This post's title comes directly from P's mouth upon seeing Kefir Grains.
They're often described as looking like "cauliflower" but they do sort of look like brains. Have I turned you off? Read on...
After reading so much information about how beneficial Kefir is to good digestion and happy belly flora, I decided to try making my own. It's amazingly simple. So simple, I think everyone should do it. I've went through phases of making yogurt for our family, but even that simple task pales in comparison of Kefir's simplicity. Same with Kombucha. Making kefir is easy. And even better, making your own Kefir is so much cheaper than purchasing the prepared stuff. You'll be amazed. Just don't think of them as Albino Squishy Brains.
I've found that making kefir requires 5 simple steps:
2) Pour kefir grains into milk (or even coconut milk--- video tutorial).
3) Let the Kefir Grains (aka. Albino Squishy Brains) swim around in the milk, spreading their healthy charms. Cover them with a coffee filter or cheesecloth and let sit at room temperature for 12-24 hours.
4) Strain out the Kefir Grains & add them to new milk.
5) Drink the strained Kefir.
...Of course, there is a lot of room for experimentation. You can shorten or lengthen the culturing time to increase or reduce the tang and the effervescent qualities of the Kefir. I'm using "dairy grains," but there are also water grains for use with sweetened water or apple juice.
There are many uses for Kefir but our favorite is adding Kefir to smoothies. It tastes like the store-bought stuff and we also get a good dose of fruit, too. My favorite (so far) is a simple smoothie of strawberries, bananas, Kefir, and a little maple syrup.
Your Kefir Grains will grow and multiply like any happy creature does, and at that point you can either give them away or dehydrate them. In fact, your Kefir Grains will start to make a daily appearance in your life because they accomplish their task every 12-24 hours. But when you want a little break, you can put the whole mixture in the refrigerator to slow it down. They'll be happy to see you when you invite them back.
And lastly, there are many, many health claims regarding Kefir, from increased immunity to reducing the risk of colon cancer. I don't know the validity of many of the claims, but it seems to me that when one's belly is happy, so goes the rest of one's body...
