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

ROSEMARY GT KOMBUCHA

Rosemary Kombucha

I love the smell of fresh cut rosemary.  It is such a aromatic herb that makes green tea kombucha so tasty.  Not to mention it has so many nutritional benefits like phyto-nutrients.  Cellular nutrition equals cellular rejuvenation in my books.  So i'm all for adding a little rosemary to my kombucha.  It's also called an anti aging herb, and I believe it because I have seen the results with my own eyes on other folks who's skin alone testify to the health benefits of rosemary, by drinking it as a tea daily.  I have also been using it in my body butters as well for the past year, and I love it. So do my friends. Rosemary has natural salicylic acid, similar to other leading anti blemish lotions, but without all the chemicals.  But that's another blog I posted elsewhere.

Anyway, for the Rosemary Kombucha,  I added...

I disturbed my baby SCOBY, now there's another one
growing circumferencing the diameter of the container.

• water  one gallon
• green tea 4 tea bags
• rosemary dried 2- 6 teaspoons or 1 fresh sprig
• sugar 1/2-1 cup
• SCOBY (I used a small one)

I alway put the herbs in the water while it is still cold.  I heat it slowly till it is almost boiling then I turn the stove off at let it sit with the herbs in till it is barely warm.  I strain it and add that to my continous brew.  If this is your first batch you will add your SCOBY, and your 2 cups of kombucha from your previous brew, or a store bought bottle.  If you have no starter you can always use regular vinegar, but you need a SCOBY.  Yes it will culture.  I've done it a few times in my experiments.  Also, if you don't have a SCOBY you need a starter like a bottle of store bought kombucha if you don't have access to freshly brewed kombucha.  It does has enough live culture in it to recreate another baby SCOBY if left undisturbed for a few weeks.

I lifted the baby SCOBY'S and there is
 the mother SCOBY floating underneath.
Yummy rosemary kombucha beneath
 my SCOBY'S)

Note that rosemary has a lot of oil in the herb naturally, so it will take longer for the SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) and the tea to culture.  Don't worry, just be patient, it will culture.  Mine took at least 7 days before I saw the baby scoby starting to grow on the surface like a thin film.  It took me 2 weeks of brewing before it started to have that kombucha slight vinegary taste.  Yum.  So after 2 weeks my Rosemary gt Kombucha is ready, and i'm a happy camper.

GRAPE WATER KIFER SODA

Grape Juice Water Kifer Soda

Last night about midnight before I went to bed,  I put my water kifer grains  to soak with ...
3 tbsp. Water kifer grains
1 cup of Grape Juice (more or less, depends on your taste)
3 cups of water
1 tbsp sugar (I used brown)
1 quart size jar
12-18 hours.

Note that this is just the first stage.  Had I decided to go for more bubbles I would cap this in a bottle, tightly so that the air bubbles don't escape.  This works great if you like that wine taste.  I don't, so I stop at 12 hours and I will drink this as is.  It is now that I will see if it is too dry, or not sweet enough, then I will add, water, juice, or sweetener. Or you can leave it as is.  Your choice  Hey, I like taste
too:)

Fermented grape juice water kifer

It's still naturally carbonated, but not as much.  However it's still a healthy probiotic drink.  It's not as sweet as it was before the ferment, which makes it a great drink for diabetics who usually have to leave the fruit juices alone because of the natural sugars already there.  Therefore they don't get all the antioxidants and phytonutrients that are in the juices.  It is these healthy chemicals along with the probiotic kifers that are going to help control the diabetes, like it did mine.

Note 2:  Never throw your ferment away, because it over ferments.  This will make a great base for a delicious grape vinaigrette.  Don't you agree?  Yummy!  I can just imagine.

See how easy it is?  So natural, healthy, and cheap.  What a way to go. Now you try it:)  Let me know how it comes out.  Enjoy and...
Many blessings.
Mary Helen

Grape Juice Water Kifer on the rocks

SPICY FERMENTED CABBAGE & KOMBUCHA JUICE

FERMENTED CABBAGE & KOMBUCHA JUICE.  A LIVE PROBIOTIC DRINK

Top of the day to you.  I remember when every morning I would crawl out of bed walked to the kitchen to start my morning brew of coffee.  I guess I felt the need for speed and thought coffee would do it.  It does to an extent.  But my body would always let me know it didn't like it.  Today my morning drink is this coctail I concocted using...

• 36 oz. kombucha green tea vinegar
•  1/2 cup fermented cabbage aka sauerkraut
• 1 tbsp cayenne pepper (totally optional)
• 1 clove garlic (totally optional)

Blend this all together.  You can strain the pulp if you like but I like the fiber too.  Pour in glass jars/bottles, and cap. Store in the refrigerator.  There it will continue to ferment at a much slower rate.

I don't drink this coctail just to wake me up.  My fermented cabbage and kombucha are both  probiotic so I just doubled my probiotic intake right?  Now that's what I'm  talking about.  Also it is not only probiotic, but remember cabbage is high in antioxidants, and phyto-nutrients, as well as fiber.  The Cayenne pepper is also loaded with these ingredients too. 

If you don't know the benefits of probiotics folks, start googling.  It's a wonder food.  Also the benefits of Cayenne Pepper alone has a write up here.  You do the research.  I will continue to test and inform.  By all means test for yourself and see.

By the way this drink is so tangy and tasty.  Better than any V-8 juice. Add some celery, or tomatoes. You will really look forward to it.  Be creative, get involved with your own health and take charge.

Enjoy, and many blessings  

Mary Helen