning to bake on feeding day, simply place the starter back in the fridge and leave it for up to ten days before feeding again. 

Here's my newly fed starter resting on the counter near the toaster oven. This is my "sourdough spot," which is a warm space in my kitchen that is safely away from the other healthy food cultures growing there. Interestingly, you must maintain a healthy distance between cultured foods as they brew in your kitchen—foods like sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, vinegar, yogurt, or cheese—because the different cultures don't play nicely together and will definitely mess each other up if not kept several feet from one another during culturing.

Feeding your gluten-free sourdough starter:

It's ready when doubled in size!

When you want to bake with it, feed your starter and let it culture at room temperature until it is doubled in bulk. (I use a rubber band around my jar to mark the "starting place" after I've just fed it,) It will also look nice and bubbly, though gluten-free starter will look different from regular wheat sourdough starter. (It will look almost "frothy," with none of the characteristic wet look or "stretchiness" of the gluten web that is present in wheat sourdough.) This process will usually take at least 6-8 hours if it's been in the fridge, so I usually let it proof overnight and make the dough in the morning, or feed it in the morning and let it rise all day, then make the dough in the evening. It is very important to make the dough while the starter is active and bubbly, before it begins to fall. If it deflates, you will have to feed it and wait again before making the dough. (This does not happen nearly as quickly with the GF sourdough starter as it does with wheat sourdough, however.)

Baking with your gluten-free sourdough starter:

This recipe is the only one I've tried so far, because it is super easy, it works, and it satisfies our urge for gluten-free bread that tastes good. I will post other recipes as I experiment, if I find one we like better. Be sure to carefully measure your ingredients, as accuracy matters here. After you have fed the starter and notice that it is almost doubled in bulk (many hours after feeding), continue with the process below:

Dry ingredients. Sift together well:

375 g gluten-free flour blend* (2 3/4 C.)

25 g almond meal (1/4 C.) [I grind a handful of almonds in my Vitamix for this]

15 g coconut sugar or dark brown sugar (1 Tbsp.) 

15 g psyllium husks** (3 Tbsp.) 

15 g finely ground sea salt (2 tsp.)

* [I use King Arthur "Measure-for-Measure" GF flour blend or Bob's Red Mill "1-to-1 Baking Flour" GF flour blend. You can experiment with others, but those are the two I've tried that I know work. If you try others with good results, let me know in the comments!]
** You can even use Metamucil for a slightly sweet, slightly orange-flavored bread. Also, I have a friend who uses ground flax seed instead of psyllium husks, with good results.

Wet ingredients:

375 g water, preferably filtered but not cold (1 1/2 C.)

50 g avocado oil (1/4 C.)

Starter ingredients:

175 g active gluten-free sourdough starter (1 C.)

15 g raw apple cider vinegar (1 Tbsp.)

Dutch dough whisk and lame—and wheat sourdough versus gluten-free

1) Combine the wet ingredients (water and oil) into the sifted dry ingredients—I use my Dutch dough whisk, but you can just use your hands if you want—and mix together until well-combined. Set this mixture aside, covered with a wet cloth, to rest for 1-2 hours before proceeding. (Yes, you are doing this step even without the starter in there, which seems counterintuitive and unnecessary. You can skip this step and combine all the ingredients at once, but your bread will not rise as high or be as light. (The GF loaf pictured above was made without doing this step. If you do this step, however, your GF loaf will be about as tall as your regular wheat sourdough.) 

[NOTE: The original recipe says you can let this mixture sit overnight in the fridge at this stage, but I've never tried that. If you decide to try it, you must bring it back to room temperature before proceeding.]

8-in glass bowl or small proofing basket

2) After your wet flour mixture has rested for 1-2 hours, fully incorporate the starter and vinegar into your moist flour blend with your hands or your Dutch dough whisk, folding it in and shaping the dough into a ball as much as possible.

3) Transfer dough to a medium (I use 8-inch) glass bowl or proofing basket lined with a cloth dusted in GF flour. 

4) Cover well—I place my bowl into a large plastic bag and twist it closed—and place in a warm spot for 4-6 hours or overnight. (I put mine in my oven with the light left on.) The dough will release moisture, which will cling to the plastic wrap covering it, which is good. It needs to stay moist during this stage. It will only be visibly risen about one inch or so after this step

5) At baking time, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a cast iron Dutch oven with parchment paper—stuff the parchment paper in there to "shape" it, then pull it out again for this next step. Gently turn your dough out onto the shaped parchment paper—which is no longer in the Dutch oven—flat side down.

6) Score the dough in a pattern with a bread lame or very sharp knife to allow steam to escape during baking. The scoring is functional, not just for appearance, so don't skip this step!

7) Carefully lower the parchment paper and dough back into the Dutch oven and cover with a well-fitting lid. If you don't have a Dutch oven, you can use a baking stone with a metal bowl inverted on top like a lid, or a  pre-soaked Romertopf clay baking pot. Just use anything that traps all the moisture inside during the first part of the baking cycle, and to keep the heat steady throughout. This ensures the bread cooks from the inside out and isn't too moist in the middle.

8) Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on, then remove the lid for 20 more minutes of baking.

9) After these 50 minutes of baking, carefully lift the bread from the Dutch oven using the parchment paper, then place the loaf directly on the wire oven rack for the last 10 minutes of baking. It will look dark, like it is burning, but it isn't. 

Recap: Bake 30 minutes covered, 20 minutes uncovered, and 10 minutes directly on the oven rack.

10) Carefully remove the loaf from the oven and place it on a cooling rack for 2-3 hours. Do not cut into the bread until it has cooled completely. 

NOTE: This bread will keep fresh on the counter in a ziplock bag for around 3 days, or you can slice and freeze it for toasting later. (We always eat it toasted, with a little bit of butter or buttery spread put on before putting it in the toaster oven!) Interestingly, even though sourdough bread does get stale, I've never had a loaf of wheat sourdough mold, even after a week on the counter in a ziplock bag. The gluten-free sourdough is more moist, however, and will mold after a few days unless frozen.

Regular (wheat) sourdough on the left, versus gluten-free sourdough on the right. Enjoy!

* The recipe shared here is modified heavily from this recipe from Meghan Telpner.

Using the leftover starter:
If you're like me, you don't want to waste one bit of your sourdough starter, even when you have some "discard" during your feeding and baking cycle. Just save the discard starter in a jar in your fridge and use it for one of these wonderful recipes we've tried and loved: Gluten-Free Sourdough Pancakes, Best Gluten-Free Sourdough Pancakes (which we do like better!), Gluten-Free Sourdough Apple Cake, or you can try any of the other wonderful recipes at Cultures for Health. They are a wealth of information and a wonderful resource for GF sourdough recipes! I encourage you to explore their site as your continue on your journey of making healthy cultured foods at home!

Best Sourdough Pancakes (Gluten-Free or Regular) (Vegan)

We've tried several, and these are the easiest, best GF sourdough* pancakes we've found. First, they use a ton of spent sourdough starter at one time, which I like. Second, they're light and fluffy, with crispy edges—the test of a good pancake to me. Don't skip the baking soda step, and do it separately like the recipe says. Yum!

2 C. sourdough starter, room temp (straight out of the fridge will work)

1/4 C. milk if starter is very thick (use nut milk for vegan)

2 Tbsp. sugar (I use coconut sugar)

1 egg (or flax egg for vegan)

4 Tbsp. oil (I use aapplesauce)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda (reserve for later)

1 Tbsp. warm water

1) In a large mixing bowl, combine sourdough starter, sugar, egg, olive oil, and salt. Mix well. If batter is very thick, add 1/4 milk or to desired consistency. Set aside.

2) In a small bowl, dilute 1 tsp. baking soda in 1 Tbsp. warm water. Set aside until ready to cook your pancakes.

NOTE: Only add the baking soda/water mixture to the pancake batter just before you are ready to cook the pancakes. Make certain everything is ready to go and the griddle is hot, so the pancakes can be cooked while the air is still working in the batter. This will produce lighter, fluffier pancakes.

3) When ready to cook your pancakes, fold the baking soda/water mixture gently into the prepared pancake batter. (Do not beat it!) This will cause a gentle foaming and rising action in the batter. Let the mixture bubble and foam a minute before using.

4) Ladle batter onto hot griddle. (We cook them in butter!)

5) Cook as you usually do pancakes: 1-2 minutes per side, flipping once you see bubbles beginning to form on the top side. Remove from heat and serve immediately (or keep them in a warm oven until ready to serve). Enjoy!

* If you don't have a GF sourdough starter—and don't have a GF sourdough friend who can give you some—you can start your own! Follow the directions here.

This recipe is adapted from this original wheat sourdough pancake recipe, which is delicious and is our very favorite! The regular wheat sourdough starter makes thinner pancakes, almost like crepes. Yum!

50+ Real-Food Condiment Recipes

Here's a link to some homemade condiment recipes I want to be able to find again.  Fewer preservatives and artificial ingredients is good, but so is a good recipe that makes for a decent substitute!

I'll post comments below if I try any of them, and you do the same if you do!

By the way, it is hard to beat Uncle Steve's BBQ Sauce, which is already posted here on this site.

Homemade Mozzerella

Well, I can't believe that I have ventured into cheese-making, but it is so easy and delicious that I have!

Here's the basic procedure:

1.  Add 1 1/2 tsp. citric acid to 1 C. cool water.  Dissolve well.

2.  Stir well into 1 gallon of milk.  (We use fresh, raw milk but pasteurized milk will work fine, too.)

3.  Heat mixture slowly to 90 degrees.  (This takes maybe 5 minutes.)

4.  In the meantime, stir 1/4 tsp. rennet into 1/4 C. water.  Mix well.  Set aside.

5.  When the milk mixture hits 90 degrees, gently stir the rennet mixture into the milk mixture.  Do not over-stir!

6.  Let it sit (off any heat) until the mixture lightly "solidifies" and you can gently pull it away from the side of the pan with the bottom of your spoon.  (This takes maybe 5-10 minutes.)

7.  Cut the semi-solid mass floating in your pan into a checkerboard pattern with a deep knife.  You will just cut it into 1-inch-or-so cubes right there in the pan.  Allow the squares to separate from the whey.

8.  In the meantime, start a large pot of shallow, salted water to come to a near boil.  (Add maybe a fistful or more of salt to the water--you want it to taste very salty, like the ocean.)

9.  Very gently stir the mixture occasionally as you reheat it to 110 degrees.  (This takes maybe 5 minutes)

10.  Pour the mixture through a strainer, collecting the whey in a pitcher for later use.

11.  Strain until it is a semi-solid lump, pressing out the whey with your spoon and draining it off.

12.  Once you have as much whey pressed out as you can, transfer the lump to the hot salt water bath.  Stir and "stretch" the cheese in the salt bath with a wooden spoon or two.

13.  Pour up and strain again once it is shiny and stretchy.

14.  Dump the ball into a stainless steel bowl and work and stretch it for a few seconds.  It will begin to solidify into shape very quickly.  It is at this point that you work herbs into it if you'd like.  We love to add finely chopped chives and basil and minced garlic.

15.  Roll in a ball, or shape into an oblong shape and roll into plastic wrap, sealing and rolling edges to form into a cylindrical shape.

16.  Place in fridge and chill well before serving.  This is delicious sliced with crackers or served with fresh tomato chunks.

Yum!! Enjoy!

Cultured Vegetables

Evie was looking for this link to make some homemade cultured veggies (think sauerkraut or kimchi), and she came here looking for it.  So here it is, for future reference.  Those not interested in culturing their own veggies can just move along...

Kefir

You can read about the "whys" of brewing/drinking kefir here.

As for the "hows," it is super easy.  Here it is:

Get some kefir grains from a reliable source.  (I'd be happy to share some with you, if you need them.)

For regular (milk) kefir:
Place grains in milk.  (An amount equal to about the size of a quarter will culture about a quart of milk in 24-48 hours. Adjust your quantities of grains-to-milk to always allow for culturing in about this amount of time.)

Let sit at room temperature, covered lightly with cloth (or paper towel) and a rubber band, until done.  Stir daily with a wooden utensil during the culturing.  (No metal!)

It is done when the liquid is thickened.  Pour through a plastic strainer to remove the grains.  Store in a glass bottle.

To make "kefir d'uva" (a cultured juice drink that tastes sort of like "grape beer"):

Retain some of your spare kefir grains (once they've "grown" enough to need to be divided), to be converted--permanently--to kefir d'uva grains.  (They will turn purple and will not be able to be returned to culturing milk kefir.)

Fill a glass jar with a mixture of one third to one half water, mixed with the other part (one half to two thirds) grape juice. (Get the bottle of 100% purple grape juice, like is sometimes used for communion.)

Allow it to culture/"brew" for 24-48 hours with a tight lid screwed on, shaking daily.  The mixture will become fermented, and it is done when it is very bubbly, still slightly sweet, and not yet disgustingly tart.  You'll figure it out.  Store in a bottle with a tight-fitting lid to hold fermentation.  (I recommend the bottle from Lorina Sparkling Lemonade; just buy one, drink it, soak the label off, and re-use.)

For both kinds of kefir:  You can store grains, when not in use, in the refrigerator in filtered water.  They will "go dormant" if stored in this way, not at room temperature, and will take longer to "brew" once you bring them back out for use in room temperature culturing.

See the other blog post for more information.

Homemade Yogurt

Homemade yogurt is a staple in our home. We consume obscene quantities of it. My kids love it. Homemade yogurt is cheaper and healthier than the store-bought variety. It isn't difficult to make at all, but it - like any other "homemade" venture - is more difficult than picking it up at the store. It will be worth the trouble to you if your family eats it already and you want to cut the cost and the sugar and the preservatives down.

Find a detailed procedure for how to make it here.

Evonne's Super-Easy Canned Tomatoes

Peel,* quarter, and pack fresh tomatoes in hot sterilized jars.  (I just run the jars through the dishwasher.)  

Add salt to each jar. (1/2 tsp salt per pint)

Seal jars – be sure jars are clean on the outside.  (Wipe with a clean rag.)

Put in a cold oven -- one rack only.  Jars should not be touching.

Set at 225 degrees for exactly 1 hour 15 minutes.

Do not open the oven door!  Turn oven off and let stay overnight until oven is completely cold. (I flip the same arm that keeps the door locked during a self-cleaning cycle, as a reminder not to open the door.)

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How to easily peel fresh tomatoes, for canning:

*If you're trying to avoid use of the microwave, for health reasons:
 Bring a pan of water to a boil and dip the whole tomato into it until the skin loosens up then remove from the water and just pull the skin off.   

*If you are one who doesn't mind using the microwave and plastic wrap:   
Halve the tomatoes and pack them in a large Pyrex bowl very tightly.  Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until the skins begin to loosen.  Then just dump them in a colander in the sink and let them cool enough to pull the skins off.  This doesn’t heat the kitchen up as much.