KOMBUCHA GREEN SMOOTHIES WITH MY NINJA MEGA PRO 1500W

Blending my Kombucha Green Smoothie with my Ninja Mega
Kitchen System Pro 1500W.  

Good morning everyone, and Happy New Years Eve to you  all.  I  pray and HOPE you make the best out of this new year!  Anway with that... I just made this tangy Kombucha Green Smoothie drink.  What I like about this recipe is, there are no set rules.  What I had on hand is what I used.   Adding homemade kombucha has made it so much more alive with it's probiotics.  What can I say, for me, probiotics and solulable fiber found in vegetables has helped me so much in my recovery to wellness, and a 50 lb. weight loss without dieting is just a plus!  I just add drinks like this and other probiotics foods to my daily diet  (See my blog, "What Probiotics Have Done For Me, part 1, 2. if interested)  Anyway for me, as long as it is green and alive, I am a happy camper.

 Well it's breakfast time and usually I don't go big on breakfast early in the morning.  I will save the heavier meal for brunch, lunch or dinner.  However I feel the need for energy now.  What better way to wake up every thread in your body with with some homemade kombucha, a beautiful green salad, seeds, and some fruit.  Only problem is I have a busy morning schedule and don't have time to sit and properly chew a salad in the morning.  That's great if you do but most folks don't have time or take time to properly feed your body REAL NUTRITION so early in the morning.

I turned simple green salad turned into a liquid
smootie to get all the nutritional benefits
I could HOPE for.  See Brenda Watson
on PBS.  She's so full of HOPE.

Taking the time to chew you food is so important for proper digestion, and better nutritional absorbtion.  Take the tiny but powerful sesame seed or flaxseed.  We know they are very good for us as they are loaded with calcium, protein, and omega 3's.  However the shell of the seed is so hard, it's just fiber if we don't chew it to breakdown the nutrition.  They are so tiny they either get swallowed whole by eating fast, or caught between your teeth.  Right?  Also, it works only if you have the teeth to chew right? Listen up seniors! The whole seed gets passed right out without any nutrition being absorbed.  What a waste of money.  Non GMO seeds can get quite pricey too.  Well anyway, lucky me I have my Ninja 1500W,  However, my son has the Ninja Pulse  and it does the same to help breakdown those tiny nutty seeds. Enough said, let's get busy.


I just made this tangy Kombucha Green Smoothie drink.  What I like about this recipe is, there are no set rules.  What I had on hand is what I used for my Kombucha Green Smoothie.  Adding homemade kombucha (see my blog on how to make homemade kombucha) to my drink has made it so much more alive with it's probiotics.  As long as it is green and alive, I am a happy camper.

Ingredients:  Remember no rules

Actually this 16 oz. single serve can
serve two 8 oz glasses.

• Kombucha GT, 1/4-1/2 cup  (Can use water, or juice)
• Green Organic baby Arugela, washed.  1/2 cup
• Green Apple, 1/3 (any kind)
• Mango, one slice
• Cabbage heart, small slice 
• Ginger, 1/2-1 inch slice
• Celery, 1/2 stalk
• Flax seeds,  1-2 teaspoons
• Sesame seeds, 1-2 teaspoons
• Tumeric, 1 teaspoon
• Water to max fill line

Instructions:

• Put all ingredients in the blender
• Add water to Max fill line and close carefully.  The good thing about the Ninja is if it is not closed properly and tight, the machine will not start.
• Blend with SEVERAL SHORT PULSES then  a few long pulses until desired smoothness is obtained.  Make sure the seeds are ground up well.  It might take a minute...or two.

Now that you have this recipe, I feel great.  I just drank up, to my health and feel like I had a jump start today.  Nice:)  It's so easy to make.  No need to spend a lot of money elsewhere, when you can get this wonderful Kombucha Green Smoothie right at home.  I might add, that that it has all the ingredients one can "HOPE" for.  Brenda Watson a world known natural health practitioner who I heard on tv's PBS station said "for optimal health we must have HOPE".  HOPE stands for...

H... High Fiber    (check)   Solulable fiber in fruits, vegetables, and oats, etc.
O... Omega 3's    (check)   Nuts, fish, and healthy oils
P...  Probiotics    (check)   Kombucha, kifers, and yogurts, as well as fermented foods
E...  Enzymes      (check)  Raw foods.

Please join me on this journey into wellness, by trying a few of the recipes I have posted here on my blogs. Feel free to share whatever you like. If at first you don't succeed, try and try again.  If you don't like the taste try adding another fruit or veggie until you do find what works for you.  Just don't give up.  After all, there is HOPE.  So till the next, Many Blessings to all, and again Happy New Year.

Sincerely,

Mary Helen

LOOK WHAT PROBIOTICS HAVE DONE FOR ME WITH A LITTLE "HOPE". PART 2.

Happy New Year from Mary Helens Test Kitchen 2013!! I want to share with you some "HOPE".

H...High fiber.
O...Omega 3's
P...Probiotics
E...Enzymes

My bottled water kifer soda.
I bottle myself.  Once 
capped, it becomes
naturally carbonated, and
more probiotic

"HOPE" was said by Brenda Watson, a famous natural health practitioner who was recently on PBS television.  I got the main message, .  It was "HOPE".  It caught my attention, because in the beginning, all I had was hope.  I still do.  HOPE, for me plants a good seed.  And with that is my desire to plant this seed with you.  But before I continue... 

Mint Kifer Ice Cream.   Made
with milk kifer and mint
herbs.  Yes
I have total control.  It's
all good and probiotic.

I want to take this time to pray you have a wonderful new year with all that you "HOPE" for.  I "HOPE" you are blessed with all that you need in the future.  I "Hope" for a cure for all that ails you. I Hope for Love, World Peace, and True Happiness.  And with that said, I will continue.

Actually it wasn't just probiotics that has helped me with my wellness.  It was healthy oils like coconut, real butter, extra virgin olive, and grapeseed oils, etc.  I also give credit to fiber.  Not just any fiber.  Soluble fiber that comes from fruits and vegetables.  I also thank my Ninja blender, my kitchen assistant for making a lot of my work easier. I realized I was following Barbara Watson and her "HOPE" plan without even knowing who she was until the other day.

H...High fiber....  Not just any fiber.  Solulable fiber like fruits and vegetables, oats, etc.
O...Omega 3's...  Fish, Oils, butter, olive oil, beans, and walnuts, etc.
P...Probiotics...   Milk, Kifer, yogurt, kombucha, and fermented foods like sauerkraut, etc.
E...Enzymes...     Raw foods again!  Including Sushi etc.

Fermented Cabbage
Kombucha Green Tea drink.
So tangy, so tasty...so probiotic.

It was then I realized I really had to share this great news full heartedly.  It's all good, but, it was probiotics where I began to see a difference with my health.

PROBIOTICS and MY RECOVERY

To begin with I am a 64 year young woman, getting better every day.  One day it hit me that food can either harm me or help me.  I got to choose which direction I wanted food to take me.  I realized I had more control over my body than I realized.    I also realized that food was medicine and with that I began my journey into wellness.  One and 1/2 years later after including water kifers, milk kifers, kombucha's, as well and venturing on to other probiotic fermented foods, and the implementation of the "HOPE" plan (didn't know it at the time though).  Today, I am still free of over 300+ pharmaceudical medications.

Milk Kifer Grains for milk
 kifer, cheeses, ice cream
and desserts.  So good, so
probiotic.

Also, I am so glad to say I show no sign of diabetes after being so out of control, and in and out of hospitals for years.  My blood pressure and cholesterol are very much in control.  My doctors visits are less frequent.  My hospital visits are down to zero except for an episode of shingles. This is a big difference from before, because hospitals had become a home away from home.  So sad, I was always depressed.  I feel so much better now.  My energy level has increased by 50%, to the tune of "I have so much energy, I lost 40 lbs. the first year, and another 10 lbs. these last 6 months without dieting".  Did I mention how much softer, and healthier my skin looks and feels?  What a plus at 63!  I'm not saying life is perfect, or I am the perfect size...but life is better today without all that baggage. What a load that was.

Coconut Water Kifer soda.
Naturally carbonated,
naturally good and,
loaded with probiotics

I know I am headed in the right direction.  Did I mention how cheap it is to brew/ferment your own probiotics at home?  It is really cheap to get healthy.  No need to pay for all those pharmaceudical pills that help mask what ails you, but does not cure you.  Let's plant that seed of "HOPE" in all of us. Let's get busy, and check out my other healthy but truly tasty recipes here on Blogger.  Feel free to share my posts with your family and friends.  My last words for your today is to...have"HOPE".  Remember food is medicine, and it doesn't take a lot of money either, just a little "HOPE".  So till the next time, I will keep on doing what I am doing.  To you all, many blessings.

Sincerely,

Mary Helen

Grape Kifer Soda, another
naturally carbonated
probiotic drink

Fermented Lemons.  The
rinds are so tender and tasty
they just fall apart.  Also
probiotic.

Rosemary Green Tea
Kombucha. A
probiotic tasty drink

Spicy Fermented Green Apple
Pickle, Indian style.  Oh
so tasty, made with lots'
of herbs and spices.  It's great
and great for the
winter months.  Also rich
in probiotics

Milk Kifer Cheese Spread
with coconut and honey
and spices.
Another healthy,tasty
alternative.  Again,
more probiotics

Strawberry Vanilla Kombucha
Green Tea Icee.  So
Probiotic and so
refreshenly tasty

Carbonated Kombucha
Green Tea
Antiseptic/astringent
for my face and cuts.
P. S. It's so
tenderizingly soft.

Homemade Kombucha Green
Tea .with the mother SCOBY
on top.  Yes it's probiotic

Homemade fermented sauerkraut
loaded with probiotics.
Folks, if you haven't had
homemade sauerkraut...
you don't know what your missing.

Yummy milk kifer Mayonainse
that melts in your mouth

CARBONATED KOMBUCHA GT HERBAL FACE AND BODY TONER/ASTRINGENT

Carbonated Kombucha Gt Herbal Face And Body Toner/Astrigent.

Introducing, Carbonated Kombucha GT Herbal Face and Body Toner/Astringent.  It leaves your face feeling tingly clean and fresh.  Great antiseptic for minor cuts, and scrapes...

It is  made with raw kombucha vinegar.  Adding green tea and cloves makes this a powerful natural antibacterial as well. It leaves your face and body fresh and clean.  My face feels slightly tighter, pores smaller.  And I am naturally protected with salicylic acid to help ward of blemishes.

Lucky me.  I've been brewing Kombucha GT for over a year now. Within days the excess Kombucha GT turns into vinegar.   Drinking Kombucha GT and it's probiotics daily, I feel the difference in all that ailed me.  Because all that ailed me, no longer ails me like diabetes and high blood pressure.  Another benefit of Kombucha GT is, I've lost weight and kept it off without dieting too.  Good news is  I am still losing weight slowly and again without dieting.  Well I know if it could balance my inner organs than it should do wonders for the largest organ of my body... my skin. 

I really like anything to do with Kombucha GT probiotics and their ph balance.  I figure if folks drink it, bathe with it, shampoo with it, and use the mother SCOBY (SYMBIOTIC CULTURE OF BACTERIA AND YEAST) to make face masks like I do.  Then Kombucha GT Face Toner/Astringent should be great for the face as well.  Fact is, ancient medicine have also used the Kombucha GT SCOBY (SIMBIOTIC CULTURE OF BACTERIA AND YEAST) aka known as the "vinegar mother", as band aids because the SCOBY is thick and similar to skin.  It shrinks as it dries which also helps seals and shrink the wound and keep unhealthy bacteria out.  Raw kombucha GT ferments into a vinegar has a ph of 4 or less.  Your skin would love this ph balance.  Now  combine Kombucha GT with herbs like green tea and cloves, and you have  a perfect marriage for an astringent.  Besides nourishing and cleansing the skin, it would help shrink enlarged pores, and reduce oil, and or acne. 

BENEFITS OF GREEN TEA AND CLOVES.

There are a multitude of benefits in green tea and cloves besides vitamin C. Including many micro phyto-chemicals, a rich nutrient good for cellular rejuvenation   Polyphenols and their anti-oxidant benefits are also a natural astringent.  However, it would be to your benefit you research them for yourself.  Right now I am only briefly stating a few benefits. about the astringent  properties in these two herbs.  My goal is to show you how easy it is to make with my recipe.

Astringents:

• contain  plant based micro phyto-nutrients and  polyphenols. like tannic acids and salicyclic acid.  These are powerful antioxidants that your body needs both internally and externally.
• 
  

• Astringent - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AstringentShare

  An astringent (occasional alternative: adstringent) substance is a chemical compound that tends to shrink or constrict body tissues, usually locally after topical ...
  You visited this page on 11/30/12.

Tannic Acid:

Tannic acid is plant based micro-poly-phenol, another antioxidant. In the 1920's Tannic Acid was used in medicine to treat burns.  They applied tannic acid to the dressing and applied the dressing to the wound/burn.  They were able to reduce the mortality rate greatly. Tannic Acid  aka Tannins can be found in many plants including green tea and cloves.  Green tea, and cloves have a lot of other poly-phenols including one called, called salicylic acid.  

Salicylic Acid:

Salicylic Acid is known for its drying and tightening properties.   Salicylic acid can be found in many plants, but it is now chemically made. Many anti blemish face products, including the famous Pro-Active, and Neutrogena contain salicylic acid.  However, most over the counter products have salicylic acid, but it is chemically made, and not natural.  

Personally I'd rather spend my money elsewhere.  I know that my Kombucha GT Herbal Face and Body Toner/Astringent works just as well, perhaps better, and without all those additional chemicals. So, with all this in mind, I've come up with a Kombucha GT Herbal Face and Body Toner . Here is an easy recipe using a few herbal ingredients, I present to you my...

KOMBUCHA GT HERBAL FACE AND BODY ASTRINGENT/TONER RECIPE

(By the way this is safe enough to drink.  Great way to help you lose weight)

Ingredients:

• ** Kombucha GT 1 bottle to make kombucha vinegar (See **note, below.) or Kombucha GT Vinegar 12 oz.  (Great ph balance for skin)
• Green Tea 2 tea bags  (Great antioxidants like micro- polyphenols to freshen and tighten the skin.)
• Cloves Ground 1/4 teaspoon (Also contains polyphenols, and a heating element which stimulates blood flow necessary for cellular rejuvination.
• Oil light  1-2 teaspoons (I used Jojoba oil:)
• Jar 10 oz sterile jar with non metal lid.

Instructions:

• Put Kombucha GT vinegar in jar.
• Add cloves and green tea bags and keep in a dark warm place for at least 3-5 days. (The oven is a great place to keep it.
• Remove tea bags 
• Strain with a fine cheesecloth to retrieve tea bags and ground cloves.
• Pour into sterile container with cap
• Add oil  cap and shake well. Shake well over the sink as it will fizz IF Well Capped.  (give it a couple of days in the new capped container.
• Apply to face or body with a soft cloth or a cotton ball.

**Note  
If you do not have kombucha vinegar you can purchase a bottle of kombucha.  Open it, cover with a paper towel.  Set undisturbed in a warm spot for a week or so,or until you see a SCOBY floating on top.  You can now use this to brew your next batch of kombucha.  All climates is different so just be  patient.  You can tell when it's ready by the smell and taste.  So easy to make.

Live Kombucha GT vinegar is a natural low ph astringent on it's own.  It's an antioxidant, antibacterial, and an antiseptic.   To add to the already awesome astringent are the natural  polyphenols like tannic acid and salicylic acid found in green tea and cloves. We already know these two are also astringent based plants.  They too, alone help tighten, clean, heal and freshens the skin.   Isn't that great news. They marry well together.  That means that this is a great combination.

I've been using Carbonated Kombucha GT Herbal Face and Body Toner/Astringent, a few weeks now. Yes, it smells like vinegar, but the smell evaporates rapidly leaving only a hint of cloves.  Each and every time I use it I feel like my skin is softer, more tender.  My pores have shrunken.  I no longer have dry patchy flaky spots.  My face feels cleaner and more rehydrated, healthier.  If you have it, don't be afraid to try it.  If the ph is  is too strong you can always dilute it with tea or water.  I also used it on a cut as an antiseptic.  Works great.  As for me... I am really a happy camper.

So here you have it.  Another recipe created just for us.   It has no preservatives, or other harsh chemicals to strip our face and body.  It's cheap, safe and effective.  It only cost about $2.00 for a bottle of Carbonated Kombucha GT to make your kombucha, and a couple of tea bags and cloves.  It's time to keep your money in your wallet. Sorry Pro-Active.  I make my own.

Well, that's it for now.  Be good to yourself. So till the next time... don't forget to share.  I hope this post/blog was helpful.  If so please click the yes box on the right.  Again,  I am open to all questions.  Goodnight and many blessings.

Sincerely,

Mary Helen

SPICY PICKLED TOFU IN MILK KIFER WHEY

Spicy pickled tofu ferment in lactic acid (milk kifer whey)
and a few spices.  Now it a probiotic pickle.:)

Another probiotic food for you! Pickled Tofu Ferment. I began fermenting this tofu in milk kifer whey 5 weeks ago.  I only fermented a small batch since it was an experiment and I wasn't sure about the outcome.  Now, it smells similar to a Kosher pickle.  Since the smell is good, I decided to try it, and it was very tasty.  It does have a slight fizz in the texture.  But, it is definetely a success.  I like pickled foods.  Only if they have been pickled naturally by process of ferment.  Time and a little whey  has turned the food into a healthy probiotic food.  Again I say, Food is Medicine.  And yes, we can get healthy on a low budget.  It just takes a little know how.  So now I will share with you how I made this delicious Pickled Tofu Ferment.  It has a nice bite of hot spices, that only add to the nutrients of this probiotic tofu.

First of all, I have to say, this came about sort of by accident.  I started out making an Asian tofu dish called, "Stinky Tofu".  I was looking for more healthier dishes to add to my diet.  Well after my research I've come to realize, "Stinky Tofu" is not for me...no matter how healthy it is!  Yup, I can do without the stink, and slime.  However, I was in the drying process when I stopped production.  Lol.  I didn't want to go to stage two, with the stink, or the slime.  This is when I came up with this recipe for my tofu that was in the drying stage.
So easy, to make, this is how I did it with just a few ingredients...

Ingredients:

• Tofu  Firm texture.  (Organic is best since this is a ferment)
• Whey, liquid  about 2 cups.  Enough whey to cover tofu.  (I used milk kifer whey, but you can use yogurt whey. See instructions below)
• Garlic 3 cloves minced
• Cayenne Red Chili Powder 1-4 teaspoons according to taste.  (Note the heat of the chilies do mellow out a bit during the fermentation.)
• Tumeric 1 heaping teaspoon
• Salt 1 teaspoon
• Cookie sheet
• Skewers  
• Parchmont paper or napkins
• Sterile jar with lid

Instructions:

Will be tutored via pictures...  

Enjoy:)

Drying stage:  step 1

• Press as much liquid out of the firm tofu as possible.  
• Cut into at least one inc cubes
• Skewer tofu onto  skewers
• Put parchmont paper or paper towel on cookie sheet.







When they start drying and looking like this,
not totally dried, just partially.  They are ready
for the "whey sauce".

• Lay skewers or tofu on cookie sheet
• Put in the oven to dehydrate some more moisture.  This is for better absorbtion of the lactic acid in the whey sauce.




They are drying out by the light of the oven.
Turn about twice a day.  Skewers come in
handy for easier turning.

Collecting whey is so easy...Step 2
Pour liquid milk kifer or plain yogurt in
a strainer that has a cloth to collect
the curds.  By the way... the curds make
great cream cheese.

Put a bowl under the strainer to collect the
whey.  No whey!  Yes whey.  You can see
the whey collected on the bottom,  right?
A Natural lactic acid.  Nice:)

Step 3. Add Cayenne red pepper, tumeric,
garlic and salt to the whey.

Put dried tofu in a jar, adding the whey sauce to cover.
Make sure you give it plenty of  headspace.
The tofu will expand when it rehydrates in this
 lactic acid whey sauce
 Put in a corner for at least 4-5 weeks before opening.
To preserve flavor, store in the refrigerator once
fermented.

Well again my friends, I've come to another close, another day, and another share.  However I am inspired to have one more share with you  today.  And that is be prepared.  Food storage,  water storage is of the utmost important.  Times are changing.  Weather is changing.  We hear about it all the time.  Folks, don't wait till it hits home.  Better to be safe than sorry.  Yeah, you might think, "Well, if it's my time to go, it's just my time to go".  So true it is.  However, it would be sad if you lived only to find you or a loved one could have used that water.  Or that extra jar of peanut butter you decided not to save.  It doesn't take much to prepare for a disaster.  Just start small.  Oatmeal, whatever! It doesn't matter.  Just start please!

  Ok, on a softer note, I hope you enjoyed this simple easy recipe on how to turn your plain tofu into something much tastier, and healthier.  And for only a little know how.  After all, my whey was free,  Now my food today is medicine.  Remember, please feel free to share.  So till the next time...Many Blessings to all:)

Sincerely,

Mary Helen

Buttery Milk Kifer Mayonnaise

Buttery Milk Kifer Mayonnaise goes great on almost anything.  Even spread on
crackers.

I've found another way to use my milk kifer.  It is so good I had to share.  In my research, I found a few egg-less recipes for homemade mayonnaise.  They used milk instead of eggs.  So I thought if you could make it with cold milk, well why not cold kifer milk?  And with a healthy oil base.  I am so glad I did.  I just made a few adjustments, and now my milk kifer mayonnaise is so buttery, it should be called Buttered Milk Kifer Mayonnaise.

Adding the virgin coconut oil really gave it

a smooth texture, and creamy taste.  What

a great choice.  Now this is "Best Foods, Real
Mayonnaise", homemade.

Now this is definitely a safer way to pack a sandwich, or more suitable for that potato salad that might sit at a gathering.  Milk kifer mayonnaise is eggless which makes it a better alternative for any store bought mayonnaise.  It goes great on a sandwich or a salad of your choice.  Yum, a baked potato topped with a dollop of buttery milk kifer mayonnaise sounds healthier too.Not only that, it still has all the natural probiotics that is in the milk kifer, and it is now lactose free. And it tastes so buttery good.

Milk kifer is made from milk kifer grains.  It is milk that has sat in the milk kifer grains until it has fermented and turned into a natural probiotic.  This usually takes from 8 to 24 hours depending on the ratio of milk kifer grains, milk and room temperature. Once the milk kifer has fermented, it changed the intolerable lactose into lactate, and is now a natural probiotic food.  Our body can tolerate lactate much better. I will say this, natural probiotics have changed my life tremendously for the better health-wise.  Milk kifer is one of the natural probiotics I use.  Allow me to suggest, if you don't know about the health benefits of milk kifer, investigate it further for you own benefit.  So with this, I will continue.

Buttery Milk Kifer Mayonnaise

Ingredients:

Blend on high, milk kifer,
garlic, lecithin, and lemon
juice

• Milk Kifer 1/2 cup (Tart is best)  Ice cold. Set it in the freezer for 15 minutes
• Oil  1/2 cup
• Coconut oil 3 tablespoons.  
• Garlic 1 small clove
• Lecithin 1 teaspoon
• Salt  1 teaspoon (don't omit if you want the kifer taste to remain the same)
• White pepper 1/2 teaspoon (I only had black pepper on hand)
• Lemon juice or vinegar 1/2 to 1 teaspoon (omit this step if milk kifer is already tart enough
• Small blender, or hand held mixer
• 2 cup clean jar

Once blended put in freezer for 15 minutes

Instructions:

• Mix milk kifer, garlic, lecithin, and lemon juice in jar and blend well on high
• Add oil slowly mixing on high speed for about 2 minutes.
• Add coconut oil, salt and pepper and blend again on high for one minute.
• Put jar in freezer for 15 minutes
• Blend again on high till thick and smooth

Now re-whip and watch it churn like butter.
Adding the virgin coconut oil was a very
good idea.  Smooth, and creamy texture
and taste.

This buttery milk kifer mayonnaise is like a whipped butter and is best served cold.  At room temperature it does become more like a very tasty creamy sauce.  Sort of like a ranch dressing, which is still yummy. Store in the refrigerator  in a sealed container.  It should be used within two weeks for best results. You can be creative and add different spices depending on your liking. Well now my milk kifer mayonnaise has become a tasty medicine.  After all, food is medicine right?

Buttery Milk Kifer Mayonnaise should

be put in a sealed container, and stored

 in the refrigerator for best results.

Please feel free to share this delicious whipped buttery milk kifer mayonnaise recipe with your family and friends.  Send them here for healthier natural probiotic recipes.  So easy to make and so much cheaper if it's made at home. Well that's it for now folks.  So till the next time.

Many blessing:)

Sincerely,

Mary Helen

FERMENTED GREEN APPLE PICKLE

Fermented Green Apple Pickle that only gets better with age.  A lot of juice
has released after almost 30 days creating a nice tangy spicy syrup.
Yes, Food is medicine.  Isn't there a saying about an apple a day?
Wow, imagine a fermented probiotic apple:)

Fermented Green Apple Pickle only gets better with age.  More of a "Indian mango-pickle taste", and a lot more probiotics now that it's fermented.  It's an all natural and homemade apple preserve, preserved Indian style before referigeration.  Every single herb used here has micro-phyto-nutrients, and has it's own medicinal property.  Way to go, heal while you eat.  I can deal with that.

Why Indian style?  Because in my research I believe Indian food to be one of the worlds healthiest foods with their choice of spices alone.  Spices are herbs.  Ayurvedic medicine comes from India and uses a lot of herbs for healing.  Herbs are plants.  Plants have micro-nutrient phytochemicals necessary for cellular rejuvenation. Now combine these spices, with fresh green apples totally raw, and some time, and voila, you have yourself a pretty healthy probiotic pickle in time. So delicious, it makes your mouth water just thinking about them.  All it takes is a spoon to accompany your naan bread, or rice.  Yum.  Healthy.

Let's do it using 4 small Granny smith apples (Organic preferred since we are fermenting, but not necessary)

• Granny Smith or Tart apples 4 small, washed and cut into small pieces (about 1 inch)

In a bowl mix:

• Red chili powder 2 tablespoons
• Mustard powder 2 tablespoons I used black mustart seeds (very strong)
• Garlic-crushed    1 tablespoon
• Sea Salt              1 tablespoon
• Tumeric              1/2 teaspoon
• Fenugreek seeds (Methi) and or powder 1/2 teaspoon

In a bowl mix all your dry herbs as described .
Not the same herbs for tempering.
Put this bowl aside

In a fry pan add:

• Oil 1/2 cup.  Use a good quality oil.  I used sesame oil

Heat oil then add:

• Mustard seeds 1/2 teaspoon
• Cumin seeds    1/2 teaspoon
• Dried red pepper  2-3 cut in 3-4 pieces each
• Garlic  6-8 fresh cloves cut in 1/2.
• Asafoetida powder  1/2 teaspoon  (Found in Indian stores or online.  Pronounced "hiing") Ps. this herb really smells.  I put the container in a jar and seal it tight!
• Curry leaves 5-6 leaves crushed in big pieces

Follow picture tutorial from here on end:)

Tempering:  Frying mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and
dried red pepper till sizzling and seeds start popping.
Turn off heat, add curry leaves..and let cool to room temperature.
(I didn't have any curry leaves at the time, oh well it was fine.)

Once it is at room temperature add tempered oil to
bowl of spices.  Mix well.

Add green apples and green chili.  Mix well.

This is what it looks like after 12 hours of "marinating" in the

spices.  You can eat it as is.  It is quite tasty.  However, to get 

the probiotics, it must ferment for at least 2 weeks.

Note:  If you are going to save some for later.  Put it
in a sterile jar, with a sterile cap.  All fruit in jar
must be immersed in liquid.  You can
top off with the same type oil you
tempered with.  Store in
refrigerator.

 I hope you try this delicious Indian Green Apple Pickle recipe, that happens to be fermented.  Better for you homemade right?  Yes!  Why?  Because the Mango and or Green apple pickles that are sold in Indian stores have been pasteurized and only have the spiced pickled apple and not the probiotics.  Probiotics is a good thing. I just took this recipe back to the old days, before they had refrigeration.  This is one way they preserved their food.  Tried and true. This is a quite popular Indian dish ready to accompany any bread, rice, or whatever Indian dish you like.  Remember, it only takes a little bit. Perhaps a tablespoon here and there, and your gut will be flourishing with a healthy bacteria...PROBIOTICS.  Remember folks, food is medicine.  I must admit, this is pretty cheap medicine, that costs but a few green apples, and some herbs.  Nice thought.

Well that's about it for now.  Please feel to share this blog with your family and friends.  Ask any questions you may have.  So for now I leave you with, peace, and many blessings to all.

Sincerely,

Mary Helen

STRAWBERRY VANILLA KOMBUCHA ICEE

It's strawberries galore, because they are in season.  Not only are they tasty little berries, they are so full of phyto-nutrients, also known as rejuvinating, healing, anti, aging, anti cancer nutrients. Not to mention they are a good source of fiber.  They are a necessary element to our well being.  Now to mix this with green tea kombucha and Voila!  This is now a berry good drink, right?  Not only is if filled with the above goodness, it is full of probiotics.  And it tastes good too.  Your family will love this probiotic drink.  You don't even have to tell them it has kombucha.  My son won't touch kombucha but if I disguise it, he'll drink it all with a smile wanting a refill.  That makes me one happy camper.

Ingredients:

Strawberries 1/2 cup washed and stemmed

Kombucha 8-12 ounces (more or less)

Ice 2 cups (more or less)

Brown sugar (1 tablespoon)

Vanilla 1 teaspoon

Blender that can crush ice.

Put all this in the blender and blend till desired thickness.  If you would like to scoop it out, add more ice.  If you like to drink it add less ice and or more kombucha.  It's your choice. This a great way to cool down on a hot summer's day.  So easy, so good, and so refreshing.  Better than anything store bought.  And it only costs but a few berries, and some green tea to make your Strawberry Vanilla Kombucha if you make it at home.  So did I  hear someone say it costs too much to eat healthy?  Not so if it's homemade.

Till the next time...many blessings to all.

Mary Helen

ALMOND MILK KIFER

Raw live  almond kifer milk

Here is another delicious recipe that is so easy and full of healthy probiotics.  It has a tangy taste and is quite refreshing as is. I happen to like plain yogurt, buttermilk, and plain kifers.  But I suppose many folks might not like this unless it is in a smoothie with fruit.  I make my own almond milk, so I always have access to it.  If your interested in my almond milk recipe you can find it in my other recipe blog  here at...
                                                maryhelenstestskitchen@blogspot.com
Anyway here is how I do it.

Ingredients:

• Milk kifer grains  1/3 cup more or less
• Almond milk 2 cups more or less
• One clean container.

Instructions:

• Pour almond milk in rinsed kifer grains.
• Let sit at room temperature preferably 78 degrees fahrenheit
• strain when desired tartness and refrigerate.
• Rinse milk kifer grains well and put back in dairy milk as it thrives in dairy milk

Almond milk kifer looks quite done in my milk
kifer grains.

Easy enough for you?  And it really adds up and saves on your pocket book if you make it homemade.  It is so much richer in probiotics because it is homemade.  It is not heat controlled for market sale and therefore carries a lot more live healthy bacteria.  We need this to act like little pacman and gobble up that unhealthy bacteria right.  There is too much illness going around and probiotics is one way to ward that yucky "C" illness, and diabetes.

This was an easy strain.  Look at the
grains, they look clean right out of
the kifer almond milk.  I still need to
rinse well before I put it
back in dairy milk.

Remember, our body remains at 98.6 F right?  Well it's a perfect breeding ground for bacteria!!!  And with the undigested over processed foods remaining behind in your intestines causing havoc. It poisons you slowly or perhaps fast, causing a multitude of illnesses.  Not a laughing matter.  That's why I make natural probiotic foods.  I've cured my diabetes, and all that trimmings using probiotic foods.  Doctors told me I could not get off my meds.  Guess what?  I changed my diet by adding more probiotic foods like kifers, kombucha, and ferments, and my tests have show no signs of diabetes for almost a year now.  I have more choices in life and I get to choose.  I like the fact that it is possible to defeat and ward off many illness by diet alone.  If only my mom knew what I know, she might still be around.   FOOD IS MEDICINE FOLKS.

Till the next time...

 Many blessings,

Mary Helen

FERMENTED LEMONS WITH RINDS

FERMENTED LEMONS WITH THEIR RIND
AFTER 7 MONTHS THEY STILL
LOOK BEAUTIFUL

Seven months ago back in January my friend gave me about 25 pounds of ripe organic lemons.  I juiced and froze some.  I made lemon marmalade to preserve another portion of the lemons.  However, I wanted to find a way to preserve some besides canning it and killing anything that was alive in the heating process.  I found I could ferment it in a salted lemon juice brine.  Well after seven months let me share with you the results.   They are just as beautiful in color.  They came out in its own thick "syrup" full of natural pectin. They are now so delicate, and fall apart easy.  They looked so juicy I just had to try it.  Wow, it just melted in my mouth, rind and all.  I am very impressed.  I believe in food storage too besides eating healthy and this is how I did it...

Yes thats a thick salty lemon syrup full of natural
 pectin as well as probiotics and vitamins.

INGREDIENTS:

• Lemons 8-10 large (preferably organic) washed and sliced thin
• Jar sterile and large enough to fit the lemons leaving 2 inch headspace
• Juice of 3 large lemons
• 1/3 cup mineral salt (sea salt kosher salt, or pickling salt is fine just no iodized salt.)
• warm water enough to cover lemons at least 1 inch over the top

I mixed 1/4 cup warm water with the lemon juice and till the salt disolved in a separate bowel.  In a sterile jar I began packing  the sliced lemons in the sterile jar tightly.  I used a food pusher getting most of the air out every few layers. In doing this I added a little of the lemon juice brine solution each time. I did this till it was packed leaving a two inch headspace.  I then filled it with the lemon/water/salt solution leaving a one inch headspace.  I left it in a dark corner for a month.



I was not in a hurry to try it after a month because I don't like the rind or the white pith and I thought it would have that "pithy bitter taste".  So in February I put it in the back of the refrigerater for the past 6 months.   So after 7 months it's so ready.  I had to try it.   I am again a happy camper as I now have another probiotic ferment to share with you and my friends.

One note please.  This is a very lemony salty fermented tangy product. Similar to a salted plum. I would not suggested you eat it as is.  You might want to consider making a sauce and adding a couple of slices to a cooked product.  Or maybe a lemon vinaigrette.  Chopped fine and sprinkle it in a salad is another option right?  If you have any ideas let me know.  How about dried? Or any comments, please feel free to leave one.

Thanking you in advance and many blessings,

CAN YOU SEE THE TENDERNESS

Mary Helen

SO DELICATE, THEY JUST FALL APART

JUICY MOUTH WATERING FERMENTED LEMONS